A new study suggests that getting enough vitamin D and calcium is important for cancer prevention.
However, there are other risks associated with taking supplements, including possible heart problems. A cancer researcher reveals how she weighs the benefits and risks.
Cynthia Thomson, a nutritionist and cancer prevention specialist, knows that it's not always possible to prevent cancer through diet or supplements.
"I was a nutritionist and marathon runner when I was diagnosed with colon cancer and was in my 40s," Thomson, a professor at the University of Arizona, told Business Insider.“There are many cancers that we cannot prevent, and we have no idea why people get them.”
But as Thomson has discovered over decades of studying the effects of supplements on tens of thousands of people, getting enough calcium and vitamin D can significantly reduce the risk of developing life-threatening diseases, including some types of cancer. It is estimated that a person's food intake, largely influenced by their diet, accounts for about 30% of their cancer risk.
Over time, these supplements appeared to have a modest but measurable effect on reducing cancer deaths.But taking nutritional supplements was not without risks.
Significantly fewer cases of breast and colon cancer in people taking nutritional supplements
When researchers 22 years later compared the results of those who took supplements with those of participants who didn't, they found that cancer deaths fell by 7 percent among women who took vitamin D and calcium supplements.
Particularly impressive were the reductions in invasive breast cancer (19%) and colon cancer (31%), which Thomson once suffered from.Women in the study who took the two supplements together also had a slight but measurable 6 percent increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in both men and women.Thomson's team isn't sure what's behind this increase, but suspects the difference may be due to the fact that calcium supplements promote greater calcification of the coronary arteries.
"I don't want cardiologists to say, 'No one should take calcium supplements,' and oncologists, 'Everyone should take calcium supplements' - we really need to look at the individual profiles," Thomson said. “I think that’s where we’re going in medicine.” This won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution.
Despite the potential risk to his heart, Thomson continues to take daily vitamin D and calcium supplements.But he says you shouldn't just copy his model. Instead, deciding which supplements you should take to ensure your longevity should be a highly personalized science.
Make your supplement regimen based on the findings of your blood test.
Thomson says he considered at least three different factors before adding vitamin D and calcium supplements to his diet:
He noticed that his doctor's blood test results showed low vitamin D levels. Taking 400 IU per day helped his subsequent tests return to normal, meaning his strategy is working.
She suspected that as a vegan and “meat avoider,” who gets her calcium from foods like tofu, nuts and salmon, her diet might be quite low in calcium. (Calcium levels cannot be measured correctly through blood tests because the body tends to tightly regulate this system and remove calcium from muscles when we don't get enough from food.)
Ultimately, she is more worried about her history of colon cancer than the risk of coronary artery calcification.His stones might have turned out differently if he had a personal or family history of kidney stones.Like other leading researchers, Thomson says that if you really want to reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases like cancer, the first step is eating a varied and healthy diet rich in plants like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. and nuts. . This is the same strategy that long-lived people use around the world.
“Dietary supplements work exactly like that: their job is to compensate for nutrient deficiencies,” she said.
Consider using supplements to enhance your diet rather than as a quick fix
Thomson knows that supplements will never reduce the risk of cancer. The health benefits they may provide are likely to be slow, marginal, and specific to each patient.