vitamins and lymphoma

ShadyGuy
ShadyGuy Member Posts: 896 Member

There have been studies performed, including one at Sloan Kettering, which show a possible connection between supplements for Vitamins B6, B12, and D with increased risk for lymphoma and especially leukemia. Has anyone's oncologist ever mentioned this? I take D on my GP recommendation and B12 for anemia. The B12 seems to really help the anemia. Vitamin B6 is not one I take and no multivitamins. I try to take only minimal multiples of MDR and not megadoses, though megadoses of B12, which is water soluble, are reportedly safe since any extra passes out through the urine. This could be a real game changer if accurate. During the decade before diagnosis I was a real health nut and very careful what I ate, was at my ideal weight, got lots of exercise, and took supplements every day. Could that have been my downfall? My job required constant worldwide travel and long hours so I thought I was protecting my health but may have been doing just the opposite. Has anyone looked into the negative effects of supplements? I suppose another culprit could have been radiation in airplanes. I am a million miler several times over. I am concerned about this because I want my son to avoid any such mistakes. Like his Dad he is a road warrior. It's an unhealthy lifestyle.

Comments

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    edited April 2020 #2
    Supplements

    I take a "Super B" pill daily:  B-12, B-6, Vit C, and some other stuff.   I don't think I could get out of bed without it.  A definite energy assist.

    I've done this for years, and have had no adverse effects.  As I've mentioned here before, B-12 is the main active element in "energy drinks."  (NOT caffine).   As regulars here know, I'm not a 'holistic' kind of guy, and regard most internet reports of magical cures or benefits to be moronic.  But this helps a lot.  I do actually think I will soon try CBD Oil for terrible arthrits pain, that I have had for decades from 18 long-bone fractures.   

    As you note, B-12 is 'water soluble,' so any excess is washed out via the kidneys.  Vitamin E, and many others, are 'fat soluble,' and can lead to overdosing.

    I have never had a doc advise against B-12, and actually never read anything to that effect.

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 896 Member
    edited May 2020 #3
    The article I read said too

    The article I read said too much vitamin B6 increases the chance of getting leukemia from about 2%  to around 9%. Apparently B6 is stored inertly in the body and activated to help build new cells. Cancer cells can activate it when they clone themselves. B6 is being looked at as a way to carry medicines to target fast reproducing cancer cells. I would say its a real long shot. Somebody looking for a grant.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    ShadyGuy said:

    The article I read said too

    The article I read said too much vitamin B6 increases the chance of getting leukemia from about 2%  to around 9%. Apparently B6 is stored inertly in the body and activated to help build new cells. Cancer cells can activate it when they clone themselves. B6 is being looked at as a way to carry medicines to target fast reproducing cancer cells. I would say its a real long shot. Somebody looking for a grant.

    Of note

    I had my annual post-prostetectomy PSA test yesterday.  Stage II prostate removed 5.4 years ago.   Negative, meaning no relapse. After removal of the prostate, if ANY PSA is detectable, it is cancer, since only the prostate itself or prostate cancer cells can produce PSA.  I had a lung tumor detected around the same time, which had to be followed via CTs for two years which proved negative also.  Perhaps I should become a knife dodger on one of those spinning wheels in a carnival   ?

    It is interesting to learn how the various organ cancers are treated very differently than blood cancers; a whole different world, with few similarities.   I give thanks for wellness...

    max

  • Rexmax
    Rexmax Member Posts: 55 Member
    edited May 2020 #5
    B-12 injections

    Hi all, I haven't posted in quite awhile, haven't had any internet past 7 months due to living situation waiting on new home to be built. This topic really got my attention as I have been getting B-12 injections every 3 weeks for past 20 years plus. Are you all saying this is a bad thing I'm confused? My body will not make its own and I can't take a pill has to be injected. I have an upcoming CT scan next month haven't seen cancer Dr since Dec as I'm now scheduled for every 6 months and so far I feel good except for getting tired more quickly. Hope all is well with you all LILLIAN 

  • PBL
    PBL Member Posts: 366 Member
    edited May 2020 #6
    No worries

    Hi Lillian,

    Glad to see you're still here and doing well. Since you're posting again, I gather that you must have moved into your new house.

    Regarding B12, I really wouldn't be worried about being supplemented, as vitamin B12 is absolutely essential to your body (in particular, your nervous system) and deficiency can have potentially devastating effects. As it is absorbed from animal food sources, those on strict vegan diets need to take a B12 supplement to prevent deficiency, and since it is only absorbed through certain portions of the digestive tract, those with gastrectomies or Crohn's disease also need to get a supplement.

    If what you've read on this thread has given you any doubts, please ask your doctor to explain why you need that shot, but don't change your treatment regimen without discussing the issue with a medical professional first.

    Kind regards,

    PBL

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 896 Member
    correct pbl

    Vitamin B12 comes only from animal sources or from supplements. Your body does not make it.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    Rexmax said:

    B-12 injections

    Hi all, I haven't posted in quite awhile, haven't had any internet past 7 months due to living situation waiting on new home to be built. This topic really got my attention as I have been getting B-12 injections every 3 weeks for past 20 years plus. Are you all saying this is a bad thing I'm confused? My body will not make its own and I can't take a pill has to be injected. I have an upcoming CT scan next month haven't seen cancer Dr since Dec as I'm now scheduled for every 6 months and so far I feel good except for getting tired more quickly. Hope all is well with you all LILLIAN 

    Above

    Re,

    As I wrote above, I take a "Super B Complex" daily.   I can't imagine it is doing you anything but good, especially as regard energy levels.

  • denhamok
    denhamok Member Posts: 9 Member

    I also took multivitamins when I was diagnosed, it was a horrible case. Women's health was undermined, my doctor prescribed me multivitamins. I never self-medicate, and I really did not want to take pills, especially the doses of calcium and magnesium were broken. Because of this some of these elements will not be absorbed. So I bought procosa vitamins to smooth out the whole background of hormonal changes. I would also like to try cod-liver oil, which is said to help women restore the balance of hormone therapy.

  • denhamok
    denhamok Member Posts: 9 Member
    edited December 2021 #10

    I also took multivitamins when I was diagnosed, it was a horrible case. Women's health was undermined, my doctor prescribed me multivitamins. I never self-medicate, and I really did not want to take pills, especially the doses of calcium and magnesium were broken. Because of this some of these elements will not be absorbed. So I bought (content removed by CSN moderator) vitamins to smooth out the whole background of hormonal changes. I would also like to try cod-liver oil, which is said to help women restore the balance of hormone therapy.

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 896 Member

    The credible study I quoted is quite scary. It said that healthy people who regularly take Vitamin D and certain types of vitamin B are 4.5 times as likely to get lymphoma. The general population has a 2% chance of being diagnosed with lymphoma while the study group had a 9% chance. It also increased the likelihood of prostate cancer. A French study showed that people who took a daily multivitamin lived on average 2 years shorter lifespan than the general population. There could be statistical reasons (how the studies were conducted) for these findings but it is still concerning. I was somewhat of a health nut and took a lot of supplements, ran, exercised and maintained my ideal body weight. None of my fat lazy friends have lymphoma. Just some food for thought

  • FalseProfits
    FalseProfits Member Posts: 1 *

    I hope you do not find me to be cynical, but Sloan Kettering is in the business of treating cancer, it is the only thing they do. Without cancer, they are out of business. It makes sense to me that they would want to discourage any behavior that might disrupt their business model. I am a survivor of stage 3 NLPHL, saw first hand the pharmaceutical machine in full throttle. I was prescribed Opiods for a headache, given addictive anti-seizure medication for neuropathy and a host of similar detrimental "treatments". All I'm saying is consider the source and cui bono.

    I personally believe that stress caused my Lymphoma. My system was in a constant state of "fight or flight" that caused my immune system to run on overdrive. I ate healthy and exercised, but did not sleep well, I averaged 5 hours a night, not enough for my body to recover from the day's abuse. I worked a full time stressful job and was the sole caregiver of my mom who had a massive stroke which left her severely disabled. My body had finally just had enough.

    Controlling stress has become my number one preventative and proper sleep is number two.

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 896 Member

    Vitamins in supplements are not the real thing. Read the labels. These vitamins are synthetic man chemicals manufactured by huge chemical companies and are not tested for efficacy or purity. They differ chemically from vitamins in food. They are entirely unregulated and sold with impunity. To each his own but they are not for me. As for Sloan Kettering falsifying research - I seriously doubt that very serious allegation.

    So glad for your recovery. I am sure it was a tough battle but you emerged victorious! As a fellow survivor I wish you well and hope for your continued good health.

  • CA347
    CA347 Member Posts: 5 Member

    I would very much like to read the original study and share it with my family. Would it be possible to post a link to the study or potential search words for google? I have tried combinations of “Memorial Sloan Kettering vitamin d, b12, b6 and multivitamin” without success.

    Thank you so much 🙏

  • twowheels
    twowheels Member Posts: 31 Member
    edited March 2022 #15

    B12 is water soluble but ample micro-nutrient is STORED in the liver for up to 5yrs.

  • twowheels
    twowheels Member Posts: 31 Member
    edited March 2022 #16

    As for Vitamin D... a google scholar search did not find such a study.

    There is some indication that simple Lymphoma's are a reaction to virii; a type of auto-immune malfunction

  • CA347
    CA347 Member Posts: 5 Member

    Thank you for response twowheels. Supplement studies are tricky to interpret - sometimes sicker people taking supplements can cause associations with overall mortality. That is why I am really interested in the studies Shadyguy mentioned almost two years ago. MSK studies would be generally rigorous and help guide whether supplements can cause harm.