Vitamin D & Omega 3 in CRC

SandiaBuddy
SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
edited May 2023 in Colorectal Cancer #1

Here is a very small study that found Vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acid (such as found in fish) supplementation can be helpful for those with colorectal cancer (abstract only):

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31106659

[P]atients who received combined vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids supplements compared with omega-3, vitamin D3, and placebo groups had significantly decreased CRP and TNF-α. In addition, serum level of IL-6 was decreased significantly in omega-3, vitamin D3, and cosupplementation groups compared with baseline. Regarding nutritional status, weight, BMI, and FFM% were increased significantly in vitamin D3, omega-3, and cosupplementation groups at the end of the intervention. Vitamin D3 plus omega-3 fatty acids cosupplementation in colorectal cancer patients has beneficial impacts on inflammation and nutritional status.

Comments

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member
    Thanks for the info!

    Have been taking both of these--appreciate the post!

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    50,000 IU of vitamin D weekly

    50,000 IU of vitamin D weekly! I need to step up my dose! Thanks for sharing this. Sometimes I wonder about supplements and for the most part I haven't seen anything that makes me want to try it. But there are a couple of things I do like taking vitamin D and while my cancer will likely never be gone, the fact is that at this point it's slow growing and not aggressive. They've extended my life expectancy because of how slow growing it is. Maybe something that I'm doing right is having an effect. Maybe some things do work and are able to help. I feel like if a supplement doesn't get rid of my cancer then it doesn't work but maybe this is enough.

    Jan

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    JanJan63 said:

    50,000 IU of vitamin D weekly

    50,000 IU of vitamin D weekly! I need to step up my dose! Thanks for sharing this. Sometimes I wonder about supplements and for the most part I haven't seen anything that makes me want to try it. But there are a couple of things I do like taking vitamin D and while my cancer will likely never be gone, the fact is that at this point it's slow growing and not aggressive. They've extended my life expectancy because of how slow growing it is. Maybe something that I'm doing right is having an effect. Maybe some things do work and are able to help. I feel like if a supplement doesn't get rid of my cancer then it doesn't work but maybe this is enough.

    Jan

    Risk/benefit analysis

    For me, it comes down to a risk benefit analysis.  I find very little risk (as long as I monitor my D levels) in natural D (sun) and supplementation, and a possible big benefit.  

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

    Risk/benefit analysis

    For me, it comes down to a risk benefit analysis.  I find very little risk (as long as I monitor my D levels) in natural D (sun) and supplementation, and a possible big benefit.  

    I agree, vitamin D is cheap

    I agree, vitamin D is cheap and can't hurt us. Some of the other supplements they suggest are expensive and unpleasant to take. Despite the fact that I have to be really careful I eat more fruit and veggies than I did before diagnosis. That may help, too, no idea. But I've been stuck in this idea that no supplement will take the cancer away and I'm now thinking that I've been looking at it the wrong way. If it can just keep it at bay along with traditonal treatment then I'm doing okay. An epiphany!

    Jan

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    JanJan63 said:

    I agree, vitamin D is cheap

    I agree, vitamin D is cheap and can't hurt us. Some of the other supplements they suggest are expensive and unpleasant to take. Despite the fact that I have to be really careful I eat more fruit and veggies than I did before diagnosis. That may help, too, no idea. But I've been stuck in this idea that no supplement will take the cancer away and I'm now thinking that I've been looking at it the wrong way. If it can just keep it at bay along with traditonal treatment then I'm doing okay. An epiphany!

    Jan

    Perspective

    Sometimes chemo only buys people two more months.  What if you could buy the same two months via more natural methods without the side effects?  That question goes largely unanswered because there are virtually no studies where chemo is not used.  For me, I like to feel that I am doing something.  Maybe the supplements really do not help, but at least I feel like I am doing something.

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

    Perspective

    Sometimes chemo only buys people two more months.  What if you could buy the same two months via more natural methods without the side effects?  That question goes largely unanswered because there are virtually no studies where chemo is not used.  For me, I like to feel that I am doing something.  Maybe the supplements really do not help, but at least I feel like I am doing something.

    The problem is how do they

    The problem is how do they judge that? If a person lasts longer than anticipated is it because of the chemo or what caused it? It's impossible to say. I appreciate that taking soemthing makes you feel a little moe in control and like you're doing something to help. Maybe it's doing nothing or maybe it's making a huge difference, how can we tell? 

    We have friends that swear that every time someone gets a horse put under for a treatment or something it shortens it's life by, I can't remember, a month? A year? It's something that I don't see how anyone could quantify. A horse dies at a certain age and someone goes "he'd have lasted another year if he hadn't had to be sedated a few times". Or the old belief that if a person whistles while walking past a graveyard no ghosts will get them. No ghosts so it must work. The year I was doing well and thought I'd beaten it I ate a lot of Love Heart candies. Yes, my secret shame... Anyway, I used to joke that I was cured by eating Love Hearts. Or broccoli soup. I had a real Jones for that the same year. Maybe the broccoli did it.

    It came back and it was mets after that but my point is that I hear so many people tell me about someone they know who did this or that or ate this or that and they don't have cancer anymore. If they were going to get rid of it who's to say how it happened. Was it just the treatment they were on? Was it that plus something minor they ate or did? How can we know?

    Sorry, Buddy, not trying to be challenging, it just frustrates me. If there was a supplement or something that showed real promise I'd be all over it. The only one that I've heard that seems to have some postitive effect is vitamin D. Or maybe if I could afford it I'd try some of the ideas people send me. Maybe in conjunction with chemo it really would help. But with varrying responses and difference between people and the variety of cancers within the colon cancer group there's no way to know. 

    Not to mention how some things become the cure of the year and later are discarded. Coconut oil, now it's turmeric. Which many people don't realize must be taken with- is it black pepper?- to receive any benefits. When I see something on Facebook about something like dandelions and it says it cures everything from arthritis to cancer and everything in between I immediately think 'right'. I'm so sick of hearing people say that CBD will cure it. It helps with symptoms but does it cure it? No. My sister sent me something that's supposed to kill 17,000 cancer cells a day. It's supposed to grow at a rate of a million cells a day so it's way behind. I think it was frankensence.

    Like I said, I'm not trying to be combative. I just wish there was something could definitively show did something to help. I'd love to get some sort of supplement and actually feel like I'm really helping myself.

    Jan 

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    JanJan63 said:

    The problem is how do they

    The problem is how do they judge that? If a person lasts longer than anticipated is it because of the chemo or what caused it? It's impossible to say. I appreciate that taking soemthing makes you feel a little moe in control and like you're doing something to help. Maybe it's doing nothing or maybe it's making a huge difference, how can we tell? 

    We have friends that swear that every time someone gets a horse put under for a treatment or something it shortens it's life by, I can't remember, a month? A year? It's something that I don't see how anyone could quantify. A horse dies at a certain age and someone goes "he'd have lasted another year if he hadn't had to be sedated a few times". Or the old belief that if a person whistles while walking past a graveyard no ghosts will get them. No ghosts so it must work. The year I was doing well and thought I'd beaten it I ate a lot of Love Heart candies. Yes, my secret shame... Anyway, I used to joke that I was cured by eating Love Hearts. Or broccoli soup. I had a real Jones for that the same year. Maybe the broccoli did it.

    It came back and it was mets after that but my point is that I hear so many people tell me about someone they know who did this or that or ate this or that and they don't have cancer anymore. If they were going to get rid of it who's to say how it happened. Was it just the treatment they were on? Was it that plus something minor they ate or did? How can we know?

    Sorry, Buddy, not trying to be challenging, it just frustrates me. If there was a supplement or something that showed real promise I'd be all over it. The only one that I've heard that seems to have some postitive effect is vitamin D. Or maybe if I could afford it I'd try some of the ideas people send me. Maybe in conjunction with chemo it really would help. But with varrying responses and difference between people and the variety of cancers within the colon cancer group there's no way to know. 

    Not to mention how some things become the cure of the year and later are discarded. Coconut oil, now it's turmeric. Which many people don't realize must be taken with- is it black pepper?- to receive any benefits. When I see something on Facebook about something like dandelions and it says it cures everything from arthritis to cancer and everything in between I immediately think 'right'. I'm so sick of hearing people say that CBD will cure it. It helps with symptoms but does it cure it? No. My sister sent me something that's supposed to kill 17,000 cancer cells a day. It's supposed to grow at a rate of a million cells a day so it's way behind. I think it was frankensence.

    Like I said, I'm not trying to be combative. I just wish there was something could definitively show did something to help. I'd love to get some sort of supplement and actually feel like I'm really helping myself.

    Jan 

    Pete Lost-At-Sea

    He tried everything - from coffee enemas to supplements, chemo, and things and procedures I've never heard of and he still passed.  I'm not sure if supplements help either.  Everytime there is a St. Jude commercial on I'm thinking that little child never ate steak daily, breathed enough pollutants or didn't eat enough vegetables.  It just doesn't make sense.  There are people that will take any supplement because someone says it's good for them.  I'm not just going to wonder all the time.  I'll eat right and take a couple supplements but then the rest I'm just not sure about.

    Kim

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    Moved

    I moved this thread to go under Jan's & Kim's replies, as it fits better there. 

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    JanJan63 said:

    The problem is how do they

    The problem is how do they judge that? If a person lasts longer than anticipated is it because of the chemo or what caused it? It's impossible to say. I appreciate that taking soemthing makes you feel a little moe in control and like you're doing something to help. Maybe it's doing nothing or maybe it's making a huge difference, how can we tell? 

    We have friends that swear that every time someone gets a horse put under for a treatment or something it shortens it's life by, I can't remember, a month? A year? It's something that I don't see how anyone could quantify. A horse dies at a certain age and someone goes "he'd have lasted another year if he hadn't had to be sedated a few times". Or the old belief that if a person whistles while walking past a graveyard no ghosts will get them. No ghosts so it must work. The year I was doing well and thought I'd beaten it I ate a lot of Love Heart candies. Yes, my secret shame... Anyway, I used to joke that I was cured by eating Love Hearts. Or broccoli soup. I had a real Jones for that the same year. Maybe the broccoli did it.

    It came back and it was mets after that but my point is that I hear so many people tell me about someone they know who did this or that or ate this or that and they don't have cancer anymore. If they were going to get rid of it who's to say how it happened. Was it just the treatment they were on? Was it that plus something minor they ate or did? How can we know?

    Sorry, Buddy, not trying to be challenging, it just frustrates me. If there was a supplement or something that showed real promise I'd be all over it. The only one that I've heard that seems to have some postitive effect is vitamin D. Or maybe if I could afford it I'd try some of the ideas people send me. Maybe in conjunction with chemo it really would help. But with varrying responses and difference between people and the variety of cancers within the colon cancer group there's no way to know. 

    Not to mention how some things become the cure of the year and later are discarded. Coconut oil, now it's turmeric. Which many people don't realize must be taken with- is it black pepper?- to receive any benefits. When I see something on Facebook about something like dandelions and it says it cures everything from arthritis to cancer and everything in between I immediately think 'right'. I'm so sick of hearing people say that CBD will cure it. It helps with symptoms but does it cure it? No. My sister sent me something that's supposed to kill 17,000 cancer cells a day. It's supposed to grow at a rate of a million cells a day so it's way behind. I think it was frankensence.

    Like I said, I'm not trying to be combative. I just wish there was something could definitively show did something to help. I'd love to get some sort of supplement and actually feel like I'm really helping myself.

    Jan 

    Supplements

    I actually work part time in a supplement shop.  I don't take supplements, so I think its rather ironic. 

    So many people ask me 'How come you're surviving Cancer? What are you taking?'  Well, I'm not taking anything and I eat what I want, when I want. 

    I have really good skin. I have had many comments on how good my skin is. 'What do you use on your skin?' Well, I use nothing. I don't wear make up and I drink allot of water. People don't want to hear that. They want to hear that I take so and so supplements, or use buckets of expenisve creams. 

    For me personally, I prefer to get what I can directly from nature.  But thats just me, it doesn't make it right for everyone. 

    As for vitamin D, I'm outside so much, I figure I must be getting enough. I won't bother getting it checked, because chances are I wouldn't take a supplement if I knew I was deficient.

    Saying all of that, I did meet a patient once, who takes 80 supplements a day. EIGHTY! He was in his 80's and looked like he was in his 60's, so something is working for him.

    It is a personal choice.

    I also appreciate your threads and links, Sandia. Knowledge is knowledge, regardless of wether you implement it in your life or not.  

    I also love how you don't get upset when people disagree. My oh my, how we used to see the forum flare up, when I first arrived here. So many strong minded folks, all passed on now.

    Tru 

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    Trubrit said:

    Supplements

    I actually work part time in a supplement shop.  I don't take supplements, so I think its rather ironic. 

    So many people ask me 'How come you're surviving Cancer? What are you taking?'  Well, I'm not taking anything and I eat what I want, when I want. 

    I have really good skin. I have had many comments on how good my skin is. 'What do you use on your skin?' Well, I use nothing. I don't wear make up and I drink allot of water. People don't want to hear that. They want to hear that I take so and so supplements, or use buckets of expenisve creams. 

    For me personally, I prefer to get what I can directly from nature.  But thats just me, it doesn't make it right for everyone. 

    As for vitamin D, I'm outside so much, I figure I must be getting enough. I won't bother getting it checked, because chances are I wouldn't take a supplement if I knew I was deficient.

    Saying all of that, I did meet a patient once, who takes 80 supplements a day. EIGHTY! He was in his 80's and looked like he was in his 60's, so something is working for him.

    It is a personal choice.

    I also appreciate your threads and links, Sandia. Knowledge is knowledge, regardless of wether you implement it in your life or not.  

    I also love how you don't get upset when people disagree. My oh my, how we used to see the forum flare up, when I first arrived here. So many strong minded folks, all passed on now.

    Tru 

    Ambiguity

    I love to find unambiguous answers, but it seems in the field of colon cancer, there are none.  I have learned to never suggest that anyone else follow any specific course, all I can talk about is what I do and what choices I have made.  Some people are interested in supplements and natural methods, some are not.  That is fine by me.  If I have learned one thing from this disease it is to focus on myself and be non-judgmental.  I will continue to post things that I come accross that I find interesting.  Most of the more acrane avenues I do not post--things like Fisetin and Luteolin, however, if I ever find a lot of extra time, I might.  Anyway, let's all live and let live.  If you do not like the information I post, just skip reading the post.Wink

  • jeffkatz
    jeffkatz Member Posts: 5
    Vitamin D

    Thank you for infos!

  • dnelson964
    dnelson964 Member Posts: 21 Member

    I will explain the need for High Vitamin D3 blood levels in everyone's fight against cancer.

    We all basically stay well and cancer free by having a robust immune system function. The immune system needs a solid and fast-reacting setup for all disease elimination. The immune transport system thru your entire body is 100% based on the Vitamin D3 in your body. The higher the level, the more robust function. The national population's blood level sits at approximately 30 or less on blood tests. To make your system kill harmful viruses easily we need a level of at least 60. Cancer is harder to beat and clear out so we need more of a level near 100.

    I am a rare stage IV cancer survivor that has been totally cancer free after a few months of receiving half radiation and half proton. During this period I also learned about the need for a high D3 blood level and raised mine up to 85 in a few months.

    I maintain my level now near 124 and have remained cancer free for 7 years now. I feel great and high energy again. I included sea fish, coconut, and cinnamon in my daily/weekly diet now as another big help nutrient-wise.

  • Capox Dude
    Capox Dude Member Posts: 122 Member
    edited May 2023 #14

    This is rather simplistic, but if my fantastic Onc did not think the weekly 50,000 IU vitamin D supplements she prescribed, would help she would not be doing it. Having said that, I will now add fish oil, supplements, on a daily basis. It can’t hurt me, so why not?

  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    edited May 2023 #15

    My starting point on supplementation was reading the Life Extension Foundation cancer surgery and supplementation articles, which I felt to be one of the best free internet sources, at least in 2010-2011.

    LEF recommended very high doses of fish oil but, in reality, 1-3 large caps (1360-1400 mg) of triple concentrated EPA+DHA fish oil was all we could routinely get down my wife.

    With regards to vitamin D3, we went far beyond LEF right off the bat. Despite 11,000 - 17,000 iu per day, for well over a million IU, her blood level was only 30 ng/mL. Later, she went far beyond 100-200 ng/mL. After 6-7 months we started 25,000+IU/day and toward the end of our first year, with the recommendations of a UCSF trained endocrinologist (JJ prendergast who had research and clinically used ultra high dose vitamin D3, we went higher. Prendergast cleared my mCRC wife for 50,000 iu/day or even higher), with the support of our local internal medicine doctor. She used doses running 35,000-45,000 iu/day for many years. Monster vitamin D levels require extra care while on chemo that something (organs, calcium, phosphorus levels) is not out of whack. This level of vitamin supplementation required extra monitoring, extra vitamin K2 and magnesium, along with avoidance of excess calcium.

    During the four month period following my wife's second surgery in spring 2011, with the high dose D3+K2 added to her chemo, several unbiopsied liver objects broke up, shrank 95%, and then 1-2 even dissolved later that year. Several years later, her AFP values (for liver cancer in the west, China guidelines watch AFP in CRC patients in asia) did a slow 40x runup and that was beaten backdown on chemo that restored IV vitamin C to higher doses (e.g. 30 --> 60 grams) in her chemo (oral UFT-LV + celecoxib) plus high dose supplement stack. She is now 4.9 years chemo free.