THE ESSENTIAL
- Immunotherapy can cause side effects such as colitis, an inflammatory reaction in the colon.
- Vitamin D supplementation may help counter this unwanted side effect, new research shows.
- Vitamin D is found in the sun and a number of fatty foods.
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The benefits of vitamin D on the body are regularly touted. The latter is particularly involved in the functioning of bone metabolism. By promoting the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus, it participates in the consolidation of bones, the proper mineralization of teeth and muscle building. Recently, it has also been proven that people with vitamin D deficiency are twice as likely to develop a serious form of Covid-19 than others. Today, a new study published in Cancer shows that taking vitamin D supplements may help prevent a potentially serious side effect of immunotherapy, which is increasingly used in the treatment of cancer.
Immunotherapy helps the immune system of cancer patients to recognize and fight cancer cells. If this treatment is effective for many sufferers, it can lead to side effects such as colitis, an inflammatory reaction of the colon. “Colitis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors may limit the use of these vital drugs, which may stop treatment. Although this is one of the most common and serious side effects of immunotherapy, there is a lack of understanding of the risk factors that could be changed to prevent colitis ”says Dr. Osama Rahma of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, who conducted the study.
During the latter, the researchers drew on research showing that vitamin D can affect the immune system in autoimmune disorders and inflammatory bowel disease. They reviewed data from 213 melanoma patients who received immune checkpoint inhibitors between 2011 and 2017. Among them, 17% developed colitis.
Validate the influence of vitamin D on reducing the risk of colitis thanks to future studies
The scientists then noticed that patients who took vitamin D supplements before starting their treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors were 65% less likely to develop colitis.
These results were then validated in another group of 169 patients in whom 29% had developed colitis. In this group, vitamin D consumption was associated with a 54% reduction in the risk of colitis.
“Our conclusions on the link between vitamin D intake and the reduction of the risk of colitis could have an impact on practice if they are validated in future prospective studies, commente Osama Rahma. Vitamin D supplementation should be further tested to determine if it can be a safe, readily available and cost-effective approach to prevent gastrointestinal toxicity from immunotherapy and to extend the effectiveness of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients.”
Where to find vitamin D?
Vitamin D is mainly present in the sun. Also, it is recommended to expose your hands, forearms and face at least fifteen to twenty minutes each day to refuel. During periods of low sunshine, it is recommended to consume a 100,000-unit vial of vitamin D every two months (or 600 to 800 units per day) so as not to be deficient. Besides the sun, vitamin D can be found in certain foods, especially fatty ones. It is for example present in fish such as sardines, salmon or mackerel, as well as in organ meats, egg yolk, butter, margarine, and cheese.
However, as with all good things, vitamin D should not be abused. Overdosing can weaken bones. It is therefore recommended not to use food supplements without prior advice from your doctor. “The use of food supplements containing vitamin D can expose to too high intakes, which can cause hypercalcemia – high level of calcium in the blood circulation – leading to the calcification of certain tissues, and thus have cardiological and renal consequences ”, alerted ANSES in a press release dated April 17 on the subject “Vitamin D and Covid”.
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