Vitamin D supplementation shows promise in treating breast cancer patients: here's how
Soaking up some sunshine can not only brighten your day, but also have therapeutic effects. Vitamin D, also known as the 'sunshine vitamin', which the body naturally produces when exposed to the sun, and also found in certain foods are essential nutrient.
This fat-soluble nutrient plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy bones, supporting immune function, and promoting overall well-being. A new study has found that vitamin D supplementation nearly doubled the treatment response rate in breast cancer patients.
Vitamin D supplementation and
breast cancer treatment
outcomes
A recent study conducted by the researchers at the Botucatu School of Medicine at São Paulo State University (FMB-UNESP) in Brazil found that low-dose vitamin D supplementation can increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment in women with breast cancer. The study is published in the journal
Nutrition and Cancer.
The study involved 80 women over the age of 45 who were about to start treatment.
The researchers separated the participants into two groups: 40 participants were given 2,000 IU (international units) of vitamin D a day, while the other 40 received placebo tablets.
Easy ways to increase your Vitamin D intake
The researchers were surprised by the result after six months of cancer treatment and supplementation. They found that in 43% of participants who took vitamin D, the disease disappeared with chemotherapy, compared to 24% of the placebo group.
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All the participants had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which is used to facilitate surgery to remove the tumor.
'Even with a small sample of participants, it was possible to observe a significant difference in the response to chemotherapy. In addition, the dosage used in the research [2,000 IU per day] is far below the target dose for correcting vitamin D deficiency, which is usually 50,000 IU per week,' Eduardo Carvalho-Pessoa, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement.
Vitamin D and immunity
Vitamin D is a hormone that plays a crucial role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, both essential for bone health. Recent studies have also shown vitamin D's role in boosting the immune system by helping to fight infections and diseases, including cancer. The recommended daily intake is 600 IU for those who are not deficient in the vitamin, and 800 IU a day for older people. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 400 IU of vitamin D per day for babies.
Excessive vitamin D intake can be toxic and cause vomiting, weakness, bone pain, and kidney stones.
'With supplementation, levels increased throughout chemotherapy treatment, which reinforces a possible contribution to the patients' recovery. Vitamin D is an accessible and inexpensive option compared to other drugs used to improve the response to chemotherapy, some of which are not even included in the list of the Unified Health System [the Brazilian national public health network, known as the SUS, its acronym in Portuguese],' Carvalho-Pessoa added.
The researchers are hoping to further investigate the auxiliary role of the substance in the response to cancer treatment. 'These are encouraging results that justify a new round of studies with a larger number of participants. This will allow a greater understanding of the role of vitamin D in increasing the response to chemotherapy treatment and, consequently, in the greater likelihood of breast cancer remission,' he said.
NB: This information is based on internet research and is intended for general knowledge only. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
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