I briefly watched the three network program aired on September 5th entitled Stand Up 2 Cancer. Hollywood sure knows how to put on a fundraiser, and raise money fast. All the money they raised goes to the Entertainment Industry Foundation. The EIF then grants money for research and education. Let’s hope there is money granted to more closely examine the role of vitamin D in cancer prevention and treatment.
Vitamin D was not mentioned once among the simple things that you can do to prevent cancer in this program. Vitamin D is probably the most potent cancer preventing/fighting molecule recognized in the last decade. And, it does not cost thousands of dollars to use. It does not have any toxic side effects like hair loss, nausea, or vomiting. And, it lowers your risk of ALL-CAUSE mortality at the same time. Maybe their whole show should have been about vitamin D?
Let’s look at the data. How about we start with the strongest data from a recent double blind placebo controlled trial examining the effects of calcium and vitamin D on the risk of developing any cancer over four years of follow up?
This study showed a 60 percent reduction in the risk of any cancer over 4 years of follow up on 1100 IU of vitamin D and 1500 mg of calcium compared to taking placebo. If you assume that some of the cancers at the start of the study were already present and you examine the data only looking at years 2 through 4 there is a 77 percent reduction in all reported cancers. There were 10 fewer reported cancers in the vitamin D group than in the placebo group in years 2-4. This study was conducted among 1179 postmenopausal women. Wow!
Dr. Edward Giovannucci from Harvard University has studied the Harvard Cohorts (Health Professions Study, Nurses Health Study, and Physicians Health Study) and the risk of cancer relative to vitamin D status. These analyses are all retrospective. They demonstrate a 30 percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer with higher vitamin D levels. They consistently show a 50 percent reduction in the risk for colon cancer. These studies show that African American men have a 32 percent greater risk of having any cancer and an 89 percent greater risk of dying from that cancer than European Americans. This was particularly true for gastrointestinal cancers for which African American mortality was 124 percent greater than European American men. These numbers were worse for African American men with additional risk factors for vitamin D deficiency (57 percent and 127 percent for having cancer and mortality from cancer respectively) Remember, African Americans have the lowest vitamin D levels in the country, some 50 percent lower than European Americans.
Dr. William Grant a former NOAA scientist has shown lower incidence and/or mortality of more than a dozen forms of cancer with higher UVB exposure including breast, prostate, colon, esophagus, stomach, rectum, lymphoma, myeloma, ovarian, and uterine cancers. Remember that UVB is required to make vitamin D from cholesterol.
Both observational data and blinded prospective placebo controlled data point to the same conclusion. Vitamin D is one of the most potent cancer fighting molecules ever discovered. It is abundantly available with a diet rich in healthy fat followed by sun exposure or by taking a supplement over the counter. And it will cost you less than 20 dollars a year. I’ll bet the Entertainment Industry Foundation could purchase enough vitamin D for half of the country to supplement 2000 IU a day for the next year with the money they raised. Now there is a study that will pay for itself.
You don’t need anymore results. You need to take action. All the information you need to optimize your diet and optimize your vitamin D level is in The Vitamin D Cure.