Vitamin D might extend the life of people suffering from cancer, suggested a recent analysis of clinical trials.

The analysis, conducted by researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, examined data collected from 10 clinical trials and included 79,055 participants.

The analysis showed that people who consume vitamin D supplements had a 13% lower risk of dying from cancer than those who took a placebo.

"The difference in the mortality rate between the vitamin D and placebo groups was statistically significant enough that it showed just how important it might be among the cancer population," says Tarek Haykal, a resident doctor in internal medicine at MSU and one of the study's lead authors.

"There are still many questions, and more research is needed," Haykal pointed out, saying that the latest results are suitably strong to make him wish that more doctors would prescribe vitamin D.

"We know it carries benefits with minimal side effects," he stressed, adding that "there's plenty of potential here."

"Vitamin D had a significant effect on lowering the risk of death among those with cancer, but unfortunately, it didn't show any proof that it could protect against getting cancer,” he noted.