Vitamin D Supplementation in PCa: A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials.

[pjoshea13]

New meta-analyis below [1].

"Current evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation in conjunction with standard of care (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation therapy) may confer clinical benefits such as a decrease in serum PSA levels and VDR expression but further research is required to ascertain these results. Calcitriol supplementation in doses ranging from 250-1000 mg for 3-8 weeks or a lower dose of 45 mg for 18.3 months, appear most beneficial regarding outcomes of PC progression and survival."

Note. Calcitriol is the active hormonal form of vitamin D [1,25-D]. The inactive circulating reservoir is calcidiol [25-D]. I believe that many men maintain good 25-D levels while unknowingly inhibiting conversion to 1,25-D.

-Patrick

[1] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/310...

Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2019 Apr 30:1-13. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000494. [Epub ahead of print]

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation in Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials.

Petrou S1, Mamais I2, Lavranos G3, Tzanetakou IP1, Chrysostomou S1.

Author information

1

1 Department of Life Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia-Cyprus.

2

2 Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

3

3 Department of Health Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia-Cyprus.

Abstract

Vitamin D is important in many cellular functions including cell cycling and proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Via the induction of cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis, vitamin D inhibits normal prostatic epithelial cells growth. Review the evidence of the effect of vitamin D supplementation on prostate cancer (PC) biomarkers and patient survival and assess optimal dosage, formulation and duration. Pubmed, Medline and Ebsco Host databases were systematically searched for relevant literature. 8 Randomized Controlled Trials were included in this review. All studies, besides one, were of high methodological quality. 4 studies used calcitriol (0,5-45 pg/weekly), 2 studies have used vitamin D3 (150-1000 μg/daily) and 2 other studies have used 1α-hydroxy Vitamin D2 (10 μg/daily or weekly). Duration of supplementation varied between 28 days up to 18.3 months. Two studies had positive effects on prostate specific antigen (PSA) (p < .05), 1 study had a significant positive effect on median survival (p < .05) and 1 study showed a significant reduction of vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression (p < .05). The remaining studies showed negative or no effect on PC characteristics, clinical outcomes and/or survival. Current evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation in conjunction with standard of care (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation therapy) may confer clinical benefits such as a decrease in serum PSA levels and VDR expression but further research is required to ascertain these results. Calcitriol supplementation in doses ranging from 250-1000 mg for 3-8 weeks or a lower dose of 45 mg for 18.3 months, appear most beneficial regarding outcomes of PC progression and survival.

KEYWORDS:

Calcitriol; PC; PSA; VDR; Vitamin D; randomized controlled trial

PMID: 31038028 DOI: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000494

[cesanon]

"Current evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation in conjunction with standard of care (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation therapy) may confer clinical benefits such as a decrease in serum PSA levels and VDR expression but further research is required to ascertain these results. Calcitriol supplementation in doses ranging from 250-1000 mg for 3-8 weeks or a lower dose of 45 mg for 18.3 months, appear most beneficial regarding outcomes of PC progression and survival."

Hmmm I take 50 mcg 3x a week.

45 to 1000 mg seems like a lot. I must be missing something?

[HOPEFULSPOUSE in reply to cesanon]

My husband's MO aims to have his D3 levels between 80-100.

[cesanon in reply to HOPEFULSPOUSE]

Yes. I think 50 to 100 is considered acceptable. Over 100 is not good.

[HOPEFULSPOUSE in reply to cesanon]

yes - the MO says that he prefers his cancer patients to be in the 80-100 range.

[Ralph1966 in reply to HOPEFULSPOUSE]

How to reach that high level? 80 ng/mL ?

I have my D3 blood level of 57 ng/mL after one year of taking 5000 IU of vitamin D.

Any one here was able to reach to 80 ng/mL.

Should I take 10000 IU of vitamin D3 daily?

[pjoshea13 in reply to Ralph1966]

Ralph,

LEF did a study where they matched Vitamin D sales to LabCorp tests purchased from LEF. Many who bought 5,000 IU hovered at 30 ng/mL.

They changed the powder capsule to an oil softgel & advised purchasers to take with the meal of the day that has the most fat.

What kind do you use & when do you take it?

Dr Myers once advised aiming for levels up to 100 ng/mL, but changed that to ~70, as I recall. Some say that levels should be higher for cancer, but that doesn't seem logical to me. 25-D is a reservoir. One might need greater intake to keep the level high, but what would be the advantage to having an even higher reservoir?

-Patrick

[Ralph1966 in reply to pjoshea13]

Patrick, I was taking gel form "Naturewise" 5000 IU contains also extra-virgin olive oil. This was for the last 6-8 months.

At the time of my PCa diagnosis D level in my blood was 29 ng/mL,

I have also Puritan pride 2000 IU that I am adding to get total 7,000 IU daily,

[pjoshea13 in reply to Ralph1966]

Ralph,

I have to take 7,000 IU daily to maintain 25-D above 60 ng/mL.

-Patrick

[Ralph1966 in reply to pjoshea13]

I found some prescribed vitamin D2 50,000 IU soft gel (brown color) once weekly that I will try every 2 weeks in addition to the daily 7,000 IU D3 intake.

Is D2 (stronger) than D3?

[pjoshea13 in reply to Ralph1966]

Ralph,

Throw them out. The classic medical approach is to prescribe massive doses of fungal D2. D2 is foreign to the body, but some does convert to D3. Some converts to alien metabolites.

I had a neighbor diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer. I told her that a curious fact was that most patients have extremely low 25-D at diagnosis. She asked for the test. Doctor called in a panic - "You have almost no vitamin D!" Gave her a shot of 35,000 IU D2. Crazy, when otc cholecalciferol is bioidentical & cheaper.

-Patrick

[Ralph1966 in reply to pjoshea13]

Thanks Patrick, I will...

[chipler in reply to Ralph1966]

I take 10,000 units.

Vitamin D level is 82

[cesanon]

Yes. But what?

[cesanon]

"Read Friedman's book" I am a child of the internet. I have lost the attention span necessary to read books. LOL

[Break60 in reply to cesanon]

I read the Eversion.

[Ralph1966]

Calcitriol is a prescription form of vitamin D3 that's sold under the brand name Rocaltrol?

[pjoshea13 in reply to Ralph1966]

Ralph,

The case for calcitriol is that cholecalciferol supplements, while maintaining good calcidiol levels, do not guarantee adequate calcitriol levels.

Supplemental calcitriol interferes with blood calcium levels. The kidneys are responsible for maintaining calcium homeostasis, & they do this via calcitriol production. It's too dangerous for a patient to self-administer calcitriol. Nevertheless, calcitriol can be used therapeutically without creating excessive levels of blood calcium.

I try to increase calcitriol safely by:

- using fructose in my coffee

- avoiding calcium supplements & dairy sources

- avoiding phosphates, as in soft drinks & deli meats. & phosphorus, as in large portions of meat.

-Patrick

[Ralph1966 in reply to pjoshea13]

Thanks Patrick, that was so informative!

[Break60]

So if you get a lot of sun it doesn’t do the same job?

[FCoffey]

Those are tiny doses of Vitamin D. It's a wonder that they see any change at all.

An hour or less in full sun in your bathing suit can produce 20,000 units of Vitamin D. Roughly 90% of Americans have sub-optimal D levels ( different than the minimum level required to prevent rickets) and would need to take 5,000 IU a day or more to get to healthy levels.

[j-o-h-n]

My ex-wife asked me where she can get more Vitamin D.

"BJ's."

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 05/02/2019 7:13 PM DST