One recent study found that women who had vitamin D deficiency when they were diagnosed had a 94% increased risk that the cancer would spread, and 73% increased risk of dying within the next 10 years, compared to those with adequate vitamin levels. What’s most alarming is that vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide health problem, even in the developed world.
Now, two new vitamin D studies from the University of Rochester Medical Center have linked vitamin D deficiency with breast and colon cancer. One study of 224 women being treated for breast cancer found that 66% were deficient of vitamin D.
African American women had the lowest levels of vitamin D compared to Hispanic or white patients. Genetic factors common to blacks may interfere with vitamin D absorption: higher incidence of lactose intolerance, which can eliminate vitamin-D fortified milk from the diet, and darker skin pigment that significantly reduces vitamin D synthesis.
The study also looked at the effect of vitamin supplementation regimens for those with deficiency. Temporary weekly doses of as much as 50,000 IU were needed to increase vitamin D levels in those considered severely deficient. This compares to the Institute of Medicine recommendation of 200 IUs per day up to age 50; 400 IUs from ages 51-70; and 600 IUs after age 70. The authors recommend a minimum 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily in addition to calcium supplementation.
In a separate study reported in the journal Cancer, researchers suggest that vitamin D deficiency among African Americans may explain the particular susceptibility of black people to death from colorectal cancer. They found that African Americans have double the risk of dying from the cancer. After accounting for other factors, vitamin D deficiency may explain about 40% of the mortality risk associated with being African American.
A similar study published earlier this year showed that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to a higher risk of heart- and stroke-related deaths among blacks compared to whites. The findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency heightens the risk of death in African Americans from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Groups at greatest risk of vitamin D deficiency are:
- Older adults because their skin synthesizes vitamin D less efficiently than younger skin does.
- People living in northern latitudes such as New England and Alaska.
- Homebound individuals in any latitude who receive minimal sun exposure.
- People with dark skin whose pigment melanin interferes with the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D.
- Obese people whose fat stores soak up the available vitamin D.
- People with certain intestinal conditions who do not absorb enough vitamin D from foods.
If you fall into one of these categories, it’s recommended that you obtain a blood test for vitamin D levels. Supplementation for vitamin D deficiency is easy and inexpensive, and could be life-saving.
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