Herbal Therapy Maitake, Coenzyme Q-10

I am interested in trying some herbal therapies. Does anyone have any information on Maitake mushroom powder, Coenzyme Q-10, or any other products you have tried?

Dear Lisa,

A variety of nutritional therapies have been studied for their effect on immune
stimulation and cell protection. You mention two that are major cancer
fighters: Maitake mushroom, specifically maitake d-fraction, contain
polysaccharides that have the potential to stimulate T-lymphocytes,
macrophages and natural killer cells. CoQ10 is an activator of energy within
cells and may be helpful to reduce the toxic side effects of some
chemotherapies. One recently study also showed CoQ10 to be a powerful
immune stimulator.

Before taking any supplements, it is always wise to consult with a healthcare
practitioner who is knowledgeable about dietary supplements and cancer.
Additionally, it is important that you inform your doctor about any herbals or
other dietary supplements you plan on taking.

Best,

Kim Dalzell, PhD, RD, LD
Director, Holistic Nutrition Services
Author, Challenge Cancer and Win!
www.challengecancer.com

My mother-in-law & daughter-in-law currently have cancer; I do not (?). My wife & I have been taking vitamins supplements for approx. 8 years. My health has been noticeably better. Coenzyme Q-10, as we understand, is great for making the heart muscle more supple. I am unaware of any benefit for the treatment or prevention of cancer. I have been taking shark cartilage for the better part of the past 8 years. I give it credit for curing cronic "tennis elbow". Also, it inhibits the growth of new capillary systems. Tumors need a supply of blood, therefore, a capillary system. There is a fancy word for this "anti" action. There was a recent article in one of the news magazines about this "anti" action. I'm sure that the article did not mention shark cartilage; it does the same thing. Of course, a drug co. can not patent shark cartilage. We are told that our shark cartilage is ~95% free of a processing byproduct - ash. A nutritional expert that we know claims good success in attacking cancer with several other products along with shark cartilage. I understand that it is against the law to state that nutritional product X Y & Z can cure cancer; only the drug companies can make such claims. Therefore, you may have difficulty in researching the efficaciousness of herbs & supplements. We will send you the info we have, if you wish.

Sincerely,
Walt

Dear Walt,

Thank you for writing to me about shark cartilage. I am very familiar with it's properties. Researchers have shown it promoted anti-angiogenesis (the word you were looking for), which is helpful to control the spread of cancer cells. A large human study of shark cartilage did not show shark cartilage to help with tumor reduction, but it was a valuable pain suppressant. Therapeutic dosage for shark cartilage is 1 gm per kg of body weight (example: 150 pound person would need about 90 capsules a day! More effective and realistic anti-angiogenesis compounds include EPA (omega 3 fatty acids) and soy. If you would like more information about the efficacy of dietary supplements specific to various cancer sites, you may be interested in my book, Challenge Cancer and Win!, which details food and supplement plans for 16 kinds of cancer.

Best,

Kim Dalzell, PhD, RD, LD
Director, Holistic Nutrition Services
Author, Challenge Cancer and Win!
www.challengecancer.com