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Vitamin D and Gut Microbiome Interaction Found to Suppress Cancer Development
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Summarized by durumis AI
- Research has shown that vitamin D in the gut promotes the proliferation of specific beneficial bacteria, enhancing immune cell activation and strengthening the ability to attack cancer cells.
- This study underscores the importance of vitamin D, supporting the fact that higher blood vitamin D levels are associated with higher cancer survival rates and better responses to immune therapy.
- However, it is still too early to directly apply the results of mouse experiments to humans, and further research is needed on the mechanisms by which vitamin D suppresses cancer.
The immune system is the body's greatest ally in fighting cancer, but certain factors can further enhance its cancer-fighting abilities by properly stimulating the immune system. According to a research paper published in the scientific journal "Science" on April 25, vitamin D present in the intestinal tissue promotes the growth of specific beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn stimulates T cells, a type of lymphocyte, enhancing their ability to attack cancer cells.
Dr. Caetano Reis e Sousa, an immunologist at the Francis Crick Institute and lead author of the paper, stated that further research is needed to determine if the same mechanism applies in humans, but added that the findings warrant further investigation.
"Vitamin D has a complex mechanism of action as it influences the activity of hundreds of genes. However, after analyzing various data, we found that patients with higher blood vitamin D levels have higher survival rates for various cancers and respond better to immunotherapy."
Dr. Reis e Sousa mentioned Danish health records data, explaining that individuals identified as vitamin D deficient had a higher risk of developing cancer within 10 years compared to those who were not deficient. However, he pointed out that the actual risk may be higher because the data included individuals who were aware of their vitamin D deficiency and had started taking supplements.
Dr. Karsten Kalbehrg, a biochemist at the Polish Academy of Sciences, praised the research as a valuable study that highlights the importance of vitamin D intake through sunlight or diet. However, he cautioned against hastily applying the results of mouse experiments to humans, given that mice and humans have evolved separately for 75 million years.
Dr. Kalbehrg, who has long studied the role of vitamin D but did not participate in this study, stated that it is impossible to assume that the results of mouse experiments will be directly applicable to humans, but stressed the need for further clarification of the cancer-suppressing mechanisms of vitamin D.
Experts still do not fully understand how vitamin D alters gut microbiota composition and how this change affects immune system activation. However, the findings reveal a remarkable interplay between vitamin D and gut bacteria, raising expectations about the potential role of vitamin D in cancer prevention and treatment.
Meanwhile, the research team also provided suggestions for effective vitamin D intake. They recommend maintaining a blood vitamin D concentration of 20ng/ml or higher to enhance cancer prevention effects. To achieve this, they suggest a daily intake of 600-800 IU (15-20 mcg) of vitamin D as an appropriate level.
