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Yesterday, I wrote about how the simple act of opening up the blinds in a hospital room, and letting the sunshine in, can lessen a patient's need for painkillers. Catching a few rays can also help men lower their risk of prostate cancer significantly, according to a new study. Men with lower levels of vitamin D in their blood were twice as prone to develop an aggressive form of prostate cancer than those with higher amounts.
Researchers also confirmed a stronger link between the presence of vitamin D and the amount of calcium a man consumes. Previous research based on this study of 15,000 men found those who consumed too much calcium had a slightly higher rate of prostate cancer. However, scientists were skeptical about the link until they compared blood samples rather than relying on what men told them they ate (a problem with previous studies that have attempted to explain certain cancer risks).
After comparing some 1,100 men who developed prostate cancer over the course of the 18-year study with 1,700 who didn't, men with higher levels of vitamin D had roughly half the risk of developing aggressive tumors -- the kind most likely to kill.
Interestingly enough, experts recommended getting some sun to spur vitamin D production than drinking milk or taking a supplement. However, sunshine is only one of a handful of safe and healthy tools a man can use to prevent prostate cancer:
Yahoo News February 18, 2005