Colon Cancer Rates Rising May Be Due To Low Vitamin D Levels
Colon Cancer Rates Rising May Be Due To Low Vitamin D Levels
Colon cancer rates are on the rise, and at the same time, vitamin D deficiency has become a major global health issue, even in countries with year-round sun exposure. Some researchers believe that a deficiency in vitamin D may contribute to the increase in colon cancer.
“We’re finding that people diagnosed with colon cancer have low vitamin D levels,” Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, vice president of in-office care at One Medical, told Vogue. “This discovery is in the really, really early stages.”
In the past decade, colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, has become the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-associated death. Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Even more surprising to medical professionals is the likelihood of getting colon cancer has jumped in people under 55. According to the 2023 statistics reported by the ACS, the diagnoses of people under 55 years of age doubled from 11 percent (1 in 10) in 1995 to 20 percent (1 in 5) in 2019.
“We know rates are increasing in young people, but it’s alarming to see how rapidly the whole patient population is shifting younger, despite shrinking numbers in the overall population,” Rebecca Siegel, senior scientific director, surveillance research at the ACS, said in a press release. “The trend toward more advanced disease in people of all ages is also surprising and should motivate everyone 45 and older to get screened.”
The ACS noted that the diagnoses of colon cancer in people over 50 decreased in the 2000s, mainly because of an increase in colonoscopy screenings, which can detect premalignant polyps and tumors for removal before they become cancerous.
The Function of Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps keep bones and the immune system strong and is essential for maintaining mental balance. It also has other functions, says Rhian Stephenson, a nutritionist, naturopath, and founder of Artah, a brand that offers supplements and nutrition programs.
“It regulates cellular growth and gene expression (essential for cancer prevention), improves cell differentiation, and is involved in immunity, fertility, muscle strength, hormone balance, sexual health, energy, mood, and more,” Stephenson explained to Vogue.
Rachel O’Connor, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s clinical dietitian, says that vitamin D helps enhance the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and ensures that those minerals go where they should, like our bones and teeth.
“Along with calcium, vitamin D helps protect against the loss of bone mass,” O’Connor told Vogue. “In addition to helping keep bones strong, it is also vital for immune-system health and helping to reduce inflammation in the body.”
Jenna Stangland, a registered dietitian and performance advisor for Momentous, explained that vitamin D is a hormone that the body can synthesize from ultraviolet (UV) light. Dietitians and medical professionals recommend spending time in the sun to get UV light, as it helps the body produce D. Dr. Bhuyan, however, cautions against getting too much sun, “because it can also increase your risk of skin cancer.”
When it comes to mental health, studies have found an association between low blood levels of vitamin D and an increased risk of depression, O’Connor said.
“Vitamin D supplementation may have a positive impact on depression but not necessarily on other mental health issues,” O’Connor told Vogue. “Mental health is multifaceted, and unfortunately, a proper vitamin D level is not typically going to be the only factor at play.”
How To Get Enough Vitamin D
Soaking up some sun is the easiest way for the body to produce vitamin D. Stangland recommends getting at least 20 minutes of sun exposure to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. When going outside, apply sunscreen to protect your skin and help prevent skin cancer.
Besides sunlight, there are other ways to get a sufficient amount of Vitamin D. According to Stephenson, most foods are not good sources of vitamin D, but the foods that are include:
Dairy foods, like milk, yogurt, and cheese, and fortified foods, which are foods with nutrients added to them, such as breakfast cereals, also contain vitamin D.
Stephenson points out that foods will not provide adequate vitamin D levels, but they will help.
Since food alone may not offer enough vitamin D, and vitamin D levels run low during the dark winter months, nutrition experts recommend taking vitamin D3 supplements.
However, Stephenson said recommendations on how much vitamin D to take vary by country. For example, the recommended daily amount in the United States and Canada is 600 International Units (IU) for adults and 800 IU for adults over 70. The recommended amount in the UK is 400 IU.
“The bare minimum is 400IU—[but] in my experience, this is too low to correct an insufficient or deficient status,” Stephenson told Vogue.
She also recommended choosing D3 and looking for supplements paired with vitamin K2 since D3 and K2 can “work together to optimize calcium metabolism.” Stephenson added, “Without K2, calcium can accumulate and deposit in arteries rather than being transported to our bones.”
How To Know If You Lack Vitamin D
There are a few warning signs of a vitamin D deficiency, such as:
• Chronic fatigue
• Poor sleep
• Bone and muscle pain
• Hair loss
• Frequent sickness due to a weak immune system
• Depression, anxiety, and mood disorders
Stangland explains that when there is a vitamin D deficiency, calcium and phosphorus are less absorbed into the bones, which increases the risk of bone fractures.
Epidemiological studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency increases the rate of colon cancer and negatively impacts the survival of colon cancer patients. The authors of a 2022 study described vitamin D deficiency as a “pandemic,” affecting more than one billion children and adults worldwide. The primary cause of a vitamin D deficiency is a lack of sufficient sun exposure, the report said. The only way to know for sure if you have a vitamin D deficiency is to get a blood test from your doctor.
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