New research suggests that vitamin D may protect against colon cancer by helping to get rid of a toxic acid that promotes the disease.
The discovery could point the way to the development of therapies that provide the cancer protection of vitamin D without the side effects caused by consuming too much of the vitamin.
Now we believe that we have discovered the potential mechanism of how vitamin D can be protective of colon cancer. If it is not the only mechanism, it is at least one of them.
Vitamin D is known to protect against colon cancer, but exactly how has been uncertain. The high-fat "Western" diet has been linked to an increased risk of the disease, although this connection is controversial.
The new research provides a possible explanation for the protection of vitamin D as well as the increased risk of a high-fat diet. Researchers found that vitamin D and a type of bile acid called lithocholic acid (LCA) both activate the vitamin D receptor in cells.
When a person eats fatty foods, the liver empties bile acids into the intestine, making it possible for the body to absorb fatty substances. After doing their job in the intestine, most bile acids are taken back into the liver.
But LCA does something unusual. It is not recirculated into the liver. Instead, an enzyme called CYP3A degrades LCA in the intestine, he said. If LCA is not detoxified by the enzyme, it passes into the colon where it can promote cancer.
LCA Is Very Toxic
Since vitamin D has been shown to prevent colon cancer in animals, the researchers decided to see whether its receptor had any effect on the detoxification of LCA.
In fact, the vitamin D receptor seems to act as a sensor for high levels of LCA. The vitamin D receptor binds to LCA, triggering an increase in the expression of the gene for CYP3A, the acid-neutralizing enzyme. This seems to be the body's way of protecting itself from colon cancer.
If a person does not get enough vitamin D, this balance may be interrupted, increasing the risk of colon cancer.
The research also provides a possible explanation of how high-fat diets may increase the risk of colon cancer. Since LCA is released from the liver when a person eats fatty food, a high-fat diet that keeps LCA levels high may "overwhelm the system." The body may stop producing enough CYP3A to keep LCA under control.
Science May 17, 2002;296:1313-1316
This study, in the prestigious journal Science, provides us with a mechanism for how vitamin D prevents colon cancer. There has to be other mechanisms.
Guaranteed.
How can I be so sure?
Vitamin D has been associated with lowering many more cancers than just colon, such as
Vitamin D is one important nutrient and the best way to grab it is by exposing your skin to sunshine. Something most of can and should do in the summer.
If you haven't read the first two vitamin D articles below, please do, they are some of the most valuable on the site.
At this time I have tested several hundred people for vitamin D levels and I can tell you that in the Midwest virtually everyone is deficient.
I haven't found anyone on initial testing to be in the optimum range and even after retesting there have been only been two people who were optimized, myself (of course) and one of my office assistants who has M.S.
Related Articles:
Breakthrough Updates You Need to Know on Vitamin D Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency Vitamin D Gene Variant Linked to Breast Cancer Vitamin D May Prevent Skin Cancer
Breakthrough Updates You Need to Know on Vitamin D
Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D Gene Variant Linked to Breast Cancer
Vitamin D May Prevent Skin Cancer