A study carried out by researchers in the US has found the vitamin can reduce the incidence and growth of cancerous tumours. Vitamin D is often added to milk and is also produced naturally by skin exposed to sunlight. However, the amount needed to protect the body against cancer is too high.
Prolonged use can lead to osteoporosis or even death.
But researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore believe they may have found a way around the problem. They designed four different versions of vitamin D and tested them on two groups of mice. One group was painted with a chemical substance that causes cancerous tumours, the other was not. According to the researchers, their study demonstrates that the vitamin is a potentially effective way of preventing cancer. However, the drug is in the early stages of development and it may take 10 years before it is available for sale to the public.