American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR): CRU: Vitamin D Supplements and Cancer Risk: Evidence Lacking, Still

Vitamin D Supplements and Cancer Risk: Evidence Lacking, Still

A new analysis on vitamin D confirms earlier research in finding that there is insufficient evidence to conclude whether vitamin D supplements reduce cancer risk.

The review of research by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) also concluded that combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation may reduce fracture risk among some populations.

The USPSTF review of the literature, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, comes about a year after an extensive review of the vitamin D research by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The USPTF review took 47 studies into account; the IOM report's recommendations examined nearly 1,000 studies.

The review of nearly 50 studies on vitamin D – present in a small number of foods and produced naturally in the skin with sun exposure – by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) also indicates that it's too soon to tell if vitamin D supplements can help prevent cancer.

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• Sources: Mei Chung et al. "Vitamin D With or Without Calcium Supplementation for Prevention of Cancer and Fractures: An Updated Meta-analysis for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force." Annals of Internal Medicine. December 20, 2011 vol. 155 no. 12 827-838.
• Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D