May 29, 2008

No Dodging Prostate Cancer With Vitamin D

Going Against Earlier Findings, New Study Suggests High Levels of Vitamin D Don't Cut Prostate Cancer Risk

  •  (AP)

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(WebMD)  A new study shows that higher levels of vitamin D in the blood are not associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer.

Researchers say previous studies in the lab have suggested that high doses of vitamin D may cut prostate cancer risk. But statistical studies that looked for specifically what causes prostate cancer and whether vitamin D is helpful have been inconclusive, they say.

In this study, researchers from the National Cancer Institute compared 749 men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer to a control group of 781 men who didn't have the disease but who were similarly matched up in terms of age and other factors.

The study was conducted alongside a cancer screening trial.

The researchers found no "statistically significant" difference when it came to whether higher blood levels of vitamin D reduced the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Researchers did find a slight trend that the disease was more aggressive with higher concentrations of vitamin D in the blood. Study authors urge more research on that front.

In an editorial that accompanies the study results, researchers say that vitamin D deficiency is emerging as a "public health concern."

Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D is produced by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. However, people with darker skin and the elderly may not produce enough. Other sources of vitamin D include certain foods, especially foods fortified with vitamin D, such as milk and cereals.

The study was carried out by Jiyoun Ahn, PhD, and Richard Hayes, DDS, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute.


By Kelley Colihan
Reviewed by Louise Chang
©2005-2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
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by May 30, 2008 2:29 AM EDT
I personally used zinc picolate 50 mg and 200 mcg of selenium for my prostrate preventive program. I sleep all night without having to urinate. D-3 the natural form of D is on my cancer prevention list as well as spirulina, I don''t think you will get this information in a Doctor''s office where they specialized in synthetic drugs that are laced with side effects.
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by gaye5 May 29, 2008 10:59 PM EDT
Was this synthetic vitamin d or the natural vitamin D.
Synthetic anything isn''t much good for anything..
The drug companies have carried out many tests into vitamin efficiency and come up saying that nothing works, but what they don''t tell us is the vitamins are generally synthetic and ones that their companies have produced, they get money from drugs but not vitamins, so it is in their interest to discredit vitamins..
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