Anti-Cancer Properties of Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a variety of roles in cells throughout the body.^1,2

One of its functions is to help prevent abnormal growth that could transform into cancer.^1,3-5

Some observational studies have noted a clear association of cancer incidence and vitamin D deficiency.^5-7

In a subset analysis of a six-year clinical trial, people taking vitamin D3 had a lower risk of developing metastatic or fatal cancer than those who received placebo.⁸

Dangers of Low Vitamin D

In a study based on the well-known NHANES survey of Americans and their health, more than 40% of Americans are estimated to have insufficient levels of vitamin D in their blood.⁹

In this study, vitamin D deficiency was seen in all age groups, and was higher in women and individuals with darker skin color. In people aged 20-29 years the rates of deficiency were even greater.⁹

The damaging effects of these kinds of low vitamin D levels are underappreciated. Vitamin D is more than a vitamin. It is also a very important prohormone—a kind of hormone precursor.¹⁰

Adequate vitamin D levels are critical for bone health, immune function, glucose metabolism, and more.¹¹ Vitamin D can also regulate the growth, development, and death of certain cells—in ways that may slow the development and progression of malignancies.¹

Anti-Cancer Activity

Cancer is caused by mutations that allow cells to grow and spread uncontrollably.

Vitamin D can help limit the ability of cancer cells to reproduce, grow, and spread.^1,5,12

Here are just a few of vitamin D’s known anti-cancer mechanisms:^1,3,5,12

• Impeding Cancer Cell Growth. Vitamin D helps prevent the abnormal, excessive growth of cancer cells by arresting its cell cycle, the process that can allow cancer cells to divide out of control.
• Promoting Cancer Cell Death. Apoptosis is a process by which cells shut down and die, ridding the body of aged or damaged cells. Cancer cells can evade apoptosis and propogate out of control. Vitamin D reverses this, promoting beneficial apoptosis.
• Starving Cancer of Nutrients. Vitamin D helps block angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessels that deliver nutrients to cancers. This reduces the nutrient supply to cancer cells and limits their growth.
• Reducing Metastasis. Aggressive cancers can invade surrounding tissue and eventually metastasize, spreading through the body. Vitamin D interferes with cancer cells’ ability to invade and metastasize.

The Cancer, Low Vitamin D Link

Human observational studies have shown an association between low vitamin D levels and increased risk for many cancers. ^5,13,14

Vitamin D deficiency is typically defined by the World Medical Association (WMA) as having a 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood level below 20 ng/mL.¹⁵ This is quite common in cancer patients.^6,7,16 Multiple observational studies have found a high rate of vitamin D deficiency in cancer patients, often in the range of 62%-67% of patients.^17-19

In studies evaluating specific cancer types, the same pattern is seen: Those with lower circulating levels of vitamin D have the highest rates of cancer, including breast, lung, head and neck cancers, melanoma, colorectal cancers, and bladder cancers.^20-28

Here are a few examples:

• In a meta-analysis of 11 observational studies, individuals with the highest circulating vitamin D levels had a 39% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer than those with lower vitamin D levels.²¹
• A combined analysis of three clinical studies found that a 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood level greater than 60 ng/mL was associated with an 80% lower risk of breast cancer compared to individuals who had vitamin D deficiency ( < 20ng/ml).²³
• Vitamin D may not only help reduce the risk of cancer development, but it may also impact how aggressively cancers behave.
• In one observational study of men with prostate cancer, their levels of vitamin D were found to be inversely associated with a tumor proliferation marker. This lends credence to the hypothesis that vitamin D may protect against tumor progression.²⁶

Clinical Trials

Many experts, including those at Life Extension, recommend daily intake of 5,000 to 8,000 IU of vitamin D3. It is widely available to Americans in high potency capsules at modest cost.

Unfortunately, clinical trials evaluating vitamin D’s effect on cancer have mostly used doses of 2,000 IU or below. In people with low levels, these doses are unlikely to bring their blood levels into what many consider an optimal range (over 50 ng/mL).

Researchers often give the same dose of vitamin D to all study participants. This is an error, because overweight/obese people and those with absorption challenges need higher doses of vitamin D.^29,30 A dose that might properly elevate serum vitamin D in a normal weight person can have little effect on someone with a high body mass index (BMI). In many cases, this may mean researchers are failing to give adequate vitamin D to people who need it the most.

Even so, benefits have been shown.

A six-year, multicenter clinical trial called VITAL enrolled more than 25,000 adults who were randomized to receive 2,000 IU of vitamin D and / or 1 gram omega–3 fish oil supplementation, or placebo.

Participants were randomized into four groups:

• Active vitamin D and fish oil
• Active vitamin D and placebo instead of fish oil
• Placebo instead of vitamin D and active fish oil
• Placebo pills instead of either vitamin D or fish oil

A significant 17% reduction in advanced cancer (metastatic or fatal) incidence was found in those who received vitamin D.

When analyzed by BMI (body mass index) categories of normal weight, overweight, and obese, a significant 38% risk reduction was seen in the vitamin D group that had normal BMI (25-<30).⁸ This may indicate that study participants with a higher BMI should have received more vitamin D than 2,000 IU/day.

Another double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated patients with digestive tract cancers, including esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and rectum, administering oral vitamin D supplement- ation at a dose of 2,000 IU/day beginning two to four weeks after cancer surgery.³¹

This trial did not show a change in five-year relapse-free survival. But a later analysis of the trial data examined whether mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene, in the tumors themselves, predicted the likelihood of a beneficial response to vitamin D supplementation.³² P53 is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers.³³

When considering the p53 mutation status, the results of vitamin D supplementation were quite remarkable. In people with p53 mutations—meaning their cells had lost an innate ability to suppress tumor cell proliferation–relapse or death was 73% less likely to occur in those supplemented with vitamin D compared to placebo.

The follow-up period in this study was over five years and results indicate that cancer patients with p53 mutations may be more likely to respond favorably to vitamin D.

In a meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials, vitamin D supplementation conferred a 13% lower risk of cancer death. This benefit was largely attributable to daily vitamin D dosing rather than bolus dosing.³⁴

This evidence shows that vitamin D supplementation reduces cancer death, that it is especially effective in those whose tumors carry the most common cancer promoting mutations, and that overweight and obese individuals probably require higher doses of vitamin D to gain these benefits.

Summary

Vitamin D has been shown to defend against the development and progression of cancer in multiple ways.

In many observational studies, people with low levels of vitamin D have often been found to have higher rates of many types of cancer.

Several clinical trials show that taking daily oral vitamin D3 can help reduce the risk of cancer metastasis and death.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

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