Vitamin D Doubles Colon Cancer Survival Rates

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Vitamin D Doubles Colon Cancer Survival Rates
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
October 13 2009 | 17,201 views

cancer, vitamin D, colon, colon cancer, colorectal cancerHigher blood levels of vitamin D may double survival rates of colorectal cancer patients, according to a new study.

People with the highest average levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D had a cancer-specific mortality half that of people with the lowest average levels. What’s more, high levels of the vitamin were associated with an overall mortality level 40 percent lower than people with the lowest average levels.

Knowledge of the link between vitamin D intake and protection from cancer dates from the 1940’s, when Frank Apperly demonstrated a link between latitude and deaths from cancer, and suggested that sunlight gave “a relative cancer immunity”.

Sources:

NutraIngredients September 23, 2009

British Journal of Cancer September 15, 2009; 101(6):916-23

Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Colon cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death in the United States. According to the latest data from the CDC, more than 141,400 Americans were diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005, and more than 53,000 died from the disease that same year.

Fortunately, it is also one of the few cancers that can be successfully treated if precancerous growths are found and removed early enough. Better yet, I believe colon cancer is completely preventable with certain lifestyle changes, of which vitamin D is a vital part.

More Evidence Showing the Cancer-Busting Power of Vitamin D

In this latest study, people with colon cancer who had the highest average levels of vitamin D had half the mortality rate of those with the lowest average levels, indicating that optimizing your vitamin D levels can improve your survival rate even if you already have the disease.

These findings add to a veritable mountain of studies that have found vitamin D to generate astounding powers of protection against a wide variety of cancers. In fact, there are well over 800 studies showing vitamin D’s effectiveness for cancer prevention and treatment!

One 2003 study in JAMA found that men who consumed higher amounts of vitamin D significantly reduced their risk of developing colon cancer.

Another study dating back to 1989 studied more than 25,000 people for eight years and discovered that people with vitamin D levels of 33-41 ng/ml, which is not even close to a great vitamin D level, reduced their risk of colon cancer by a whopping 80 percent!

Considering the fact that anything below 50 ng/ml is now believed to be sub-optimal, just imagine the worldwide impact on colon cancer (and other types of cancer) might be if everyone raised their vitamin D levels to the recommended 50-65 ng/ml.

For cancer treatment, the recommended level is now as high as 65-90 ng/ml.

I can’t stress enough how important I believe it is to optimize your vitamin D levels. It’s such a simple, inexpensive strategy, yet it can help prevent countless chronic ailments and deadly diseases.

For dosing guidelines, please read through last week’s article which addressed this in detail: “Vitamin D Experts Reveal the Truth About Vitamin D Dosing for Children and Adults.” I also recommend you review “Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency,” if you have not done so already.

How to Prevent Colon Cancer

Cancer can be a terrible disease, but please understand that you can easily avoid cancers of nearly every type by implementing some basic healthy lifestyle changes.

There are several dietary factors that appear to play a protective role, and as discussed above, one of the most important and simplest ones is to optimize your vitamin D levels. The best way to do that is by getting plenty of appropriate sunshine exposure on a regular basis, or by using a safe tanning bed.

If you’re still holding onto the myth that sun exposure equals deadly skin cancer, my book, Dark Deception, reveals why listening to that advice can literally kill you in more ways than one.

Other proven preventive measures for colon cancer include:

* Exercise
* Eat plenty of fresh raw vegetables, ideally based on your body's unique nutritional type
* Rebalance the ratio of omega-3 fats you consume by taking a high-quality fish oil or krill oil
* Avoid sugar
* Avoid processed meats
* Maintain normal iron levels
* Have your inflammation levels checked by having your C-reactive protein levels tested, and reduce them, if necessary
* Be wary of water soluble fiber as it may actually increase your risk of colon cancer. This was quite surprising to me, who was known as Dr. Fiber in medical school.
* Maintain ideal body weight



Related Links:

Processed Meats Play Role in Developing Colon Cancer

Why Doctors Miss Colon Cancer

Major New Discovery to Predict Colon Cancer Earlier


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Posted On Oct 14, 2009

Does anyone know how Dr. Mercola gets his vitamin D in winter months besides going to Hawaii? Does he use his tanning systems and if he does - which one? Thanks in advance for your replies!

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Posted On Oct 14, 2009

Guess the only one that could answer that would be me.

I rigorously monitor my vitamin D levels every few weeks and keep them about 65 ng.ml. This requires about 4000 units per day when I am living in Chicago in the non winter months and I have some sun exposure. When this is not possible, as it has the last three weeks, I increase my dose to 6000 units.

When I go to Maui I am very good about spending a few hours outside, and typically have my notebook on the beech with me and am able to work and get sunshine and negative ions from the ocean and free electrons from the ground.

No vitamin D necessary under those nearly ideal conditions to maintain optmal blood levels.

PLEASE remember that supplements are only necessary when you are, for whatever reason, unable to replicate natural conditions.

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Posted On Sep 26, 2009

Vitamin D has been creating a pretty big stir lately for a number of health saving issues. I'm so happy to see GOOD news like this finally getting out! Go Vitamin D!!!

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Posted On Oct 14, 2009

Vitamin D is obviously one of the first steps toward excellent health.

Another is eating food with all its specific enzyme fauna intact.

The higher your health line is, the less likely the body has to fall back on a

Significant Biological SPECIAL P-R-O-G-R-A-M of Nature, which is commonly called 'cancer'.

Colon cancer is caused by a 'nasty, indigestible anger conflict'. The tumour grows in an effort to produce more digestive fluid. The reason Mother Nature cannot differentiate between a 'real' indigestion and an imaginary one is because we humans have the two tightly connected through our brain power! To check it out, try to find any study, which finds animals having colon cancer without an actual obstruction in the colon itself. The same goes for stomach cancer, which is caused by a 'not-so-nasty' anger conflict. Lung cancer is caused by a 'death fright experience', liver cancer is caused by a 'fear of starving conflict', glandular breast cancer is caused by a 'worry conflict' and ductal breast cancer is caused by a 'separation conflict' as is skin cancer. All these cancers can be prevented by eating alive food (all the enzymes still viable) and vitamins and minerals, that are not present in sufficient quantities, such as the 'sunshine vitamin' 'D'! You can find out more here:

http://learninggnm.com . Learn about GNM while you are healthy -

It is futile to try teaching a drowning individual how to swim!

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Posted On Oct 13, 2009

Dr Mercola is right on the mark and has been years ahead of the media about this. Last year my doctor, an OD, prescribed 4,000 units for me and my husband. After reading Dr M's article, I'm raising my dose to 6,000 units. What amount is recommended for my husband who is fighting metasticized colon and stomach cancer? Any help will be much appreciated!

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Posted On Oct 13, 2009

The dose that gets his blood level to 80 ng/ml You HAVE to test.

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Posted On Oct 13, 2009

Hi there, your husband should be taking no less than 10,000 units a day. I've been taking 5.000 units but increased it to 10,000 units abou 3 months ago when I read that you could cure skin cancer. I just had a blood test and I'm at 65 nmol which is optimal. I'm not worried about overdosing. I've read lots of articles on Vitamin D that say you woul have to take 150,000 units a day for months and months to get toxic......don't take my word for it, do your research. Dr. John Cannel from Vitamin D. council and Dr. Miller.....all say the same...... Your husband has metasticized colon and stomach cancer..... he needs all he can get and while you're at it, get a good sourceof wheat grass into him.....try Dynamic Greens, the best ever......my soninlaw's grandfather is using same for his stage 4 colon cancer and he's coming along quite nicely......next I'm getting him on Vitamin D...... ok take care, and have faith....

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Posted On Oct 13, 2009

I am responding to Dr. Mercola's in that I've been taking 5,000 units for the last year and 10,000 units for the last three months and have got myself up to 65. I would suspect your husband would have to take 15,000 to 20,000 units a day for the next few months....or something close to that

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Posted On Oct 14, 2009

Please read my subcomment above for the answer to your questions.

Because cancer is a Significant Biological SPECIAL PROGRAM of Nature, the 'anger conflict' needs to be resolved for healing to take place.

To heal tumours, the body employs micobacteria (TBC), which causes the body to require extra protein in the diet, because lots of protein is being eliminated by the healing process. This is not comonly known and it is the reason, why people in the healing phase frequently run out of energy and die of cachexia. As mentioned earlier, please refer to my notes above, which includes a URL.

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Posted On Oct 13, 2009

I am 72 years and want to know how much vitamin D I should take. Guess that it can be toxic if taking to much.....

I do take supplements and I am rarely ill.

Thank you for your input...

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Posted On Oct 13, 2009

You should get your serum levels tested, This is the test Dr. Mercola,s recommended test. The correct test is 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Then increase your levels accordingly. Read his previous newsletter. You can increase your levels by 20 mg/ml by taking 2000 units a day of D3

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Posted On Oct 13, 2009

I read about Vitamin D as well in a recent article in the Huffington Post. Aren't there other supplements such as anti-oxidants and immune enhancers/stimulators to consider?

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