Discussions and research continue worldwide about the connection between vitamin D and certain types of cancers.  It has long been proven that deficiencies in this vitamin are detrimental in sustaining good health.  A large percentage of Americans have this deficiency due to living in northern areas.  Some are deficient due to not getting enough sun.  While not a guarantee, evidence is emerging that indicates vitamin D could possibly be used to prevent cancer.

Vitamin D has been reported to cut the risk of cancer by as much as 25% in some case studies.  One observational study concluded that breast and colon cancer could be avoided by sufficient amounts of vitamin D.  Although the connection between vitamin D and cancer has been big news recently, research on this topic has been ongoing from 70 years ago until the present time.

It was observed in the 1930’s that people who spent years in the sun developed internal, deadly types of cancers much less often than those who did not.  These people did develop squamous cell skin cancer, which is relatively benign.  However, it was noted that cancer of the breast, colon and prostate were uncommon among this group.  The conclusion was that the cell skin cancer caused immunity against the more deadly cancer.  Although it was later proven that this conclusion was unfounded, the observation that people with the skin cancer developed deadly cancer in much lower numbers still remained true.

In the late 1980’s it was discovered that exposure to the sun reduced the risk of colon cancer.  The epidemiologists who made this discovery also found that breast cancer was diagnosed less (by half) in women who were exposed to sunlight than those who were not.  Other researchers found the same to be true of prostate cancer.

The benefits of vitamin D with regard to women’s health have been overwhelmingly positive.  Cancers commonly found in women; namely breast, colon and ovarian cancer, have been linked to low vitamin D levels.  In fact, it has been proven that women having higher vitamin D blood and calcium levels had a decreased risk for developing breast cancer.  The combination of the vitamin, along with calcium, seemed to protect the body from developing cancerous cells.

Even with such overwhelming reports which give hope that vitamin D has become the “wonder drug” against cancer, many in the medical profession remain cautious.  Though there is no doubt that vitamin D is an essential element to good health, there is no clear indication that it is associated with reduced risks of some forms of cancer.  The National Cancer Institute (NCI), a research institute, does not recommend its supplemental use in the prevention of cancer.  It is conceded that some protection against colorectal and other cancers has been proven through the evidence.  However, this evidence has been inconsistent and, by some accounts reported to increase the risk for some forms of cancer.

Whether it is agreed that vitamin D can be used in the prevention of cancer or not, there is has been no argument reported against the benefits of maintaining healthy vitamin D levels.