A new European study shows that people who take regular doses of vitamin D may well prolong their lives.

European specialists published a new study on the benefits of vitamin D in the Sept. 10 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

“The intake of usual doses of vitamin D seems to decrease mortality from any cause of death,” said lead researcher Dr. Philippe Autier, from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, as quoted by Forbes.com.

Dr. Autier and Sara Gandini, Ph.D., European Institute of Oncology, Milano, Italy, conducted a meta-analysis of 18 previously published articles. They looked at data pertaining to almost 60,000 patients.

The authors evaluated the doses of vitamin D taken by the 57,311 participants during separate controlled vitamin D supplement trials and found that the average dose was 528 international units. Most supplements available commercially in drug stores are around 400-600 international units.

Autier and Gandini found that nearly 5,000 of the participants in the studies died over an average follow-up period of 5.7 years. Those who took vitamin D supplements had a 7 percent lower risk of death, the authors wrote, compared to participants who did not take the supplements.

While the exact reasons for the apparent effect of prolonging life vitamin D seems to have are not known, the authors suggested that the vitamin could have an effect of blocking cancer cells from developing. It could also be beneficial for the immune system, they added.

Previous studies have shown that vitamin D decreases the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Vitamin D deficiencies can affect the health of a person’s teeth and bones. The vitamin also seems to act as an important regulator of the immune system.

Few foods are naturally rich in vitamin D. Fortified products such as milk, soy milk, yogurt and cereal grains are essential in one’s diet. Other natural sources of the vitamin are eggs, fatty fish species (mackerel, salmon, catfish etc), yeast.

The human body produces vitamin D during exposure to sunlight.

“This is the first study that shows that taking one vitamin has an impact on mortality,” Autier said. “If you want to increase your vitamin D intake by taking supplements, it looks like a great idea.”