D3: The Anti-Cancer Vitamin

What is Vitamin D3?

It’s scientific name is cholecalciferol. It is made naturally in the body when exposed to sunlight, not to be confused with photosynthesis! It can also be consumed in fatty fish naturally or also shows up artificially placed in other foods. It’s a prohormone, meaning it facilitates the hormones in your body.

What exactly does it do though?

D3 is required for the regulation of calcium and phosphorous in the body, heavily influencing the growth and maintenance of your bone and marrow structures. D3 helps transfer phosphate into the body and then calcium adjusts conversely. Many people are unaware that phosphate is a major component of bones, nerves, and muscles as calcium seems to get more attention.

What are the benefits?

Well, if you live where there’s no sun, you get deficiencies or even rickets as a child. But most of us do not face those problems. Again, D3 helps with the development of structural body tissues but can also help blood flow or psoriasis. What you may not know is that studies have linked healthy D3 levels with benefits of cancer prevention.

What does it have to do with cancer?

Within studies of rats, scientists observed that appropriate D3 levels promoted better cell differentiation, decreased cancer cell growth, and even reduced tumor blood vessel growth. Numerous studies have shown noticeable reduction in colorectal cancer. Varied results have also manifested for breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. Again, it is partly attributable to D3 promoting hormonal balance and healthy levels of calcium and phosphate.

How do I get Vitamin D3?

Make sure you get sun exposure, that’s a very effective way, and cheap too! However, too much sun can be harmful and so supplementing our indoor lives with D5000 is another way to get the D3 that you need, available here at NHC!