Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation for CLL Patients in Watch and Wait

Having low levels of vitamin D is linked to needing to start treatment sooner and have a shorter lifespan for people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). 

Researchers evaluated if taking vitamin D supplements affects the amount of time people with CLL remain alive in watch and wait without needing to start treatment. 

What is Vitamin D? 

Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs to support healthy bones, reduce inflammation, support cell processes, and help your body fight infections by regulating immune system cells. 

Your skin helps convert sunlight exposure into vitamin D. Small amounts of vitamin D can be obtained from foods like fatty fish, eggs, orange juice, and milk, but it is also available by taking a supplement. 

The daily recommended dose of vitamin D is 15 mcg (600 IU) for adults aged 19 to 70 and 20 mcg (800 IU) for adults aged 71 and older. 

As people age, their skin often decreases its ability to convert sunlight into vitamin D, increasing the need to obtain the vitamin through nutrition or supplements. 

How Does Vitamin D Supplementation Affect CLL Patients in Watch and Wait?  

Researchers evaluated the impact taking a vitamin D supplement had on over 900 CLL patients in watch and wait. The most common form of vitamin D taken was D3 plus calcium as a multivitamin at 400 IU for a minimum of 6 months. 

• Younger patients under the age of 65 who took a a vitamin D supplement saw a statistically significant longer time to needing their first CLL treatment and were alive for longer without needing treatment.
• Patients who did not take a vitamin D supplement lived without treatment for an average of 7 years.
• Patients who took a vitamin D supplement lived without treatment for an average of 14 years. 

Conclusion 

Vitamin D is an important nutrient that supports many of your body’s functions, including the immune system. Although researchers would like to confirm these results in a larger study, they found that people with CLL who took vitamin D supplements lived an average of 14 years without requiring treatment, compared to 7 years for those who did not supplement. Additionally, the study highlighted that young patients under 65 years old benefited even more from vitamin D supplementation, experiencing a longer delay before needing their CLL therapy. 

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Sources: 

• Vitamin D Supplement for Patients with Early-Stage Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is Associated with a Longer Time to First Treatment
• Vitamin D May Prolong Survival Prior to First CLL Treatment
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin D and the Immune System
• Vitamin D and Aging