Vitamin D and How It Can Prevent Cancer Before It Starts

A senior director of drug regulatory affairs, Robert Gadimian is a consultant with years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Robert Gadimian’s research has investigated the cancer-preventive properties of various vitamins that can be taken as supplements, such as vitamin D.

Vitamin D is produced by the body naturally in response to exposure to ultraviolet light, which most people get through sunlight. However, it is not always possible or safe for a person to get the right amount of sunlight per day, in the case of people who spend most of their time indoors for their job or people who live in areas with especially harsh sunlight. In the latter case, overexposure to sunlight can cause skin cancer, which vitamin D is supposed to help prevent.

Supplements for vitamin D can be a viable alternative for people who need it. Research has shown that the vitamin can promote cellular differentiation (which makes cancer less likely) and decreases cancer cell growth by promoting apoptosis (a process by which defective cells self-destruct to prevent mutation). While it is essential not to take too much of any one nutrient to avoid toxicity and to check with a specialist before using supplements long-term, the evidence is there that vitamin D is necessary to prevent cancer.