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Low Vitamin D Levels Put Prostate Cancer Patients at High Risk

Vitamin D deficiency could be bad news for men with prostate cancer. A new study analyzed data from nearly 700 men undergoing an initial prostate biopsy. In addition to the pathology reports, investigators assessed the men’s vitamin D status. Men who had the lowest levels of vitamin D were about four times more likely to have aggressive prostate cancer.

Average levels of vitamin D were lower in African American men. They were also more likely to have higher Gleason scores, a measure of prostate cancer severity. Although it is not clear whether vitamin D supplements would be protective, it seems only prudent to make sure vitamin D levels do not fall into the deficient range.

[Clinical Cancer Research, May, 2014]

You can learn about vitamin D assessments and what range of 25-hydroxyvitamin D is considered optimal in our 8-page Guide to Vitamin D Deficiency.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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