Dear Moira,
Every cancer patient I talk with is curious about the efficacy or danger of taking antioxidants during cancer treatment, so I thought I'd send out a written response with the hope that many people can benefit from your question!
The latest research informs us that up to 80% of all cancer patients take dietary supplements, either on their own initiative or on the advice of a health care provider. The controversial question is: Should cancer patients take dietary supplements during treatment?
There are some studies that hypothesize if you take antioxidants during treatment you may decrease the effectiveness of the treatment. However, the majority of animal and test tube studies show that supplementation during treatment may help recovery, well being, immune stimulation, and reduce side effects. A small human study, for example, found women taking 400 mg of CoQ10 during Adriamycin treatment had 20% less heart damage than women only taking Adriamycin. Other supplements like vitamin C,E and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) have been effective in protecting healthy cells from radiation. Other studies suggest that antioxidants are NOT counterproductive to standard cancer treatments!
Some dietary supplements are based on hype and clever marketing strategy. Without education about these supplements, you could be wasting your money, time and effort and possibly hinder your recovery. Essiac tea, for example, is touted as a tea that kills cancer cells. No research to show it, only anecdotal evidence. I will say that in some situations, I do recommend it for some patients, usually those who are getting radiated to the chest or pelvic area. The herbs within Essiac have mucilaginous properties and may help coat and soothe the GI tract.
At Cancer Treatment Centers of America, we believe that nutritional therapy, including the use of dietary supplements, is one of the most powerful tools you have to help you recover from cancer. Ultimately, you will have to decide about whether or not you should use dietary supplements. I would urge you to have a conversation with your physician about this. The more your doctor knows about your cancer-fighting regimen, the better he or she will be able to help you. If you intend on taking the supplements, I would suggest you seek professional guidance. My book, Challenge Cancer and Win! can also provide you with specific information about dietary supplements for certain cancers and contains scientific research studies to back up supplement recommendations.
Best of luck,
Kim Dalzell, PhD, RD, LD
Director, Holistic Nutrition Services
Author, Challenge Cancer and Win!
www.challengecancer.com