PILL POPPER
The 40p common supplement that could slash risk of killer cancer – and 4 ways to get more in your diet
Plus, how much of the supplement you need on a daily basis
A POPULAR vitamin, vital for bone health, has been shown to significantly slow one of the world's most common cancers.
Prostate cancer affects one in seven men worldwide - in the UK it's the most common cancer in men.
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Just this week, Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy revealed his prostate cancer is terminal, having been told he has just two to four years left to live.
He first announced in February he was being treated for the disease.
He told the the cancer had spread from his prostate to his bones, including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs and spine.
In most men, prostate cancer is treatable, but in some cases it resists all known therapies and and can prove deadly.
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Now, a new study has suggested menadione, also known as vitamin K3, could offer a ray of hope.
Research carried out by Professor Lloyd Trotman at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York state found the pro-oxidant vitamin, also found in leafy greens, slowed prostate cancer progression in mice.
Back in 2001, the National Cancer Institute's SELECT trial sought to determine if an antioxidant vitamin E supplement could successfully treat or prevent prostate cancer.
The trial involving 35,000 men was planned to last up to 12 years.
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But, after just three years, participants were told to stop taking their supplements.
Not only had vitamin E failed to slow or prevent prostate cancer - more men taking the supplement started to get the disease.
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Seeing these results, Prof Trotman thought if an antioxidant failed, maybe a pro-oxidant would work.
And his new findings in mice show just that.
When mice with prostate cancer were given menadione, it messed with the cancer's survival processes.
Prof Trotman's team discovered menadione kills prostate cancer cells by depleting a lipid called PI(3)P, which works like an ID tag.
Without it, cells stop recycling incoming materials and eventually explode.
Prof Trotman said: "It’s like a transport hub, like JFK. If everything that goes in is immediately de-identified, nobody knows where the airplanes should go next.
"New stuff keeps coming in, and the hub starts to swell. This ultimately leads to the cell bursting."
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This caused the cancer’s progression to slow significantly in mice.
Prof Trotman now hopes to see the experiment translated to pilot studies in human prostate cancer patients.
He said: "Our target group would be men who get biopsies and have an early form of the disease diagnosed. We wonder if they start to take the supplement, whether we would be able to slow that disease down.”
Prof Trotman’s research suggests menadione may also prove effective against myotubular myopathy, a rare condition that prevents muscle growth in infant boys.
Those diagnosed rarely live beyond early childhood.
Prof Trotman’s lab has found that depleting PI(3)P with menadione can double the lifespan of mice with this condition.
If the results hold up in humans, it would mean that men with prostate cancer can enjoy a better quality of life and more time with their families.
It could also mean more precious time for children born with an incurable disease.
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Vitamin K is found in many foods, with the main sources being:
- green leafy vegetables – such as broccoli and spinach
- vegetable oils
- cereal grains
Small amounts can also be found in meat and dairy foods.
Vitamin K is also available in supplement form - as a standalone supplement or found in many multivitamins.
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Supplements such as (£11.81 for 30 capsules) can be purchased online.
How much vitamin K do you need?
Adults need approximately 1 microgram a day of vitamin K for each kilogram of their body weight to ensure healthy blood clotting and healthy bones.
For example, someone who weighs 65kg would need 65 micrograms a day of vitamin K.
You should be able to get all the vitamin K you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
Any vitamin K your body does not need immediately is stored in the liver for future use, so you don't need it in your diet every day.
If you take vitamin K supplements, don't take too much as this might be harmful.
Taking 1mg or less of vitamin K supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
Source: NHS
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