Vitamin D: Information for Patients
BONE PROTECTION: Vitamin D plays an important role in protecting your bones. Your body requires Vitamin D to absorb calcium. When people do not get enough Vitamin D, they can experience bone loss. Studies show that people with low levels of Vitamin D do in fact have lower bone density or bone mass and are more likely to break bones as they age. Some cancer treatments deplete bone density, including treatments for patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer and multiple myeloma.
CANCER: The earliest modern connection to cancer and Vitamin D occurred in the 1930’s when scientists noticed that people who spent years in the sun (and subsequently developed a relatively benign form of skin cancer called squamous cell skin cancer) were less likely to develop deadly internal cancers, such as colon, breast or prostate cancers1. Researchers are now studying the use of Vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of breast and prostate cancers1.
WHAT IS VITAMIN D? Vitamin D is made in the skin when 7-dehydrocholesterol reacts with UVB ultraviolet light. These wavelengths are present in sunlight when the UV index is at a high level. The UV index is high or high enough to provide Vitamin D during spring and summer seasons in temperate regions (like Michigan), year round in tropical regions and almost never in the arctic regions. Only 10-15 minutes of high UV sun exposure two to three times per week is needed for most people to maintain adequate Vitamin D levels.
CAN YOU CHECK A VITAMIN D LEVEL? Yes, Vitamin D levels can be checked at either of the Cancer Care Associates labs or another certified lab. The blood test does not require fasting and usually takes two to five days for results to be returned. Currently, the optimal level of serum 25-dihydroxyvitamin D is 30-100 ng/mL however there is new research indicating that guidelines may change in the near future proposing higher levels (some indication they are moving toward 50-100 ng/ML)2,3
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR VITAMIN D IS LOW: At CCA, we suggest you to speak with your doctor about the appropriate Vitamin D dosage needed to increase and maintain your Vitamin D level.
HOW TO MAINTAIN VITAMIN D:
- At CCA, we encourage 10-15 minutes daily of sun exposure during the spring and summer months (early or late in the day to prevent sunburn). Remember that any glass windows or sunblock with an SPF above 15 will block the UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D conversion. Also, it is not safe to rely on tanning beds as a primary source of Vitamin D because their lamps are usually calibrated to favor UVA rays not the URB rays that stimulate Vitamin D production4.
- A diet rich in Vitamin D including fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna as well as milk, eggs, beef and Swiss cheese may also be helpful in maintaining an acceptable Vitamin D level.
- During the sunny seasons in Michigan coupled with a diet rich in Vitamin D we recommend that only moderate Vitamin D supplementation is necessary. However, during Michigan’s long winter months or if you are unable to get outside during the sunny seasons, a Vitamin D3 supplement of 1000-2000 IUs daily is recommended5.
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