Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium and phosphorus absorption. It is essential for the development and maintenance of bones and teeth, the immune system, brain health, and regulating inflammation.
In recent years, several studies have been conducted to understand whether vitamin D can be used to prevent or treat various types of cancer, such as prostate cancer, skin cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. .
Additionally, previous studies have shown an association between high vitamin D levels and a lower risk of developing cancer and lower cancer mortality. Scientists also analyzed the impact of using vitamin D in a new type of cancer treatment called immunotherapy.
A team of researchers from the Manchester Institute for Cancer Research, University of Manchester, UK, has discovered that vitamin D helps balance the gut microbiome. They also found that this balance could improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy in mouse models.
Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to improve its ability to fight cancer. Different types of immunotherapy treatments include monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, immune system modulators, cancer vaccines, and adoptive cell therapies such as CARs.
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, according to Dr. Evangelos Giampazourias, group leader of the Cancer Immunosurveillance Group at the Manchester Institute for Cancer Research, University of Manchester, UK, and lead author of the study. However, not all patients respond equally well to this therapy.
“Vitamin D promotes cancer immunity by influencing the ‘friendly’ microbial community that lives in animals,” Giampasorias said. Researchers emphasized that vitamin D plays an important role in cancer prevention.
How much vitamin D do I need to reduce cancer risk?
Researchers maintain that it is important that vitamin D levels are within the normal range. This is because it not only helps prevent cancer, but also plays a very important role in improving bone density, reducing bone fractures, and reducing the chance of osteoporosis.
According to the National Institutes of Health
