More Vitamin D Could Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk in Women

Key Takeaways

According to a new study published in the journalGastroenterology,a diet rich in vitamin D is linked to a near 50% reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer or precancerous colon polyps in young women.

Benefits of Vitamin D for Women in Menopause

Tamar Samuels, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and the co-founder ofCulina Health, tells Verywell that the new study “looked at the relationship between vitamin D status and early-onset colorectal cancer among women enrolled in the Nurses Health II study,” and “found that participants with higher intakes of vitamin D had a lower risk of early-onset colorectal cancer.”

Get ScreenedEarly detection through colorectal cancer screening for CRC is a proactive way to take control of your health. However, only 65% of people who are eligible are estimated to get a screening.

Get Screened

Early detection through colorectal cancer screening for CRC is a proactive way to take control of your health. However, only 65% of people who are eligible are estimated to get a screening.

Vitamin D May Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk

Past research has shown a link between a healthy vitamin D status and a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).However, data on younger populations is lacking. Additionally, a large amount of the available data highlights the positive relationship between a sufficient vitamin D status, and not necessarily the dietary intake of the nutrient.

Using data from over 90,000 women subjects enrolled in theNurses’ Health Study II,researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other institutions analyzed the diets, lifestyles, and medical histories of female nurses aged 25 to 42 years old.

Theresearchers evaluatedwhether there was an association between total vitamin D intake and risks of early-onset CRC and precursors.

What Is Vitamin D Deficiency?

The Results

The results of the study showed that a higher total vitamin D intake was significantly associated with a reduced risk of early-onset CRC—especially when comparing those who took in at least 450 IU compared to those who took in less than 300 IU per day.

Ultimately, taking in at least 300 IU of vitamin D per day resulted in almost a 50% reduced risk of CRC among women aged 50 and younger.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D is 600 IU for adults women under the age of 70—double the amount that was shown to have a positive effect on CRC risk among younger women.

The findings indicated that getting vitamin D from food sources rather than supplements appeared to offer a greater benefit. The study did not find a significant association between the quantity of vitamin D intake and the risk of CRC after the age of 50.

Limitations

“While this study has its limitations, it does give us insight into the role of vitamin D in cancer prevention,” says Samuels. “Specifically, it seems that vitamin D from food sources may be more beneficial to colorectal cancer prevention compared to supplemental vitamin D.”

Some limitations the study possesses that Samuels highlights include:

Reducing Your CRC Risk Through Diet

Nichole Giller, RD, LD, CSGetting in enough Vitamin D has so many benefits already such as helping to keep strong bones, support the immune system to function its best, and fight off invading bacteria and viruses.

Nichole Giller, RD, LD, CS

Getting in enough Vitamin D has so many benefits already such as helping to keep strong bones, support the immune system to function its best, and fight off invading bacteria and viruses.

Getting 20 minutes of sunshine daily with over 40% of skin exposed is required to prevent vitamin D deficiency.The vitamin can also be obtained through food or supplements.

“Including foods such as mushrooms, eggs, cheese, milk, fortified cereals, and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna can help people increase their vitamin D intake,” Nichole Giller, RD, LD, CSO, an oncology dietitian at the George Washington Hospital in Washington, D.C. tells Verywell. “Getting in enough Vitamin D has so many benefits already such as helping to keep strong bones, support the immune system to function its best, and fight off invading bacteria and viruses.”

Making a conscious effort to eat more vitamin D-containing foods can help prevent deficiency, and for women under the age of 50, it could potentially help reduce CRC risk.

Is a Vitamin D Deficiency Behind Your IBS?

Vitamin D-Rich Foods

While certain factors that increase your risk of developing CRC are out of your control (such as genetics and age) other factors are modifiable. Some lifestyle choices that may reduce your CRC risk include:

According to the current study, for people who are aged 50 years old or younger, eating at least 300 IU of vitamin D every day can be a positive addition to your diet when trying to reduce CRC risk too.

Some food combinations that contain at least 300 IU vitamin D include:

What This Means For YouEating eggs, dairy milk, salmon, and other foods that naturally contain vitamin D may help reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, especially among women under the age of 50 years old.

What This Means For You

Eating eggs, dairy milk, salmon, and other foods that naturally contain vitamin D may help reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, especially among women under the age of 50 years old.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Colorectal Cancer Statistics.Kim H, Lipsyc-Sharf M, Zong X, et al.Total Vitamin D Intake and Risks of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer and Precursors.Gastroenterology. 2021 Jul 7:S0016-5085(21)03235-2. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2021.07.002Moore JS, Aulet TH.Colorectal Cancer Screening.Surg Clin North Am. 2017 Jun;97(3):487-502. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2017.01.001Grant WB.Review of Recent Advances in Understanding the Role of Vitamin D in Reducing Cancer Risk: Breast, Colorectal, Prostate, and Overall Cancer.Anticancer Res. 2020 Jan;40(1):491-499. doi:10.21873/anticanres.13977Savoie MB, Paciorek A, Zhang L, et al.Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Before and After Treatment Initiation.J Gastrointest Cancer. 2019 Dec;50(4):769-779. doi:10.1007/s12029-018-0147-7National Institute of Health.Vitamin D.Naeem Z.Vitamin d deficiency- an ignored epidemic.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2010;4(1):V-VI.

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Cancer Society.Colorectal Cancer Statistics.Kim H, Lipsyc-Sharf M, Zong X, et al.Total Vitamin D Intake and Risks of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer and Precursors.Gastroenterology. 2021 Jul 7:S0016-5085(21)03235-2. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2021.07.002Moore JS, Aulet TH.Colorectal Cancer Screening.Surg Clin North Am. 2017 Jun;97(3):487-502. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2017.01.001Grant WB.Review of Recent Advances in Understanding the Role of Vitamin D in Reducing Cancer Risk: Breast, Colorectal, Prostate, and Overall Cancer.Anticancer Res. 2020 Jan;40(1):491-499. doi:10.21873/anticanres.13977Savoie MB, Paciorek A, Zhang L, et al.Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Before and After Treatment Initiation.J Gastrointest Cancer. 2019 Dec;50(4):769-779. doi:10.1007/s12029-018-0147-7National Institute of Health.Vitamin D.Naeem Z.Vitamin d deficiency- an ignored epidemic.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2010;4(1):V-VI.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Cancer Society.Colorectal Cancer Statistics.Kim H, Lipsyc-Sharf M, Zong X, et al.Total Vitamin D Intake and Risks of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer and Precursors.Gastroenterology. 2021 Jul 7:S0016-5085(21)03235-2. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2021.07.002Moore JS, Aulet TH.Colorectal Cancer Screening.Surg Clin North Am. 2017 Jun;97(3):487-502. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2017.01.001Grant WB.Review of Recent Advances in Understanding the Role of Vitamin D in Reducing Cancer Risk: Breast, Colorectal, Prostate, and Overall Cancer.Anticancer Res. 2020 Jan;40(1):491-499. doi:10.21873/anticanres.13977Savoie MB, Paciorek A, Zhang L, et al.Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Before and After Treatment Initiation.J Gastrointest Cancer. 2019 Dec;50(4):769-779. doi:10.1007/s12029-018-0147-7National Institute of Health.Vitamin D.Naeem Z.Vitamin d deficiency- an ignored epidemic.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2010;4(1):V-VI.

American Cancer Society.Colorectal Cancer Statistics.

Kim H, Lipsyc-Sharf M, Zong X, et al.Total Vitamin D Intake and Risks of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer and Precursors.Gastroenterology. 2021 Jul 7:S0016-5085(21)03235-2. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2021.07.002

Moore JS, Aulet TH.Colorectal Cancer Screening.Surg Clin North Am. 2017 Jun;97(3):487-502. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2017.01.001

Grant WB.Review of Recent Advances in Understanding the Role of Vitamin D in Reducing Cancer Risk: Breast, Colorectal, Prostate, and Overall Cancer.Anticancer Res. 2020 Jan;40(1):491-499. doi:10.21873/anticanres.13977

Savoie MB, Paciorek A, Zhang L, et al.Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Before and After Treatment Initiation.J Gastrointest Cancer. 2019 Dec;50(4):769-779. doi:10.1007/s12029-018-0147-7

National Institute of Health.Vitamin D.

Naeem Z.Vitamin d deficiency- an ignored epidemic.Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2010;4(1):V-VI.

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