Vitamin D has a host of health benefits, however, new research suggests that there’s another reason you should at least consider taking a supplement.
According to a new study that was highlighted at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 virtual annual meeting, having sufficient vitamin D levels is associated with an increased likelihood of surviving breast cancer. Researchers measured vitamin D levels at the time of breast cancer diagnosis in nearly 4,000 people and then survival outcomes a decade later.
“Our study shows that patients who had sufficient vitamin D levels at the time of diagnosis—blood concentration of at least 20 nanograms per milliliter—had a lower risk of death or cancer recurrence,” Song Yao, PhD, a molecular epidemiologist and professor of oncology with the Department of Cancer Prevention and Control at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and one of the lead study authors told Eat This, Not That!
Nicole Williams, MD, and breast medical oncologist with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute adds the study revealed that women who had sufficient levels of vitamin D had 27% lower odds of dying of any cause during the 10-year follow up. They also had a 22% lower likelihood of death from breast cancer compared to women who were deficient in vitamin D.