Ask the Doctor Question:
I have Stage 0/1 CLL, according to whoever you talk to (NIH or my doc). I have persistent low Folic Acid levels even though I have been taking prescription Folic Acid every day for seven-months. My level in February was ~ 6.0 and now it is ~ 3.00. Should I be concerned?
Answer: CLL is a disease of the immune system, but it is important to keep in mind that its dysfunction can be manifested both as a diminished capacity to fight off infections and secondary cancers, but also its increased tendency to attack our own healthy cells, especially the blood cells. Cases have not only been reported of patients with CLL developing antibody-related diseases affecting the blood, but also the skin, nerves, clotting factors, thyroid, joints, and other organs. Although in most cases there is little or no causal evidence. And people with autoimmune conditions are often deficient in folate. Here is an interesting article on CLL and autoimmune diseases on our website.
You might consider requesting to be seen by a hematologist, if you are not already that can look into your folic acid deficiency more intricately, and possibly consider folic acid (folate) injections if you continue to have low levels.
