Vit D: New Solution for Colon Cancer

[Guest guest]

New Solution for Colon Cancer

Vitamin D can affect a colon cancer cell by adjusting everything from

its gene expression to its cytoskeleton. Recent research shows that one

pathway governs the vitamin's diverse effects, a result which helps to

clarify the actions of a molecule that is undergoing clinical trials as a

cancer therapy.

Vitamin D stymies colon cancer cells in two ways -- it switches on

certain genes, and it induces effects on the cytoskeleton. The net result is

to curb cell division and cause colon cancer cells to differentiate into

epithelial cells that settle down instead of spreading.

The recent study is the first to show that vitamin D's genomic and

nongenomic effects use one simultaneous pathway and integrate to regulate

cell physiology.

Sources:

a.. Science Daily November 26, 2008

a.. Journal of Cell Biology November 17, 2008; 183(4):697-710

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Here's yet more validation for the assertion that vitamin D has

a MAJOR impact on cancer rates around the world. In fact, there are another

800 scientific articles showing the effects of vitamin D on cancer.

Unfortunately, almost everyone, including people living in

subtropical environments, are deficient in this essential vitamin.

Decades of sun avoidance, excessive use of sunscreen, and air

pollution shielding the sun's ultraviolet rays are now taking their toll on

the human population everywhere.

In one of the largest vitamin D studies ever conducted, it was

determined that if vitamin D3 levels among populations worldwide were

increased, 600,000 cases of breast and colorectal cancers could be prevented

each year; nearly 150,000 cases of cancer in the United States alone.

But even beyond cancer, researchers have pointed out that

increasing levels of vitamin D3 could prevent numerous diseases that claim

nearly 1 million lives throughout the world each year!

How is this possible?

It's possible because vitamin D, aka " the sunshine vitamin, " is

different from other vitamins. It's a powerful hormone precursor that

influences your entire body -- receptors that respond to the vitamin have

been found in almost every type of human cell, from your brain to your

bones. And, so far, some 3,000 of your 30,000 genes have been found to be

directly influenced by vitamin D.

It truly gives a whole new meaning to the word " essential "

vitamin!

How Vitamin D Affects Cancer

It's already been established that optimizing your vitamin D

levels could help you to prevent as many as 16 different types of cancer

including pancreatic, lung, breast, ovarian, prostate, and colon cancers.

The mechanisms by which vitamin D reduces your cancer risk are

fairly well understood. They include:

a.. enhancing calcium absorption (in the case of colorectal

cancer)

b.. inducing cell differentiation

c.. increasing cancer cell apoptosis or death

d.. reducing metastasis and proliferation

e.. reducing angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels, which

promotes tumor growth)

f.. downregulating parathyroid hormone (PTH)

g.. up- or downregulating gene expression

Also worth mentioning here is that in another recent study,

researchers discovered that vitamin D induces a specific gene to increase

expression of a key enzyme that protects healthy prostate cells from

oxidative damage by free radicals that can lead to prostate cancer.

According to Yi-Fen Lee, lead researcher of the study published

in the June 15, 2008 issue of the International Journal of Cancer:

" Many epidemiological studies have suggested the beneficial

properties of vitamin D. Our findings reflect what we see in those studies

and demonstrate that vitamin D not only can be used as a therapy for

prostate cancer, it can prevent prostate cancer from happening. "

Optimal vitamin D levels are known to positively influence the

following health conditions:

a.. Cold and flu

b.. Heart disease

c.. Diabetes

d.. Inflammatory bowel disease

e.. Rheumatoid arthritis

f.. Multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis

g.. Autism

The health benefits of optimal vitamin D levels are absolutely

extraordinary, and no one is making a penny from recommending higher vitamin

D status, which is one of the primary reasons why it's not being more widely

promoted.

But, What are the " Optimal " Vitamin D Levels?

In late winter, the average American's 25-hydroxyvitamin D

levels range from 15 to 18 ng/ml. This is considered a SERIOUS deficiency

state!

Based on the latest research available, the optimal range has

recently been raised to between 50 and 65 ng/ml. This is the range where

your body is finally beginning to store the vitamin in your tissues. Below

this level, your body is using it up as quickly as it's created.

The vitamin D level required for cancer protection, however, is

even higher; between 65-90 ng/ml.

The amount of ingested vitamin D3 and/or UVB exposure required

for optimal protection against cancer is still being determined. Each person

responds differently to UVB exposure and oral intake of vitamin D depending

on such factors as skin pigmentation, body mass index (vitamin D is fat

soluble), age, condition of digestive tract, other dietary factors, etc.

However, as a general guideline, you will get maximal amount of

vitamin D, about 20,000 units, if you are in the sun long enough to turn

large areas of your skin the very lightest pink. Anything beyond that is

unnecessary and will only contribute to premature skin aging, wrinkling and

skin cancer.

The time to achieve this pink color could be as little as a few

minutes in some fair skinned individuals to a few hours for some very dark

skinned people.

If you are dark skinned you will need more sun exposure. If very

fair, you may need less. Use your skin as a guide; once your skin takes on a

very light pink flush, you've maxed out your vitamin D-making capacity. Stay

in the sun longer, and you'll likely just burn, which should be avoided.

The key though is to make sure you monitor your vitamin D levels

by blood testing, to make sure your levels are therapeutic and not toxic. I

advocate getting your vitamin D levels tested regularly, throughout the

year.

But as I reported recently, you now need to beware of where you're

getting your test done. The single biggest concern in this area is Quest

Labs as their lab is reporting results as much as 40 percent higher than

other labs using a more reliable and accurate assay. That means, if you are

seeking to obtain levels similar to those that have been confirmed optimal

in the scientific literature, you will be falsely reassured by Quest's test

results.

For an in-depth explanation of everything you need to know

before you get tested, please read my updated article Test Values and

Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency.

Related Articles:

Daily Sunlight Can Keep Cancer Away

Which Vitamin Will Improve Your Life Expectancy the Most?

If You Choose to Take Oral Vitamin D, How Much Should You Take?