Supplements: Calcium and Vitamin D, a Cocktail Of Melanoma
Taking supplements of calcium and vitamin D can reduce by 57% the risk of melanoma, the only skin cancer can metastasize.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, this effect occurs in women with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Indeed, having this type of tumor, such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous, increases the chance of developing melanoma later that, although less frequent in the population, cause 75% of deaths from skin cancer. As explained by experts of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV), “a melanoma of more than four millimeters in diameter kills 50% of patients within five years.”
Although the main route of prevention is not too exposed to UV radiation, now researchers at the Faculty of Medicine, Stanford University (California, USA) proposed a complementary measure: daily doses of 1,000 milligrams of calcium and 400 IU ( International Units) of vitamin D.
The dermatologist and lead author of this work, Jean Tang and colleagues were based on U.S. data analysis on the health of women. Of the 36,000 participants (aged 50 to 79 years), half taking calcium and vitamin D in the doses described above and the rest ingested pills placebo effect.
The truth is that “we note that cacio intake and vitamin D reduced the incidence of skin cancer in women from 50, but síaminoró the incidence of melanoma in those with a history of basal cell carcinoma or squamous, suggesting a possible role in reducing the disease in this risk group, “concludes Jean Tang.
The interest in studying the benefits these supplements is not new. Previous research has linked vitamin D with reduced risk of other cancers, including colon, prostate and breast. And as for calcium, several observational studies relate it less likely to develop colon polyps. However, say the authors of this study, “no evidence deensayos randomized clinical associate vitamin D with risk of skin cancer.”
According to another author says, “this is the first time positively associated with the combination of calcium and vitamin D with reduced melanoma,” but to establish supplements as a preventive measure even “more research is needed.”
Throughout the article, experts also point to a tendency to reduce the risk of melanoma in women with a BMI over 25, with a vitamin D intake below 400 IU and areas with less sun exposure, “Although there was no statistical significant” stress.