Research suggests that not getting enough vitamin D may increase your risk of cancer.
Researchers have found that this nutrient, which is produced by the body when exposed to sunlight, stimulates the growth of tumor-fighting bacteria in the intestines.
Professor Caetano Reis e Sousa of the Francis Crick Institute suggested this could mean new treatments could be given to people with the deficiency in the future.
“What we showed here was surprising: vitamin D can modulate the gut microbiome to favor certain types of bacteria that give mice better immunity against cancer,” he said. ” he said.
“While this may one day be important for human cancer treatment, we do not know how and why vitamin D mediates these effects through the microbiome.
“More research is needed before we can conclusively say that correcting vitamin D deficiency is effective in preventing or treating cancer.”
Vitamin D is primarily produced in the body after exposure to sunlight, but levels can also be increased by eating foods such as eggs, fatty fish, and red meat.
Previous research has shown that vitamin D helps the body absorb and retain calcium, which is needed for bone formation, and can also help fight infections and reduce inflammation.
A new study published in the journal Science looked at how nutrient levels affect cancer immunity.
Researchers analyzed data from 1.5 million people in Denmark and showed a link between lower vitamin D levels and increased cancer risk.
Another analysis showed that cancer patients with higher vitamin D levels were more likely to respond well to immune-based treatments.
To investigate further, the researchers fed a group of mice a diet rich in vitamin D and found that they had better immune resistance to experimentally transplanted cancers.
Researchers have discovered that vitamin D acts on epithelial cells in the intestines, resulting in an increase in the amount of a bacteria called Bacteroides fragilis.
The microbe gave the mice better immunity against cancer because the transplanted tumors didn’t grow as much, but researchers still don’t understand how.
Dr. Nishanthi Dagan said: “We know that vitamin D deficiency can cause health problems, but there is not enough evidence linking vitamin D levels to cancer risk.
“This early-stage study in mice, combined with analysis of Danish population data, aims to address gaps in the evidence.
“Our findings suggest that there may be a link between vitamin D and the immune response to cancer, but further research is needed to confirm this.”
health warning
She goes on to say, “Exposing yourself to a little bit of sunlight can help our bodies produce vitamin D, but you don’t need to be in the sun to speed up this process.”
‘Most people in the UK can produce enough vitamin D from just a short amount of time in the summer sun. Vitamin D can also be obtained through diet and supplements.
“We know that staying safe in the sun can reduce your risk of cancer, so be sure to seek shade, cover up, and wear sunscreen when the sun is strong.”
What foods are high in vitamin D?
From about late March to early April until the end of September, most people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight.
Your body produces vitamin D when your skin receives direct sunlight when you are outdoors.
However, between October and early March, not enough vitamin D is produced from sunlight.
Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods.
Sources of information include:
- Oily fish – salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, etc.
- red meat
- Liver (pregnant women should avoid liver intake)
- egg yolk
- Fortified foods – such as fat spreads and breakfast cereals
Another source of vitamin D is dietary supplements.
Milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D in the UK, as milk is not fortified, unlike in some other countries.
Source: NHS
