Hyderabad: Vitamin D is considered essential not just for healthy bones, but also for the absorption of nutrition in the body, and various other activities. Though, recent research highlights that consuming the required amount of Vitamin D in any natural medium daily decreases the rate of death from cancer. In the research conducted by the German Cancer Research Center, researchers found that daily intake of vitamin D can help reduce the risk of cancer death by 12 per cent, especially in people over the age of 70 years.
According to Dr Ben Schöttker, senior author of the study published in the journal Aging Research Reviews and epidemiologist and research group leader in the Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research at the German Cancer Research Center, the researchers studied the effects of vitamin D on cancer mortality.
He stated that much research has been conducted regarding the relationship between vitamin D and cancer even before, but many of them couldn't give any clear impressions. Although, some studies did mentions that supplementation of vitamin D can give better results regarding reduction in cancer mortality. Based on previous studies, Dr Schöttker and other researchers focused on the benefits of Vitamin D3 in this research.
In this study, researchers analyzed data from 14 other studies and data from 105,000 people were included in the findings. This study only includes data from participants who were directed to take vitamin D3 or a placebo. It was revealed in the study that as long as vitamin D is not consumed daily, there is no significant effect on cancer mortality.
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This study included some participants who did not regularly take vitamin D3 supplements daily. After inspecting their data, the researchers did not see much effect on the risks of cancer death. On the other hand, participants who consumed vitamin D daily were found to have a 12 per cent lower risk of cancer death.
Dr Schöttker spoke regarding the research that his team also included participants aged 70 years and above who regularly consumed Vitamin D3. The study reveals that the risk of cancer increases along with increasing age. But after age 50, if a person consumes Vitamin D regularly even as a supplement, then they can receive many health benefits from it, some of which can also be associated with cancer. According to doctors, Vitamin D is essential for the overall health of a person, and some of its advantages are as follows:
- Absorption of calcium for strong bones.
- Ensuring that the immune system functions properly.
- Reducing inflammation in the body.
- Normal muscle growth and performance.
- Healthy nervous system.
A person usually receives Vitamin D either by consuming foods high in Vitamin D, supplements or through exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun. Vitamin D is found in plenty of foods such as fish and other seafood, egg yolk, cod liver oil, juices and dairy products and certain vegetables. The daily requirement of Vitamin D in normal people is between 400 to 800 IU (10 to 20 micrograms). These include 400 IU daily for young children and 800 IU for adults aged 71 and older. Vitamin D deficiency also causes problems such as:
- Tiredness.
- Bone aches.
- Muscle weakness and pain.
- Stiffness of joints.
- Depression.
- Lack of proper sleep.
