📌Other Cancers
Combined with calcium, vitamin D reduces all-cancer risk in postmenopausal women by 77% (10).
These vitamins create E-cadherin, a substance that structures cells and binds them together to prevent the infiltration of cancer cells into organs and tissues, explains Cedric F. Garland, DrPH, from the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (11).
“If the vitamin D level gets low, the cells of the breast epithelium don’t adhere to each other, and when a cell is not tightly adherent to its neighbors, its stem cells undergo rapid mitosis,” Dr. Garland explains.
“The cells that reproduce the fastest can produce a cancerous clone, which can ultimately penetrate the basal membrane. If the vitamin D deficiency continues, those cells will get out into the lymphatics, metastasize to the brain, bone, and lungs, and kill the patient.”
✨More On Vitamin D
Not all medical organizations agree on the optimal amount of vitamin D. This is because your body produces vitamin D through exposure to sunlight.
Depending on your age, sex, ethnicity and where you live, you may require lots of supplementation or simply none at all (12).
There are two different forms of vitamin D: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).
Vitamin D2 is made by plants whereas D3 is made from sun exposure by the body after being processed by the liver and kidneys (13).
D3 is required for calcium absorption in the gut and keeps teeth and bones healthy. It also serves to modulate cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduce inflammation. It’s even used to manage heart disease, chronic pain and diabetes (14).
The Institute of Medicine recommend 600IU in most healthy adults and 800IU for adults over the age of 70.
Some experts warn that the large doses used in cancer treatment, which is around 4,000 to 10,000 IU daily can lead to organ damage, particularly to kidneys and cardiovascular system (15).
That’s why it’s important to be followed by a reputable doctor, oncologist or naturopath before using vitamin D as a treatment option.