Study Examines Whether Low Vitamin D Could Raise Breast Cancer Risk

BOSTON (CBS) -- A study published in the journal Cancer looked at blood samples from 290 Black women and 125 Hispanic women who later developed breast cancer. Overall, they found those with sufficient vitamin D levels had a 21% lower rate of breast cancer compared to women with low vitamin D levels.

The link was strongest amongst Hispanic women who had a 48% lower rate of breast cancer.

It's not clear whether having low vitamin D levels increases a woman's risk of breast cancer.

This study should be a reminder to all women to ask their primary care providers whether they need to have their vitamin D levels checked or take vitamin D supplements.

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• Vitamin D