A new study shows that lowering your risk of cancer can be as simple as upping your vitamin D intake. Published in the journal of PLOS ONE and authored by a team from Creighton University, University of California, San Diego and GrassrootsHealth, the research showed that women with vitamin D levels higher than 100 nmol/L experienced a reduction of cancer risk by 67 per cent compared to women with vitamin D levels of less than 50 nmol/L. Dr. Heaney, one of the study's authors, noted that our ancestors received greater vitamin D intake from the sun than we do today due to increased time spent indoors due to work. Today, approximately 35 per cent of Canadians fall below the minimum vitamin D blood level requirements of 50 nmol/L set by Health Canada and the Institute of Medicine, with 90 per cent of Canadians falling below the 100 nmol/L recommended by this new study. The scientific advisor for the Vitamin D Society and professor at the University of Toronto, Dr. Reinhold Vieth, said, “This analysis provides more evidence that vitamin D plays an important role for cancer, not just bone health. More vitamin D, or more sunshine, is related to lower cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis or death. Fortunately, taking advantage of the health benefits of vitamin D couldn't be easier as it comes for free with spending time in the sun.”
vitamindsociety.org