Vitamin B12 injections and Prostate Cancer

[Ldb01]

Due to general tiredness during treatment, we asked our doctor if Vitamin B12 shots would work. She prescribed a fortnightly shot for a year. Now we heard from another patient on hubby’s trial, that their doctor told them vitamin B12 can cause the cancer to get worse ? I have checked on google and there seems to a mixed response in research ?

[Tall_Allen]

Did the B12 shots help with the tiredness?

[Ldb01 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Yes definitely gave him more energy and the ACT 225 trial he is on is working but what I have read is a bit of a concern now. Although bone mets have decreased his PSA rose again. That is after he started the B12.

[Tall_Allen in reply to Ldb01]

He should not be using B12 with Ac 225-PSMA. B12 is a form of chelated cobalt, and the chelate can draw the Ac-225 away from the PSMA ligand, rendering it ineffective.

[Ldb01 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Wow ok thank you Tall Allen will stop B12 immediately. Doing another scan 2 July to see response after last injection of ACT. Will advise on this group.

[Tall_Allen in reply to Ldb01]

Question- didn't they give you instructions to avoid all supplements?

[cesanon in reply to Tall_Allen]

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[Ldb01 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Not on the PSMA trial no but we will be discussing with Professor next week.

[Tall_Allen in reply to Ldb01]

I don't understand. You wrote: "the ACT 225 trial he is on is working"

[Ldb01 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Yes he has significantly reduced bone mets. PSA dropped from 48 in December to 2.9 in March after two ACT 225 injections. Had third injection in May. We started vit B12 shots end May as well. Now the last PSA went up to 7.9. He has another bone scan on 2 July to see if any more decrease in mets. All other blood results are fine.

[Ldb01 in reply to Ldb01]

When the Oncologist saw the rise in PSA she said just to keep an eye and not stop any meds. The oncologists here are not all in favour of the clinical trial being run by the University because it may take away chemo business from them. 😼

[Tall_Allen in reply to Ldb01]

I don't understand your comments. You made two statements that seem to conflict:

(1) "Not on the PSMA trial no but we will be discussing with Professor next week"

(2) ""the ACT 225 trial he is on is working""

[Ldb01 in reply to Tall_Allen]

When hubby signed up for the PSMA trial, the university conducting the trial did not give any instructions as to whether one should or should not take any supplements or what diet to stick to during their treatment. That’s what I meant by “no not on the PSMA trial”. Sorry South African english is a bit different 😀. Our group of other patients on the trial are discussing supplements and diets etc. Thats why I put the question to this forum regarding the Vit B 12.

[pilot52 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Question...what is your thoughts on keeping the body in ketosis? Blue Skies Grounded Sky King

[Tall_Allen in reply to pilot52]

I think it helps you lose weight, at least temporarily.

[jdm3 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Do you have an opinion on B12 and PCa in general?

Thanks.

[Tall_Allen in reply to jdm3]

No opinion

[6357axbz]

“A fortnightly shot”, totally unrelated with PCa, I have pernicious anemia and require extra B12. My PCP gave me the choice of injections or simply taking sublingual 1000 mg tablets daily. He said it was nearly as effective as the injections. The tablets work just fine. I’ve been taking them for a couple of years now,

[pilot52 in reply to 6357axbz]

Duke University knows about sub lingual b 12 I am on...however my meds are Xtandi and Lupron for now...

[pjoshea13]

My PSA had been stable for 6 months, but rose when I started injecting B12. It took a while before I suspected B12. & then I found a bunch of studies that implicated methylation. B12 is a cofactor in the recycling of homocysteine to methionine.

It isn't that so much that "vitamin B12 can cause the cancer to get worse", but that a vitamin B12 insufficiency can be protective.

See:

healthunlocked.com/advanced....

-Patrick

[EdBar]

During one of my visits with Dr. Sartor a few months back he told me to avoid B12 “it feeds prostate cancer”. The guy knows his stuff, I’ll stick with his advice.

Ed

[CalBear74]

As a vegan, I am concerned about my B12 level, but I have also learned that excessive B12 can worsen cancer. I take Life Extension's 2-Per Day multivitamin that offers a modest dose of B12. My source of information is Keith Block, MD, medical director of the Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment. BTW, of course complete avoidance of B12 is a great way to end up in the hospital.

amazon.com/Life-Over-Cancer...

[jdm3 in reply to CalBear74]

It is all a balancing act, eh? Everything in moderation or at least to the point where we need it to be "healthy", but don't want to do harm.

My recent labs indicate I am slightly deficient in B12 and also slightly anemic even though I went on ADT vacation three months ago. The doc said the the anemia could be related to B12 deficiency (he also looked at mean corpuscular volume, etc..) and said I need to supplement with B12.

My first reaction was "whoa!" I had always heard B12 "feeds cancer" as stated above and avoided it. Perhaps it does not feed cancer after all, but as stated above the deficiency is somewhat protective.... I don't know.... but the other risks of B12 deficiency also need to be considered so I am working B12 back into the plan... for now.

Another one of those questions with a very murky answer. Take what we know helps. Avoid what we know will not help and/or harm.... but a lot of stuff falls somewhere in between and we don't know what we don't know.

Stay well,

Josh

[Lyubov in reply to jdm3]

I am befuddled. Hubby with PCa in remission - but due to continued fatigue from ADT (given 3 years ago!) I give him B-12 with Methyl-something supplement, high dose (forget exact number). Should he not take?

For myself, diagnosed with Stage I lung cancer; mid-lobe (right) removed for adenocarcinoma. Debate about sugar fueling LCa -- I eat lots of fruit & yogurt with cereal for breakfast. Don't know what's left to eat/do/avoid. Trying to get back to exercise but my incisions/ribs still sore/healing. . .

[cashlessclay in reply to jdm3]

Josh, I had the same concern with B12, when I lightly supplemented, raising levels

from under 200 to the 500-600 range. I have been at the higher levels for about

9 months now. I do not see a difference in my PSAs, that is, my diet has kept PSA steady with or without the B12 supplementation.

However, this does not address possible long term effects, nor that of supplementing to much higher levels of B12.

[jdm3 in reply to cashlessclay]

Good to know. Thanks. I will add B12 for a while and re-check the levels. Hopefully it will help with the anemia.

[pjoshea13 in reply to jdm3]

Josh,

You "went on ADT vacation three months ago", but testosterone [T] recovers very slowly. Your T before ADT is important in this regard.

It could be that your T is <350 ng/dL & your red blood cell count is low (because of that.)

Of course, B12 might be the issue, but the anemia will persist is T lingers in the hypogonadal range.

-Patrick

[jdm3 in reply to pjoshea13]

Thanks Patrick.

My T actually recovered surprisingly quickly. Now over 600. My MO said "Wow, balls of steel". But, to your point, my Free T continues to be low and SHBG is slightly high so the anemia may well be a lingering effect from the ADT. I was quite anemic and quickly out of breath with the ADT.

I am on vacation in Acadia National Park and went on big hike with my daughter and her boyfriend yesterday. They commented that I was much "better" than a hike in February when I struggled in the White Mountains. So, I suppose it's all relative. Even though I still feel diminished by the ADT, I am improving slowly.

Josh

[pjoshea13 in reply to jdm3]

Josh,

Congratulations on your T recovery!

SHBG preferentially binds to T. Oddly, SHBG usually falls as T increases. Maybe you will get to that point.

The bodybuilding sites are concerned with SHBG. An old remedy is stinging nettle root. The lignans bind to SHBG & thereby increase free T. [1]

In the mountains of NC, it's difficult to get really fresh lobster - certainly not hard-shell. I envy you being in lobster country.

-Patrick

[1] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/943...

[jdm3 in reply to pjoshea13]

Interesting. I may get some stinging nettle root and add to the myriad of other things. Perhaps my next round of labs will show some improvement and stability.

The lobster is sweet and tender this year. Something about the colder water temperatures. Lobster contains lots of essential nutrients and protein and less fat, cholesterol and calories than beef or chicken.... as long as the butter complement is minimal. We should eat more, but really only eat it when we have guests in the summer.

Thanks.

[monte1111]

I'm up on the tight rope. Blood levels going gradually down for 2 years. Doc finally adds anemia to list of ongoing concerns. Messages me to start taking B12. B12 blood test was just fine. So I just take a B complex pill once in a while. I'm becoming an amazing juggler. Take care.