Many studies have previously shown that people with high circulating levels of vitamin D are less prone to a variety of cancers. Now, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials shows that cancer patients who take vitamin D supplements are less likely to die of their disease.
The analysis included only trials focused on cancer mortality. The seven studies lasted between two and seven years, and the doses of vitamin D ranged from 400 IU per day to 1100 IU daily. Although the supplements had no impact on cancer incidence, volunteers who had been randomized to take vitamin D pills instead of placebo were 12 percent less likely to die of their cancer. This is a significant difference and may help change oncologists’ recommendations to their patients about strategies to improve survival.
[British Journal of Cancer, Online June 10, 2014]
In The People’s Pharmacy perspective, this is wonderful news for cancer patients. Most people we know who have been diagnosed with cancer are anxious to do everything they can to survive the disease. While vitamin D supplements alone are not a cancer treatment, it is good to know that they may help offer a survival advantage. Vitamin D3 is available over the counter within the doses covered by the randomized controlled trials in this analysis. To learn more about this essential nutrition, consult our Guide to Vitamin D Deficiency.
