Omega-3 and Vitamin D Supplementation in Children with Leukemia: Effects on Bone Turnover
Omega-3 and Vitamin D Supplementation in Children with Leukemia: Effects on Bone Turnover
Children undergoing treatment for leukemia are at increased risk of impaired bone health due to chemotherapy, corticosteroid exposure, reduced physical activity, and nutritional challenges. Barbosa-Cortés and colleagues investigated whether supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D could favorably influence bone turnover markers in pediatric patients with leukemia during and after treatment.
In this prospective study, children with leukemia received combined omega-3 and vitamin D supplementation, and researchers monitored biochemical markers of bone formation and bone resorption over time. Measurements were taken during the supplementation period and again after discontinuation, allowing evaluation of both immediate and sustained effects on bone metabolism.
The study found that supplementation was associated with improvements in bone turnover markers, suggesting a shift toward a more favorable balance between bone formation and resorption during treatment. These findings indicate that targeted nutritional support may help mitigate treatment-related bone loss in this vulnerable population. The follow-up phase provided additional insight into how these markers changed after supplementation ended, helping to clarify the temporal relationship between nutrient support and bone metabolism.
Although the study focused on surrogate biochemical markers rather than long-term outcomes such as fracture risk or bone density, it provides important preliminary evidence that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D may support skeletal health in children undergoing leukemia treatment. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to determine whether these biochemical improvements translate into meaningful clinical benefits.
Reference:
Barbosa-Cortés L, Morales-Montes SB, Maldonado-Alvarado M, Martin-Trejo JA, Atilano-Miguel S, Jiménez-Aguayo E, Martínez-Becerril FI, Cortés-Beltrán VM, Hernández-Barbosa AV, Solís-Labastida KA, Maldonado-Hernández J, Bautista-Martínez BA, Juárez-Moya A, Hernández-Piñón Z, Domínguez-Salgado JM, Villa-Morales J, Domínguez-Calderón I. Impact of Omega-3 and Vitamin D Supplementation on Bone Turnover Markers in Children with Leukemia: Follow-Up During and After Supplementation. Nutrients. 2025;17(15):2526. doi:10.3390/nu17152526. PMID: 40806109; PMCID: PMC12348430.
