Nutrition

Serum levels of vitamin D metabolites and breast cancer risk in the prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer screening trial. Freedman DM, Chang SC, Falk RT, Purdue MP, Huang WY, McCarty CA, Hollis BW, Graubard BI, Berg CD, Ziegler RG. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 Apr;17(4):889-94. Epub 2008 Apr 1. PMID: 18381472 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-2594 In this prospective study of postmenopausal women, we did not observe an inverse association between circulating 25(OH)D or 1,25(OH)2D and breast cancer risk, although we cannot exclude an association in younger women or with long-term or earlier exposure

Association of low intake of milk and vitamin D during pregnancy with decreased birth weight. Mannion CA, Gray-Donald K, Koski KG. CMAJ. 2006 Apr 25;174(9):1273-7. PMID: 16636326 doi:10.1503/cmaj.1041388. Interpretation: Milk and vitamin D intakes during pregnancy are each associated with infant birth weight, independently of other risk factors.

Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and risk of incident ovarian cancer. Tworoger SS, Lee IM, Buring JE, Rosner B, Hollis BW, Hankinson SE. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007 Apr;16(4):783-8. PMID: 17416771 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-06-0981 Overall, our results do not suggest that plasma vitamin D levels are associated with risk of ovarian cancer. However, we observed significant associations in some subgroups, which should be evaluated further in other studies because increasing vitamin D intake is an easy preventive measure to adopt.

Vitamin d and its role in cancer and immunity: a prescription for sunlight. Mullin GE, Dobs A. Nutr Clin Pract. 2007 Jun;22(3):305-22. Review. PMID: 17507731 DOI: 10.1177/0115426507022003305

Calcium, dairy foods, vitamin D, and colorectal cancer risk: the Fukuoka Colorectal Cancer Study. Mizoue T, Kimura Y, Toyomura K, Nagano J, Kono S, Mibu R, Tanaka M, Kakeji Y, Maehara Y, Okamura T, Ikejiri K, Futami K, Yasunami Y, Maekawa T, Takenaka K, Ichimiya H, Imaizumi N. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 Oct;17(10):2800-7. PMID: 18843026

Comment: Although lower risk associated with vitamin D exposure was shown most consistently for ER+/PR+ tumors, the result might simply reflect that this tumor subtype was the most common. Nonetheless, these findings support vitamin D's beneficial effects on breast cancer risk, regardless of hormone-receptor status. Sun exposure and dietary intake (Table 1) are key sources of vitamin D.

Comment: The strengths of this randomized study include its high level of adherence and its use of a vitamin D dose sufficient to cause a biologically meaningful increase in serum levels. The adult daily value for vitamin D is 400 IU, but many U.S. women are vitamin-D-deficient (N Engl J Med 2007; 357:266). The Institute of Medicine considers doses up to 2000 IU to be without significant risk for adverse health effects. In addition to consuming dietary sources of vitamin D (see Table 1), most women will need supplements to achieve adequate intake. Multivitamins usually contain 400 IU of vitamin D.

Vitamin D from dietary intake and sunlight exposure and the risk of hormone-receptor-defined breast cancer. Blackmore KM, Lesosky M, Barnett H, Raboud JM, Vieth R, Knight JA. Am J Epidemiol. 2008 Oct 15;168(8):915-24. Epub 2008 Aug 27. PMID: 18756015 doi:10.1093/aje/kwn198 This study suggests that vitamin D is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer regardless of ER/PR status of the tumor. Future studies with a larger number of receptor-negative and mixed tumors are required.

Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of breast cancer. Chlebowski RT, Johnson KC, Kooperberg C, Pettinger M, Wactawski-Wende J, Rohan T, Rossouw J, Lane D, O'Sullivan MJ, Yasmeen S, Hiatt RA, Shikany JM, Vitolins M, Khandekar J, Hubbell FA; Women's Health Initiative Investigators. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008 Nov 19;100(22):1581-91. Epub 2008 Nov 11. PMID: 19001601

Calcium, vitamin D and cancer. Peterlik M, Grant WB, Cross HS. Anticancer Res. 2009 Sep;29(9):3687-98. Review. PMID: 19667166

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) is preparing a vitamin D policy paper it hopes can influence European national associations considering vitamin D medical recommendations. PA International Foundation is hosting an event on the topic in Bruges, Belgium, on October 6, its 14th workshop to be held on the matter. The CPME draft paper will be presented at the convention attended by doctors, scientists, patient groups, media representatives and politicians.

Vitamin d deficiency and seasonal variation in an adult South Florida population. Levis S, Gomez A, Jimenez C, Veras L, Ma F, Lai S, Hollis B, Roos BA. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Mar;90(3):1557-62. Epub 2005 Jan 5. PMID: 15634725 The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is considerable even in southern latitudes and should be taken into account in the evaluation of postmenopausal and male osteoporosis.

They found some important trends. Granulocytes from people over 50 years old had a reduced ability to kill cancer cells, as did granulocytes from people with cancer. This raises the possibility that cancer is not simply the result of getting too old, but a very specific weakening of the immune system. The most important finding, however, was that the granulocytes' kung-fu grip declined dramatically during the winter months. Here's Dr. Cui: Nobody seems to have any cancer-killing ability during the winter months from November to April.

Environmental risk factors for autism: Do they help cause de novo genetic mutations that contribute to the disorder? Kinney DK, Barch DH, Chayka B, Napoleon S, Munir KM. Med Hypotheses. 2009 Aug 20. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19699591

The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. Garland CF, Garland FC, Gorham ED, Lipkin M, Newmark H, Mohr SB, Holick MF. Am J Public Health. 2006 Feb;96(2):252-61. Epub 2005 Dec 27. Review. PMID: 16380576 DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.045260 Vitamin D status differs by latitude and race, with residents of the northeastern United States and individuals with more skin pigmentation being at increased risk of deficiency. A PubMed database search yielded 63 observational studies of vitamin D status in relation to cancer risk, including 30 of colon, 13 of breast, 26 of prostate, and 7 of ovarian cancer, and several that assessed the association of vitamin D receptor genotype with cancer risk. The majority of studies found a protective relationship between sufficient vitamin D status and lower risk of cancer. The evidence suggests that efforts to improve vitamin D status, for example by vitamin D supplementation, could reduce cancer incidence and mortality at low cost, with few or no adverse effects.

Vitamin D and its role in skeletal muscle. Ceglia L. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009 Sep 18. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19770647 SUMMARY: Further studies are needed to fully characterize the underlying mechanisms of vitamin D action in human muscle tissue, to understand how these actions translate into changes in muscle cell morphology and improvements in physical performance, and to define the 25-hydroxyvitamin D level at which to achieve these beneficial effects in muscle.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and colon cancer: eight-year prospective study. Garland CF, Comstock GW, Garland FC, Helsing KJ, Shaw EK, Gorham ED. Lancet. 1989 Nov 18;2(8673):1176-8. PMID: 2572900 Blood samples taken in 1974 in Washington County, Maryland, from 25 620 volunteers were used to investigate the relation of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) with subsequent risk of getting colon cancer. 34 cases of colon cancer diagnosed between August, 1975, and January, 1983, were matched to 67 controls by age, race, sex, and month blood was taken. Risk of colon cancer was reduced by 75% in the third quintile (27-32 ng/ml) and by 80% in the fourth quintile (33-41 ng/ml) of serum 25-OHD. Risk of getting colon cancer decreased three-fold in people with a serum 25-OHD concentration of 20 ng/ml or more. The results are consistent with a protective effect of serum 25-OHD on colon cancer.

Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and upper respiratory tract infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Ginde AA, Mansbach JM, Camargo CA Jr. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Feb 23;169(4):384-90. PMID: 19237723 Conclusions Serum 25(OH)D levels are inversely associated with recent URTI. This association may be stronger in those with respiratory tract diseases. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to explore the effects of vitamin D supplementation on RTI.

Demographic differences and trends of vitamin D insufficiency in the US population, 1988-2004. Ginde AA, Liu MC, Camargo CA Jr. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Mar 23;169(6):626-32. PMID: 19307527 Conclusions National data demonstrate a marked decrease in serum 25(OH)D levels from the 1988-1994 to the 2001-2004 NHANES data collections. Racial/ethnic differences have persisted and may have important implications for known health disparities. Current recommendations for vitamin D supplementation are inadequate to address the growing epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency.

A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) shows vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death associated with older age. The research, just published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, evaluated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older. The study found that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater rates that those with adequate levels of the vitamin.