NORFOLK -- A new study links low vitamin D to aggressive breast cancer in women.

While “link” does not mean one thing causes the other, the Canadian study has American women taking notice. The study finds that three-quarters of women in the study who had breast cancer also had a vitamin D deficiency.

Researchers found that women who were vitamin D deficient at diagnosis were 94% more likely to have their cancer spread, and 73% more likely to die from their cancer compared with women who were not vitamin D deficient.

Video: Study: Vitamin D, breast cancer linked

Larger screen

Old Dominion University student Claire Frazier thinks that says something about the power of vitamins.

“I think it’s harder for the generations that have come before us,” she said. “They don’t value vitamins as much as they should.”

The study’s author says the cancer research does not give enough evidence that taking vitamin D supplements would prevent cancer-free women from getting the disease.

Many experts recommend extra vitamin D, and ABC News Medical Editor Dr. Tim Johnson agrees.

“We think it’s a good idea to take vitamin D, extra amounts of vitamin D, anyway, and it may have this added benefit of preventing breast cancer or preventing it from being more aggressive,” he said.

Still, some experts refrain from recommending their patients begin vitamin D supplementation because past studies have not nailed down whether it is beneficial.

Sitting in the sun, eating salmon, and taking multi-vitamins are all ways to take in vitamin D.