Vitamin D Not Linked to Prostate Cancer Protection
Although previous research has claimed to have found links between vitamin D and a lowered risk of prostate cancer, authors of a new study say that they were unable to make the same conclusion.
The so-called sunshine vitamin is said to have benefits of protecting against certain types of cancer, like colon and breast cancer, as well as other ailments.
Researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute studied concentrations of vitamin D in the blood of 749 men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, as well as 781 men who did not have the disease.
No link could be determined between high concentrations of vitamin D and lowered prostate cancer risk. In fact, although it was not statistically significant, researchers said that some findings showed an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer in men with higher blood levels of vitamin D.
"In our study, we didn’t see any protective effect of vitamin D in relation to prostate cancer risk," said Jiyoung Ahn of the U.S. National Cancer Institute, one of the researchers.
Those with prostate cancer were diagnosed one to eight years after the blood samples were given, the researchers said.
Vitamin D is formed within the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. It is also found in some fish and milk.
Earlier research had showed that vitamin D inhibited the growth of human prostate cancer cells in lab dishes.
Some studies have indicated it might provide other benefits. For example, one study published in January found that people with low vitamin D levels had an elevated risk for heart attack, heart failure and stroke, suggesting it may protect against cardiovascular disease.
But Canadian researchers reported earlier this month that women with breast cancer who had lower levels of vitamin D were more likely to die and more likely to have their cancer spread than women with normal levels of the vitamin.
Overall, 780,000 men are diagnosed annually with prostate cancer worldwide, with about 250,000 deaths a year. The American Cancer Society has named prostate cancer the sixth leading cause of cancer death in men worldwide.
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