Vitamin D cuts risk of dying from cancer

Taking vitamin D supplements reduces the risk of dying from cancer by 13%, according to an overview of studies presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago.

Many people are not receiving enough of the vitamin from sunshine, thanks to modern lifestyles which see people spend more time indoors. A fifth of Britons are estimated to have low levels, which could be harming their ability to fight cancer.

Hear to The Week discuss the importance of vitamin D on The Week Unwrapped podcast:

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A study involving 79,000 healthy adults found taking a vitamin D supplement for at least three years was associated with a 13% fall in the risk of dying from any form of cancer later in life.

In a separate study, Dr Shifeng Mao, from the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh, reported findings showing that people who were deficient in vitamin D were more than twice as likely to develop pancreatic cancer and also had a higher risk of bowel cancer.

A third study found taking a daily tablet along with a statin was linked to a reduction in deaths from prostate cancer of almost 40%.

Vitamin D is produced naturally when the skin is exposed to the sun. It can also be obtained by eating liver, eggs, red meat or oily fish. But many people neither eat sufficient quantities of these foods nor manage to get sufficient sunshine, particularly during winter.

As Professor Daniel Bikle, of the University of California San Francisco, said: “In places such as the UK, there is not enough sun all year round, so supplements in winter are necessary.”

However, Dr Rachel Shaw, of Cancer Research UK, said that although “vitamin D may improve prognosis” for those with cancer, “more research is required”.

Last year there was controversy over how beneficial Vitamin D is. The BBC said: “Some say they keep bones healthy and help ward off colds and flu, while others argue they are a waste of money.”

Public Health England says that eating a healthy balanced diet and enjoying short bursts of sunshine will mean most people get all the vitamin D they need in the spring and summer.