Vitamin A May Reduce Skin Cancer Risk

Previous laboratory studies suggest that increased consumption of vitamin A and carotenoids exerts protective effects against melanoma.  Maryam Asgari, from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (California, USA), and colleagues collected data from 69,635 men and women who enrolled in the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) Study.  After an average of 5.84 years of follow-up, 566 incident melanomas were identified. Whereas the researchers did not find a relationship between melanoma risk and dietary vitamin A, they did observe a 40% risk reduction among those subjects who took dietary supplements of retinol.   The study authors conclude that: “Retinol supplementation may have a preventative role in melanoma among women.”