Vitamin D Very Efficient against Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers at the Northwestern and Harvard Universities showed in a recent study that vitamin D intake cuts pancreatic cancer nearly in half. Trials showed that individuals who regularly took the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin D, which is 400 IU/day, were 43% less likely to develop pancreatic cancer than people who completely ignored the benefits of the specific vitamin and did not take any supplements. Individuals who failed to take all the daily recommended dose of vitamin D but did take 150 IU daily, cut their risk of pancreatic cancer by 22%. On the other hand, people who took more vitamin D than the recommended dose, experienced no reduction in their chances of developing pancreatic cancer.


Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the body, as well as for the development and health of our bones, cartilages and teeth. Natural sources of vitamin D are: ocean fish, liver and eggs. Vitamin D is also present in some types of whole-cereals or armored cow. Anyway, most of the daily necessary amount of this vitamin is absorbed through the skin once with the solar light.

Besides the various health benefits brought about by vitamin D intake, we should also become aware of the fact that too much vitamin D may be harmful for our health. Vitamin D excess is stored in the fat cells and large amounts of it can become dangerous for the body. Also, too much vitamin D can sometimes lead to excessive absorption of calcium, which is deposited in the soft tissue, including the arteries, where it produces obturations and even heart blocks. Vitamin D can also cause debilitations of the bone system and kidneys disorders.

Lead Halcyon Skinner, Ph.D., of Northwestern University stated: "Because there is no effective screening for pancreatic cancer, identifying controllable risk factors for the disease is essential for developing strategies that can prevent cancer. Vitamin D has shown strong potential for preventing and treating prostate cancer, and areas with greater sunlight exposure have lower incidence and mortality for prostate, breast, and colon cancers, leading us to investigate a role for Vitamin D in pancreatic cancer risk. Few studies have examined this association, and we did observe a reduced risk for pancreatic cancer with higher intake of Vitamin D."