At a time when more and more evidence is pointing to a direct link between increased vitamin D levels and a reduction in breast cancer, a new study announced today by GrassrootsHealth is seeking to find some answers for Canadian women.
The GrassrootsHealth Breast Cancer Prevention Study in Canada will seek to prospectively examine the occurrence of breast cancer among Canadian women 60 and over who achieve and maintain a targeted vitamin D serum level in the bloodstream.
Participants will be monitored and will be able to attain optimal vitamin D levels through their choice of UVB exposure, fortified foods or supplements. In addition to breast cancer prevention, short-term effects of vitamin D on hypertension, falls, colds and flu will also be tracked. The study aims to enroll 1000 women to rapidly demonstrate the health outcomes. “We have been provided seed funding to get the project started immediately and will be actively looking for more sources of funding to continue its support,” said Carole Baggerly, director of GrassrootsHealth.
“We are hoping the study will solidify and quantify the case that vitamin D experts have been building for years: that increased vitamin D levels in women will significantly reduce breast cancer,” states Dr. Robert Banner, President Ontario Society of Physicians for Complementary and Integrative Medicine.
“It is essential Canadian women be included in our drive to demonstrate the medical benefits of vitamin D. When you can project that fully 75% of breast cancer cases could be prevented with higher optimal vitamin D serum levels, there is no justification for waiting to take preventive measures,” said GrassrootsHealth founder Carole Baggerly, herself a breast cancer survivor. “Ultimately we want women to know how they can proactively help prevent breast cancer before it is discovered at a screening clinic,” she added.
Canadian women over 60 years old are invited to join women across the world in the five-year Breast Cancer Prevention Study initiated by GrassrootsHealth. To be eligible to enroll, women must be at least 60 and have no current cancer or current cancer treatment.
The study aims to fully demonstrate health outcomes of vitamin D serum levels in the range of 100-150 nmol/L, natural biological levels and will examine the occurrence of breast cancer among a population of women 60 and over who achieve and maintain a targeted vitamin D serum level in the bloodstream.
“The more women who participate in this study, the greater the chance that we will defeat breast cancer within our lifetimes,” Baggerly said.
GrassrootsHealth welcomes Canadian health organizations interested in contributing to the study and seeing the effects vitamin D can have on preventing breast cancer.
About Grassroots Health
GrassrootsHealth (GRH), a non-profit public health research organization, works to quickly elevate public health messages from science into practice. GRH joins with vitamin D scientists to aggregate knowledge and best practices and then spread the word to medical practitioners and individuals in order to change public opinion and create healthier life choices and prevent disease. To signup for the breast cancer study or for more information, visit: https://www.grassrootshealth.net/proj-welcome?pr=562331
Grassroots Health is also seeking participants local to Northwest Arkansas in a similar study. To sign up, visit: https://www.grassrootshealth.net/proj-welcome?pr=83341
For further information, please contact:
Carole Baggerly
carole@grassrootshealth.org
www.grassrootshealth.net
Details concerning the benefits of vitamin D can be found online at the Vitamin D Council.
Tags: breast cancer, vitamin D
The November edition of The Health Gazette Ezine will be published as scheduled on November 1st.
In November we conclude our series on The Dimensions of Health. The focus will be on holistic health.
Subscribers will find the ezine in their mailbox first and in the archive shortly thereafter.
From The Vitamin D Council Newsletter
When we talk about T scores, osteopenia and osteoporosis, we assume we are talking about older people, especially post-menopausal women. However, a group of obstetricians and pediatricians from the University of Sienna, led by Dr. Franco Bagnoli, reported that 42% of infants have osteopenia.
What I like was that the authors said, “To be safe, vitamin D administration should be increased to 2,000 IU/day for neonates, 5,000 IU/day for children and 10,000 IU/day for all adults.” Obstetricians are generally regarded as the one group of physicians that seldom change their mind. My hat is off to these seven obstetricians.
So many infants have craniotabes, or softening of the fontanels, it is considered normal although such infants show signs of vitamin D deficiency. That is, about a third of our infants show evidence of having low vitamin D during their development in the womb.
Finally, if you look at the incidence of rickets inside the womb by ultrasound, about a third of infants have signs of intrauterine rickets (splaying or widening of the femur) during their pregnancy.
Then there is the evidence that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is associated infection, toxemia and caesarean section, not to mention a host of diseases as the child ages, including diabetes, asthma, and infections. If you know any pregnant or breastfeeding woman, make sure she is taking at least 6,000 IU/day (10,000 IU/day is fine) and then make sure the child takes 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D when he is weaned and progressively more as he ages, until he is on 5,000 IU/day as a teenager.
However, you and I both know many people will not take supplements or give them to their children, which is why Professor Walter Willett of Harvard believes this is a public health problem that will only be solved through adequate food fortification. Also, prenatal vitamin makers could easily increase the vitamin D in their products up to 4,000 IU/day and stay within the safety guidelines of the Food and Nutrition Board. Many more foods need to be fortified, and these foods need to be foods that all subgroups of people eat in similar amounts, such as cheese and cereals. These foods need to have 400 IU per serving, not 100 IU per serving. I wish I could tell you that I think I will live to see it.
Dr John Cannell
Tags: osteopenia in infants, vitamin D
FDA notified healthcare professionals and the public that on October 25, 2011, Eli Lilly and Company announced a worldwide voluntary market withdrawal of Xigris [drotrecogin alfa (activated)]. In a recently completed clinical trial (PROWESS-SHOCK trial), Xigris failed to show a survival benefit. Xigris failed to show a survival benefit for patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.
BACKGROUND: Xigris is indicated for the reduction of mortality in adult patients with severe sepsis who have a high risk of death.
RECOMMENDATION: Xigris treatment should not be started in new patients. Xigris treatment should be stopped in patients being treated with Xigris. All remaining Xigris product should be returned to the supplier from whom it was purchased.
Read the MedWatch safety alert, including a link to the FDA Drug Safety Communication, at:
Tags: MedWatch, Xigris flops
The Vitamin D Council is finally kicking its vitamin D clinic for children with autism into full swing this week. If you know of a child with autism, and the parents are willing to give adequate doses of vitamin D, the Vitamin D Council will help the parents with our new free vitamin D clinic for children with autism.
Studies show that many children with autism have low vitamin D levels and some parents have reported that some children appeared to show a treatment effect when vitamin D blood levels achieve high normal ranges. However, we do not promise any such treatment effect, only that an adequate dose of vitamin D will treat vitamin D deficiency. The entire goal of the clinic is to bring vitamin D levels up to the high normal range.
The clinic consists of free autism rating scales for parents and teachers, free vitamin D blood tests (up to $65.00 per test), free visits or phone calls with Dr. John Cannell, and, if needed, free vitamin D supplements. For more information, email our Development Director Brant Cebulla at bcebulla@vitamindcouncil.org
Before emailing, please read the following five articles:
- Glazer, G What If Vitamin D Deficiency Is a Cause of Autism? Scientific American, April 24, 2009
- Deans E. Autism and Vitamin D. Psychology Today April 25, 2011
- Goepp J. The Link Between Autism and Low Levels of Vitamin D. Life Extension Magazine, April 2009
- Autism, Patient Friendly Summary, Vitamin D Council 2011
- Cannell JJ On the Aetiology of Autism Acta Paediatrica May 10, 2010
The Vitamin D Council is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit that depends on donations to carry out our programs. To make a tax-deductible donation, send a check to Vitamin D Council, 1241 Johnson Ave., # 134, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401.