Vitamin D deficiency could be bad news for men with prostate cancer. A new study analyzed data from nearly 700 men undergoing an initial prostate biopsy. In addition to the pathology reports, investigators assessed the men’s vitamin D status. Men who had the lowest levels of vitamin D were about four times more likely to have aggressive prostate cancer.
Average levels of vitamin D were lower in African American men. They were also more likely to have higher Gleason scores, a measure of prostate cancer severity. Although it is not clear whether vitamin D supplements would be protective, it seems only prudent to make sure vitamin D levels do not fall into the deficient range.
[Clinical Cancer Research, May, 2014]
You can learn about vitamin D assessments and what range of 25-hydroxyvitamin D is considered optimal in our 8-page Guide to Vitamin D Deficiency.
