Key vitamin supplement slashes the risk of colon cancer, study finds
The nutrient was linked to both reducing the odds of developing the disease and improving the outcomes among patients that did, the researchers said.
Also known as the 'sunshine vitamin' people get vitamin D from exposure to sunlight as well as from foods like oily fish, red meat and egg yolks.
However, the authors of the new study warned that Europeans, especially those living in cities, were at increased risk of having a deficiency.
As such they highlighted the potential use of vitamin D supplements, available for about 2p per pill at high-street pharmacies.
Their findings comes amid a mysterious rise in colon cancer among young adults, with diagnoses having shot up 80 per cent in 30 years.
In new study, Hungarian experts conducted an analysis of 50 previous studies, involving more than 1.3million patients.
They found that people with an adequate intake of vitamin D were between 25 to 58 per cent less likely to develop colon cancer.
Researchers also found taking a vitamin D supplement was specifically linked to a 4 per cent reduced risk of colon cancer for ever 2.5micrograms consumed.
The NHS recommends every adult and child above the age of one get 10micrograms of vitamin D each day.
The Hungarian review also found evidence that colon cancer patients with high levels of the vitamin had better outcomes.
Experts cited one trial which found late stage colon cancer patients given a high daily dose of vitamin D lived two months longer, on average.
Other past studies have shown patients with bowel cancer, another name for colon cancer, with higher vitamin D levels are 50 per cent less likely to die from the disease.
Vitamin D may be providing anti-cancer benefits by combatting the inflammation that can trigger changes that become cancer, as well as helping kill cancer cells and inhibiting tumour growth by boosting the body's immune system, the researchers said.
Study author Professor János Tamás Varga, from Semmelweis University, told Fox News Digital: 'Vitamin D plays a critical role in the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer.'
He added: 'The results suggest that the effect of vitamin D may depend on factors such as the dosage, the individual condition of the patients and the duration of treatment.'
Bowel cancer can cause you to have blood in your poo, a change in bowel habit, a lump inside your bowel which can cause an obstructions. Some people also suffer with weight loss a s a result of these symptoms
In the study, published in the journal Nutrients, the experts also highlighted how vulnerable many people are of having a vitamin D deficiency.
'Urban populations, where air pollution and dense infrastructure limit sunlight exposure, are at greater risk,' they
They said this was especially a risk among European populations.
'Approximately 40 per cent of Europeans are considered vitamin D deficient, with 13 per cent classified as severely deficient,' they wrote.
British data as many as two in five adults may be vitamin D deficient during the winter months when there are fewer daylight hours.
The Hungarian experts, while confident in the link between vitamin D and colon cancer prevention and treatment, acknowledged their study did have some limitations.
They noted that the studies they used in their analysis used different vitamin D dosages and involved patients at various stages of cancer.
As such they said further research was needed to determine the optimal potential dosage of vitamin D and of its effectiveness.
There is still scientific debate on the links between vitamin D and cancer prevention.
Charity Cancer Research UK (CRUK) states that, while research is ongoing, there is no strong evidence that having a vitamin D deficiency increases your risk of cancer.
The body adds that there is also no firm evidence that taking a vitamin D supplement specifically helps prevent cancer.
Separate data from the charity shows suggests bowel cancer, also called colon cancer, has seen a 52 per cent increase in incidence rates for adults aged 25 to 49 since the early 1990s.
Some scientists have suggested increasing pollution might be to blame, while others say the trend is due to growing consumption of ultra-processed food.
CRUK while acknowledging the rise, stresses that bowel cancer rates in younger adults are still low, with only around one in 20 diagnosed in people under 50.
There are around 2,600 new bowel cancer cases in people aged 25-49 in Britain every year, and around 44,100 new cases among all ages.
Symptoms of the colon cancer include changes in bowel movements such as diarrhoea or constipation, needing or feeling the need to empty your bowels more or less frequently, blood in the stool, stomach pain, bloating, unexpected weight-loss and fatigue.
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphate, vital nutrients for keeping bones, teeth, nerves muscles healthy.
It also helps keep the immune system functioning correctly.
A lack of the vitamin can lead to bone problems, including rickets a condition that causes bone pain, bone weakness and can lead to deformities.
The NHS states most people will be able to get the vitamin D they need from sunlight between April to the end of September.
However, during the darker months all British adults and children over the age of one are advised to take a vitamin D supplement to keep their levels up.
Some people are advised to consider taking supplements throughout the year.
This includes people with darker skin tones — that causes less vitamin D to be absorbed — and those who are housebound and don't get as much natural light.
But people should be careful not to have too much vitamin D.
The NHS warns taking too much vitamin D over a long time can be detrimental to our health.
As vitamin D helps absorb calcium too much can cause a condition called hypercalcaemia.
This can ironically cause bones to become weaker as well as damage the kidneys and the heart.
As such the NHS recommends people don't take more than 100micrograms of vitamin D per day unless specifically advised to by their doctor.
The amount of vitamin D in the body can be determined by a blood test – and the results are reported in units of nanomoles per litre, written as nmol/l.
A level of 25 nmol/l or lower is considered a deficiency – this was set about two decades ago, as falling below it was linked to an increased risk of rickets.
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