| Recent research has given hope to melanoma | | | | A second study done at the Dana-Farber Cancer |
| patients: vitamin D can help you survive this very | | | | Institute showed a lower incidence of death from |
| serious disease. Studies have shown that those | | | | colorectal cancer in patients with adequate vitamin |
| melanoma patients with high amounts of vitamin | | | | D levels. People with higher blood levels were up |
| D in their bloodstreams were up to 30 percent | | | | to 50 times less likely to die from the disease. |
| more likely to survive. | | | | These researchers also plan to see if vitamin D |
| Vitamin D is produced by the body when sunlight | | | | has a similar effect on bowel cancer. |
| strikes the skin. Although too much sunlight raises | | | | Vitamin D has many other health benefits as well. |
| the risk of skin cancers, higher levels of vitamin D | | | | Adequate vitamin D levels protect against a |
| translate to less severe lesions in melanoma. | | | | number of diseases, including heart disease, |
| There are also lower rates of relapse in those | | | | infection, and general poor health and low energy. |
| patients getting an adequate amount of vitamin D. | | | | Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of |
| Vitamin D can also be taken as a nutritional | | | | calcium, which is needed for proper bone health. |
| supplement, and many doctors advise their | | | | Children with vitamin D deficiency are susceptible |
| melanoma patients to boost their vitamin D levels | | | | to rickets. This nutrient is essential to the |
| with the addition of supplements to their diet. | | | | maintenance and enhancement of the |
| Some researchers have recommended up to | | | | bodyâs health. |
| 2000 International Units of vitamin D daily, | | | | Many foods contain high vitamin D levels. This |
| although the current supplement | | | | vitamin is found in fish, fortified milk and dairy |
| recommendations are 200 to 600 units daily. | | | | products, eggs, and cod liver oil. Those who do |
| The first study linking vitamin D levels to | | | | not eat enough of these kinds of food and do not |
| melanoma survival was undertaken a the Cancer | | | | receive enough sunlight should take a daily |
| Research UK and the National Institutes of Health. | | | | supplement of this important vitamin. |
| The researchers in that study concluded that | | | | For those suffering from melanoma, the new |
| melanoma patients with high levels of vitamin D | | | | research into the effects of vitamin D is excellent |
| had thinner lesions than those who had levels that | | | | news. The vitamin makes survival much more |
| were too low. These researchers also believe that | | | | likely and mitigates the seriousness of the disease. |
| it is common in Western countries for people to | | | | Ingestion of vitamin D at adequate levels |
| get too little vitamin D. This is partly due to the | | | | significantly lowers the incidence of relapse. There |
| fact that people tend to stay out of the sun to | | | | is much hope in the medical community and |
| lower their overall risk of skin cancer, making it | | | | among cancer patients that vitamin D will help you |
| more important to eat foods high in vitamin D and | | | | survive melanoma. |
| to take daily supplements of the vitamin. | | | | |