Vitamin D3 and CLL

I’ve been reading about vitamin D3. It looks like it may help with the fight against Leuk.

Researchers are taking a look at vitamin D3 to see if it has a positive effect on CLL. Our bodies produce the vitamin with moderate exposure to the sun. But since most of us are indoors all winter, nearly everyone in the U.S. is vitamin D3 deficient.

Here is an excerpt from what appears to be a reputable study titled “Vitamin D insufficiency and prognosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.” It’s a bit verbose and technical, but the bottom line is D3 looks promising but further study is needed.

In conclusion, our data provide the first direct evidence that 25(OH)D levels may be an important host factor influencing prognosis in CLL patients and, to our knowledge, it is the first study evaluating the effects of 25(OH)D insufficiency on cancer outcome to include a validation cohort confirming the results in an independent patient sample. The effect of 25(OH)D insufficiency on cancer outcome may be particularly relevant in CLL because it is a disease with a long natural history and patients are often observed for years prior to the initiation of therapy. Future studies dissecting the mechanism(s) through which the vitamin D pathway influences leukemogenesis, host immunity, and leukemia cell biology are needed and may provide insight into the mechanisms of disease progression that identify potential therapeutic strategies. Future trials evaluating the impact of vitamin D repletion in CLL patients with documented 25(OH)D insufficiency are needed to determine whether this strategy improves outcome in patients with CLL.

As for me, I am taking 10,000 units of D3 just to see what happens. Remember my Disclaimer though before you jump onboard with this. Your doctor should have the last word on how much, if any, you take.