The Cancer Benefits Of Vitamin D

Here, you will learn a little about the vitamin D cancer connection.

You probably have a cancer treatment on your vitamin shelf right now. It’s a supplement that has been added to your foods for decades because of its health benefits, but recently it also has been linked to reduced cancer risk. This supplement is so natural that your own body can manufacture and store it, but far too many people are deficient in this affordable, convenient nutrient.

It’s vitamin D, and it seems that everyone is touting its benefits and popping them like candy. There have been thousands of laboratory studies conducted to test the positive and negative effects of vitamin D, and according to the American Cancer Society, there is promising evidence to encourage preventative use – up to a 77% reduced risk in some cases.

The Evidence

Recent studies have shown that people who live in northern latitudes and have a reduced exposure to sunlight are at greater risk of developing certain kinds of cancers. If there is a link between low levels of vitamin D and higher occurrences of some types of cancer, then how does this miracle supplement help cancer patients?

It’s perhaps not so much that vitamin D fights cancer, but it is found to be vital for prevention. There is evidence that low levels of vitamin D can increase the potential for healthy cells to become cancerous. Cancer cells are a normal part of every body, and your body is generally capable of clearing these cells out, but if there are too many, the cancer cells end up overwhelming the surrounding tissue.

In a report from the Boston School of Medicine, the research shows that there is a vitamin D receptor in many tissues and cancer cells as well. When vitamin D finds its way into a receptor site, it seems to change the nature of the cell. Rather than continuing to divide at an unhealthy rate, the over-proliferation stops and the life cycle of the cell continues normally. If the potentially cancerous cells do not overwhelm the surrounding tissue, your body can naturally maintain a balance, lowering the overall risk for cancer.

Webmaster note: Going by this theory, it does make sense that vitamin D would also have some degree of curative effect on cancer. In other words, vitamin D should offer some therapeutic benefit to persons who have already been diagnosed with cancer.

The Benefits of Vitamin D on Cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute, maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D can have many positive effects on health that can help prevent and heal cancer symptoms. Vitamin D:

* Improves immune function to help fight cell mutation and overall vitality.

* Contains anti-inflammatory properties that reduce cancer activity.

* Regulates absorption of calcium and other key minerals necessary for cellular growth and repair.

Indeed, certain types of cancer are showing a positive response to vitamin D therapy, including breast, colon, and lung cancers. Other common ailments also respond well to higher doses of vitamin D, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, strokes, asthma, and depression.

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