Calcium + D prevent cancer.Getting enough calcium and vitamin D vitamin D Any of a group of fat-soluble alcohols important in calcium metabolism in animals to form strong bones and teeth and prevent rickets and osteoporosis. It is formed by ultraviolet radiation (sunlight) of sterols (see steroid) present in the skin. lowers the risk of precancerous precancerous /pre·can·cer·ous/ (-kan´ser-us) pertaining to a pathologic process that tends to become malignant. pre·can·cer·ous adj. colon polyps colon polyp Gastroenterology A hereditary or acquired pedunculated neoplasm arising from the colonic mucosa; small CPs are usually benign, but may become malignant; like colorectal CA, CPs may present with occult bleeding. See Polyp, Colorectal cancer. , but only in people who get enough of both nutrients. For four years, researchers gave either calcium supplements (1,200 mg a day) or a placebo to roughly 800 people who had already had at least one colon polyp removed. Among people who started the study with blood vitamin D levels at the lower end (29.1 nanograms per milliliter milliliter /mil·li·li·ter/ (mL) (-le?ter) one thousandth (10-3) of a liter. mil·li·li·ter n. Abbr. or less), the calcium supplements did nothing. But among people who had higher blood vitamin D levels, calcium cut the risk of new colon polyps by about 30 percent. (Only blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, not 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, were linked to the risk of polyps Polyps A tumor with a small flap that attaches itself to the wall of various vascular organs such as the nose, uterus and rectum. Polyps bleed easily, and if they are suspected to be cancerous they should be surgically removed. .) However, above-average levels of vitamin D didn't reduce the risk of polyps in people who took the placebo. What to do: Get the recommended levels of calcium (1,200 mg a day if you're over 50 and 1,000 mg for younger adults) and vitamin D (600 IU a day if you're over 70, 400 IU if you're 51 to 70, and 200 IU for younger adults). You can also get vitamin D from sunlight (see NAH, December 2003). Journal of the National Cancer Institute 95: 1765, 2003. |
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