| Studies on "sunshine vitamin" deficiencies indicate that | | | | Cancer, Moores Cancer Center at University of |
| the list of vitamin D benefits may well include | | | | California, San Diego (UCSD) literally mapped the |
| preventing various forms of cancer. | | | | incidences of various forms of cancer throughout the |
| For nearly a decade San Francisco's Sunlight, Nutrition | | | | world. The results showed that the areas with the |
| and Health Research Center has been reviewing | | | | lowest exposure to the sun's UV rays (and |
| ecological studies of solar ultraviolet B (the sunshine | | | | therefore, lowest levels of vitamin D) have the |
| component that stimulates the body to manufacture | | | | highest incidence of several forms of cancer. |
| D vitamin) and cancer. According to the Center, colon | | | | The researchers stressed that even after correcting |
| and breast cancers show the strongest correlations | | | | for environmental variables such as diet, cigarette |
| to a lack of sun exposure leading to deficiency of | | | | smoking, alcohol intake, weight, and fertility, the |
| the vitamin, but links have also been found with | | | | association between low D vitamin levels and the |
| non-Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian cancer and kidney | | | | incidence of breast, kidney, and other cancers |
| cancer. | | | | remained strong. |
| Center Director William B. Grant said the findings | | | | Sunlight exposure a crucial factor |
| provide strong evidence that levels of the vitamin are | | | | D vitamin is available through some foods, including |
| important in controlling the outcome of cancer. He | | | | salmon, fortified milk, and eggs, but experts say the |
| also said he believes the support for UVB-vitamin | | | | average diet yields only a fraction of the amount |
| D-cancer theory is scientifically strong enough to | | | | that the body requires. Exposure to sunlight triggers |
| warrant use of vitamin D as a component of | | | | the body to manufacture the vitamin, and the |
| treatment in cancer prevention. | | | | Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center says |
| Low sun exposure and sunshine vitamin deficiencies | | | | even brief, casual sun exposure can maximize vitamin |
| tied to incidence of certain cancers around the world | | | | D benefits. As little as five to 10 minutes of exposure |
| Using information from the World Health | | | | to the midday sun can produce up to 4,000 IU of |
| Organization's International Agency for Research on | | | | the vitamin, according to the center. |