Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Can Vitamin D Prevent Prostate Cancer?
If you thought vitamin D's main role was preventing rickets and strengthening bone, think again. Many researchers now believe that the "sunshine vitamin" may one day play a key role in preventing the growth of prostate cancer, and in killing rogue prostate cancer cells that have escaped into the body. The data are quite suggestive and vitamin D is a most promising area for prostate cancer research.
During the past decade, there's been a surge in research into the association between vitamin D and prostate cancer. Multiple studies have reported a link between sub-optimal levels of vitamin D and an increased risk of developing various cancers including prostate cancer, although not all studies have been confirmatory. While these findings are encouraging and could eventually lead to widespread screening for and treatment of vitamin D deficiencies, we still need a large, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate whether vitamin D supplementation can actually prevent prostate cancer.
Vitamin D was first isolated by Adolf Windaus, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1928 for his work. Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin; it's a hormone. A vitamin is a substance you have to get from food. Vitamin D, however, is manufactured in the body -- the definition of a hormone. While researchers are still working to determine the effects of vitamin D on the prostate, here are some of the heart benefits of this vitamin:
- Blood pressure regulation. While there is no direct evidence that vitamin D supplementation will lower blood pressure, people with high blood pressure generally have low blood levels of vitamin D.
- Heart attack, stroke, heart failure reduction. A recent study in Circulation reported that events such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure were anywhere from 53% to 80% higher in people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood. That risk increased even more in people with high blood pressure.
Low blood levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially for people with high blood pressure, according to researchers with the Framingham Heart Study. The scientists followed 1,739 men and women for more than five years and reported that participants with low blood levels of vitamin D were 62% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those with higher levels. For those with low vitamin D levels and high blood pressure, cardiovascular risk doubled.
- Helps reduce inflammation. Researchers speculate that more vitamin D could lead to less inflammation in the arteries. Until recently, most researchers believed that heart disease was essentially a "plumbing" problem caused by an accumulation of hardened fat and cholesterol in the coronary arteries, known as plaque. However, an increasing body of evidence now shows that this accumulation of plaque is actually the result of chronic, low-grade inflammation in the coronary arteries. Researchers also believe that in the battle against heart disease, damping down this inflammation is nearly as important as lowering cholesterol.
Posted in Prostate Disorders on March 19, 2009
Reviewed September 2011
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I am new to this with only three PSA data points within the 4 to 10 ng/ml.
I am aggressively pursuing this in a natural and nutritional anti-cancer way.
From the second to the third data points it dropped by 1.29 in two months.
Check out Life Extension. www.lef.org on Vit. D and much more. I live in the north, and in late 50's and am taking 2000 - 2500 IU Vit. D per day. I am also taking other supplements and anti-cancer diet.
I also highly recommend taking a herbal supplement, Zyflamend, which combines phytochemicals with herbal extracts. (And no known serious side effects) Research was done at Columbia University's Center of Holistic Urology. See www.holisticurology.columbia.edu.
My opinion is if the drug companies had results like this
you would see it all over the place.
The other choices are cut, burn, or poison; with risks of inpotency, incontinence, and whatever else.
I"m hoping it doesn't come down to that.
Posted by: Andy nonamous | December 4, 2010 12:01 PM
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I feel that Vit D was a significant factor in my experience with P.C. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in Sept of 07, one of 12 biopsies with a Gleason of 3+3 and a PSA of 4.1. The recommendation by the Dr. was to decide between one of the three conventional approaches within 30 to 60 days; no need to hurry though. I chose to pursue a holistic--homeopathic approach and conducted significant research on my own. A program was developed over time with two holistic-integrative medicine doctors, Dr.’s Jeff Migdow and Liz O’Dair, which included, Bromelain, Vit's C, D, B12, Curcumin (Turmeric), Magnesium, Zinc, Omega 3, Modified Citrus Pectin, and a few other items like these. I also modified diet my by eliminating red meat, high glycemic foods, fats, and dairy products. Feb 08 had a PSA of 2.5. This treatment continued through July 08. There was another PSA June 08 of 2.75. In July of 08 another biopsy was performed in which no cancer was detected. Oct 08 PSA of 2.7 and a Feb 09 PSA of 2.5. I have continued a less strict version of the above regimen since than. I did and still do consume a significant amount of Vit D daily and monitor its level with regular blood tests. This story is a testimonial, not scientific data.
Posted by: Theater Dan | March 31, 2009 9:33 AM