Cancer Risk

Combined Vitamin D, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and a Simple Home Exercise Program May Reduce Cancer Risk Among Active Adults Aged 70 and Older: A Randomised Clinical Trial - PDF Version

Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, Walter C. Willett, Bess Dawson-HughesMarkus G. Manz, Robert Theiler,   Kilian Braendle,   Bruno Vellas René Rizzoli Reto W. Kressig,  Hannes B. Staehelin,  José A. P. Da SilvaGabriele Armbrecht, Andreas Egli,  John A. Kanis,  Endel J. Orav and Stephanie Gaengler, DO-HEALTH Research Group

Front. Aging, 25 April 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2022.852643

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to test the individual and combined benefit of vitamin D, omega-3, and a simple home strength exercise program on the risk of any invasive cancer.

DESIGN

The DO-HEALTH trial is a three-year, multicenter, 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design double-blind, randomised-controlled trial to test the individual and combined benefit of three public health interventions.

SETTING

The trial was conducted between December 2012 and December 2017 in five European countries.

PARTICIPANTS

Generally healthy community-dwelling adults ≥70 years were recruited.

INTERVENTIONS

Supplemental 2000 IU/day of vitamin D3, and/or 1 g/day of marine omega-3s, and/or a simple home strength exercise (SHEP) programme compared to placebo and control exercise.

MAIN OUTCOME

In this pre-defined exploratory analysis, time-to-development of any verified invasive cancer was the primary outcome in an adjusted, intent-to-treat analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 2,157 participants (mean age 74.9 years; 61.7% women; 40.7% with 25-OH vitamin D below 20 /ml, 83% at least moderately physically active) were randomised. Over a median follow-up of 2.99 years, 81 invasive cancer cases were diagnosed and verified. For the three individual treatments, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs, 95% CI, cases intervention versus control) were 0.76 (0.49–1.18; 36 vs. 45) for vitamin D3, 0.70 (0.44–1.09, 32 vs. 49) for omega-3s, and 0.74 (0.48–1.15, 35 vs. 46) for SHEP. For combinations of two treatments, adjusted HRs were 0.53 (0.28–1.00; 15 vs. 28 cases) for omega-3s plus vitamin D3; 0.56 (0.30–1.04; 11 vs. 21) for vitamin D3 plus SHEP; and 0.52 (0.28–0.97; 12 vs. 26 cases) for omega-3s plus SHEP. For all three treatments combined, the adjusted HR was 0.39 (0.18–0.85; 4 vs. 12 cases).

CONCLUSION

Supplementation with daily high-dose vitamin D3 plus omega-3s, combined with SHEP, showed cumulative reduction in the cancer risk in generally healthy and active and largely vitamin D–replete adults ≥70 years.