In a recent study from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, researchers found that vitamin D is a key factor in lowering risk for bladder and other forms of cancer. Vitamin D is fat soluble and is not naturally produced by the body. The easiest way to get vitamin D is through sun exposure. However, it is also possible to consume vitamin D in supplements and food.
Getting a Little Sun
In light of concerns over skin cancer, many people have taken to wearing sun screen or avoiding spending time outside during sunlight hours. However, exposure to sunlight is the most efficient and easiest way to stimulate vitamin D production in the human body.
Vitamin D is an antioxidant that plays a key role in fighting bladder cancer according to the study published in the October issue of the Journal of National Cancer Institute. In the study, researchers found that individuals with the highest levels of vitamin D blood levels also had the lowest levels of bladder cancer. Conversely, individuals with low levels of vitamin D in their blood had higher incidences of the cancer.
Researchers found that vitamin D protects individuals from more aggressive forms of cancer. It acts as a regulator in a protein that plays a role in the development of bladder and other forms of cancer. With diminished vitamin D levels, the protective action is lost, allowing the cancer to grow unchecked.
Sunlight, Supplements and Food
The closer a person lives to the equator, the less sun exposure they need for adequate amounts of vitamin D. Sun exposure should be to direct sunlight, without it being filtered through clothing or glass.
For individuals who do not want to spend time in direct sunlight, it is possible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D through supplements and food. Foods like shitake and button mushrooms contain vitamin D, as do salmon, herring, eggs and cod liver oil. The digestive process helps the vitamin D be released into the blood stream.
Many people who take vitamin D supplements find they have difficulty absorbing the vitamin. As a result, they do not get enough of the nutrient even with supplements and may find they need to eat foods that contain vitamin D or add a small amount of direct sunlight exposure to their daily routine.
Do you spend time outside in the direct sunlight? Have you ever been tested for vitamin D levels?
– The Alternative Daily
