LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS

IN the largest study of the kind, low levels of Vitamin D are linked with a significant increase in colorectal cancer risk. Conversely, higher levels appear to offer protection.

Vitamin D is produced in the skin after contact with sunlight, as well as absorbed in our guts from several dietary sources - including fortified foods and and fatty fish.

Its primary role was long considered  to be bone maintenance. But, as researchers dig deeper, vitamin D's sphere of influence widens. For instance, Vitamin D deficiency has now been linked to Parkinson's, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, among many other conditions. Scientists have also investigated its influence on the progression of cancer.

Recently, researchers from a host of organization, including the  American Cancer Society [ACS]  in Atlanta, GA, the  Harvard  T.H.Chan School of  Public Health  in Houston, MA, and the United States National Cancer Institute in Rockville, MD, combined forces to investigate vitamin D's  role in colerectal cancer risk.

Aside from skin cancers, colorectal cancer - which is also called bowel cancer in the U.S. It is expected to claim more than  50,000  lives in 2018.

Understanding what factors play a role in its development is crucial. And, if vitamin D is involved, it might form the basis of a  simple and cost effective intervention.

Some previous studies have found a link between vitamin D  deficiency and colorectal cancer, but others have not. This new, large scale effort was designed to iron out the creases and present more concrete evidence.

The researchers findings were published recently in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.