Vitamin D may protect against colorectal cancer

High vitamin D levels in the blood can be associated with reduced risk of colon cancer in European populations, new findings suggest.

A study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and Imperial College London revealed that people with the highest levels of vitamin D in their blood are 40 per cent less likely to develop colorectal cancer.

Published in the British Medical Journal this month, the report stated that the incidence of the disease currently ranks fourth in men and third in women worldwide out of all cancers, with more than one million new cases each year.

In response, Carina Powney, advisory service nurse at Bowel Cancer UK, said that further research is now needed to see if supplements would lower the risk of colorectal cancer.

She added: "This could be the first step to advice regarding vitamin D but vitamin D is also associated with sunlight exposure and diet."

According to Cancer Research, each year more than 37,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK - an average of over 100 people every day.

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