nutrition for brain cancer?

Does anyone out there know if nutrition or supplements make any difference when you have a brain tumor?

Thank you

Pat

On 1/1/2007 Patricia1 wrote:

Does anyone out there know if nutrition or supplements make any difference when you have a brain tumor?

Thank you

Pat

Hi Patricia.

No concrete evidence has shown that certain supplements or dietaryc changes affect changes in brain tumors.  The biggest problem is in what is known as the BBB (Blood Brain Barrier).  It is the groups of vessels that surround the brain that can expand and contract (like a fine mesh), to let in only certain nutrients and molecules.  Because of the size of most molecules, many can't get through--and with good reason.  Most food is turned into a protein called ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate).  It's basically the fuel for cells.  Glucose is also a fuel that is broken down by the body and stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen.  Crazy thing is, is that the brain uses about 70% of the available blood glucose Glycogen that's been coverted to glucose to flow through the blood; glucose is more effective)--that's why people get woozy if the exercise too hard without eating well.  There are vitamins essential to nerve function, such as B1 and B12, and minerals such as magnesium.  These feed mostly the nerves outside the brain.  But, the problem with cancerous tumors, is that they take up enormous amounts of fuel as well--they even grow their own vessels to reach out for more!  What pigs!  So, therein lies the problem . . . how to basically "starve" the tumors when vitamins and good eating habits enhance brain function.  Kind of a catch 22.   There has been research showing that a diet that in creases oxidative stress (free radicals) can cause more apoptosis (programmed cell death) in tumors.  But, this has only been shwon in mice, and not a big enough control group has been used yet.  Eating well, staying fit and reducing stress can have some modest effects.  So far, the best hope are therapies called TNT (tumor necrosis therapy) that uses cells called monoclonal antibodies to deliver deadly drugs to the tumors--and not healthy tissue--because they can bridge the blood brain barrier.

I hope this helps a little.

-Take care, good luck and keep researching.

-Christopher 

On 2/7/2007 Topher wrote:

 

On 1/1/2007 Patricia1 wrote:

Does anyone out there know if nutrition or supplements make any difference when you have a brain tumor?

Thank you

Pat

 

Hi Patricia.

No concrete evidence has shown that certain supplements or dietaryc changes affect changes in brain tumors.  The biggest problem is in what is known as the BBB (Blood Brain Barrier).  It is the groups of vessels that surround the brain that can expand and contract (like a fine mesh), to let in only certain nutrients and molecules.  Because of the size of most molecules, many can't get through--and with good reason.  Most food is turned into a protein called ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate).  It's basically the fuel for cells.  Glucose is also a fuel that is broken down by the body and stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen.  Crazy thing is, is that the brain uses about 70% of the available blood glucose Glycogen that's been coverted to glucose to flow through the blood; glucose is more effective)--that's why people get woozy if the exercise too hard without eating well.  There are vitamins essential to nerve function, such as B1 and B12, and minerals such as magnesium.  These feed mostly the nerves outside the brain.  But, the problem with cancerous tumors, is that they take up enormous amounts of fuel as well--they even grow their own vessels to reach out for more!  What pigs!  So, therein lies the problem . . . how to basically "starve" the tumors when vitamins and good eating habits enhance brain function.  Kind of a catch 22.   There has been research showing that a diet that in creases oxidative stress (free radicals) can cause more apoptosis (programmed cell death) in tumors.  But, this has only been shwon in mice, and not a big enough control group has been used yet.  Eating well, staying fit and reducing stress can have some modest effects.  So far, the best hope are therapies called TNT (tumor necrosis therapy) that uses cells called monoclonal antibodies to deliver deadly drugs to the tumors--and not healthy tissue--because they can bridge the blood brain barrier.

I hope this helps a little.

 

-Take care, good luck and keep researching.

 

-Christopher 

Christopher

Thank you so much for your message. I did help and make a lot of sense to me.  I have been trying to find out about nutrition and brain tumors for a long time now.  My husband has a stage 4 GBM and was diagosed 13 months ago and is still working and doing pretty well. I'm getting more nervous all the time though, as I know the statistics.  Are you a doctor?

Thanks again

Pat

On 1/1/2007 Patricia1 wrote:

Does anyone out there know if nutrition or supplements make any difference when you have a brain tumor?

Thank you

Pat

There is a wonderful website  you can go to and find an information on alkalized water and cancer. Remember,cancer cells can't live in the alkalized environment! Check this website first: it is easy to remember  - www.H2OPH.com  They offer the newest models at the best price you will find online! May God bless you.

On 4/23/2007 Svetlana wrote:

Hi Patricia, have you heard  about alkalized water ionizer?

There is a wonderful website  you can go to and find an information on alkalized water and cancer. Remember,cancer cells can't live in the alkalized environment! Check this website first: it is easy to remember  - www.H2OPH.com  They offer the newest models at the best price you will find online! May God bless you.

I couldn't find this website. 

Yes, seems to me that nutrition can help. Some micronutrients can pass the bbb, such as curcumin (turmeric extract) and are cancer fighters. 

http://www.tbts.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=478&itemID

Hi,

 My wife also has GBM4 and  was diagnosed May 2007. She takes Boswellia (to reduce edema), Bromelain 2000 or 2400 (for edema), Vit D plus Calcium (because she is on Decadron), Melatonin 20 mg per day (try to get 5 mg tablets... has shown antitumour effects on brain tumor cells), High concentration EPS fish oil (DHA not as good but they usually come together... avoid if platelet counts low) and

Coriolus PSP, PSK, Maitake Gold 1200 and maitake mushrooms (all to
boost the immune system, there products  are prescribed drugs in Japan
and China byt supplements in N America, they  also have anitumour
effects, but they are large molecules than may not pass through the
BBB, but their immune boosting power would help, available from
JHS/MushroomScience, I recommend against any Agaricus mushrooms because
the precursors and derivations of agaritine are carcinogenic..
benefit:risk is unknown... Common mushrooms in stores and most
processed foods and soups contain Agaricus mushrooms, like common white
button, Crimni and Portabello mushrooms) .

 Reduce copper (Cu) intake... avoid shell fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, etc, Consider a drinking/cooking water distiller or filter that removes Cu. Don't use Cu pots and pans. Many candy and chocolate manufacturers use Cu pots, so avoid these unless you find out that these use stainless steel.

Deep sea fish should be good... wild salmon (not farmed), herring, halibut, tuna, etc.

 Evening Primrose oil (for GLA content... avoid if platelet count low, on blood thinners, or have seizures). Note: Borage oil has higher GLA content but I heard that it also has other chemicals that may not be good for a BT patient.

 For more info on brain tumour related supplements and foods...

Get Ben William's "Surviving Terminal Cancer" ... Ben is a 10 year + GBM patient.

Download Ben's annually updated "Treatment Options for GBM" at http://www.virtualtrials.com/williams.cfm (free)

Join BTSupplements on yahoogroups.com

Google "Jeanne Wallace" a nutrition consultant for BT patients. Many BT patients get and follow her advice and it seems very good, but we don't use her service. Many of her ideas are on the net in free papers and videos. Note: Reportedly her PhD is not from an accredited institution, but that does not necessarily mean her advice is not valuable. We used most of her free online info.

 Hope this helps,

Mike

Disclosure: I am starting an individual consulting and supplement supply service locally in northern Ontario, Canada. I can supply JHNS  and EPO products locally. Better, lower cost sources are available in the USA and larger Canadian cities.

Correction to part of  my message:

On 2/14/2008 MikeKat wrote:

Correction to part of  my message:

Many candy and chocolate
manufacturers use Cu pots, so avoid these products unless you find out
that these manufactures use stainless steel equipment , and no Cu
equipment.