Vitamin D Good for Breast Cancer
Patients
Supplements help
fight treatment-related bone loss, researchers
say
We're continuing our educational propaganda for
Vitamin D with a new study showing potential benefits of
supplementation.
It seems each week, a patient will come into
our office who was recently prescribed vitamin D
supplementation as levels have shown to be low. This is
potentially because of a lack of adequate exposure to the
sun.
Studies show many breast cancer patients have
low levels of vitamin D, which could lead to weaker bones and
increased risk of fractures, according to U.S. researchers
who recommend high doses of vitamin D for them.
It is conclusive that vitamin D is essential to maintaining
bone health, and women with breast cancer have accelerated bone
loss due to the nature of hormone therapy and chemotherapy.
It's important for women and their doctors to work together to
boost their vitamin D intake, according to a research
assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of
Rochester Medical Center.
The Roschester researchers studied 166 women undergoing
treatment for breast cancer and found that nearly 70 percent
had low levels of vitamin D in their blood. The average level
among the women was 27 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of
blood. Levels of 32 nanograms per milliliter are adequate,
according to the U.S. Institute of Medicine.
The lowest levels of vitamin D were in non-whites and those
with late-stage breast cancer.
The researchers found that weekly supplementation with high
doses of vitamin D (50,000 IU or more) boosted the levels of
the vitamin among all the women.
Previous
studies have shown that nearly half of all women and
men have vitamin D levels below 32 nanograms per
milliliter!
Along with strengthening bones, vitamin D plays an important
role in cell growth and keeping the immune system strong.
People obtain Vitamin D through exposure to sunlight and from
foods such as milk and fortified cereals.
They may also get good Vitamin D supplementation here:

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