Have you been tested for a vitamin D deficiency? Most physicals for women now include a blood test for vitamin D levels. It appears that many of us are not getting enough Vitamin D naturally, out in the sun. Many make-up formulas include sun screen. Many moisturizers include sun screen. What this all means is the 10-15 minutes outside every day that is recommended for natural Vitamin D absorption just doesn’t happen. For women with a history of skin cancers, being out in the sun is not a good idea.
Vitamin D deficiencies have been associated with breast cancer. Research continues. I heard a lecture about recommending Vitamin D to breast cancer survivors and on the way home; the store I tried to buy was sold out. The other 1,000 women at the lecture evidently had the same idea! How much to take has to be determined from your blood test and your physician. The good news is the blood test can be part of all the testing for your annual check-up and the supplements are inexpensive.
There is a new study out and here is a quick take away:
“Women who are diagnosed with late-stage and aggressive breast cancer are more likely to have a low vitamin D level than women who have less aggressive cancer. Women who had blood plasma concentration of less than 20 ng/mL were eight times more likely to be diagnosed with regional or distal spread of cancer when compared to women who had normal vitamin D levels. The study also found that African American women were four times more likely to have low vitamin D levels compared with white women.”
Here is a link to the entire study.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/BreastCancer/22543
Here is another informative synopsis:
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20101004/low-vitamin-d-linked-breast-cancer
One More:
Conclusion? Have the blood test for Vitamin D next office visit, especially if you are a breast cancer survivor.
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