The super trio that helps fight cancer when you’re over 70

Marvel Comics loves a trio of superheroes: There is Captain America, Thor and Iron Man as the Avengers Prime and the original Defenders — Namor, Hulk and Doctor Strange.

Your health loves a trio of superheroes, too. The combination of vitamin D3, omega-3s and strength-building exercise is powerful enough to slash your risk of developing invasive cancer over age 70 by 60%.

A new multi-national, randomized, controlled trial published in Frontiers of Aging looked at the impact of taking 2,000 IU a day of vitamin D3, taking 1 gram of omega-3s and doing a simple at-home strength-building exercise routine at least three times weekly.

Among the more than 2,000 participants who were tracked from 2012 to 2017, only four people who followed all three of the recommended interventions developed cancer, while 12 who followed none of them were diagnosed with cancer. The benefits of doing any one of the treatments or combining two of them were measurable, but not nearly as powerful as the trio together. Your trio:

1. The study used stand-to-sit exercises, one-leg balance exercises, elastic resistance bands and going up steps. Exercise helps fight cancer by improving immune strength.

2. Ask your doc for a blood test to check your vitamin D levels. Then take the prescribed amount of D3 to build your immune and bone strength (2,000 IU in the study).

3. You can get omega-3 fatty acids from salmon, anchovies, herring and sea trout, and supplements made from algae or fish oil (1,000 milligrams in the study). These heart-loving fats may actually promote cancer cell death.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@ GreatAgeReboot.com.