Stephen
Byrnes,
PhD, RNCP
Unfortunately,
there is no magic supplement regime you can embark on to either
prevent or treat cancer. However, there is sufficient evidence
that certain nutrients, phytochemicals, fatty acids, hormones,
and enzymes can play a major role.
Finding the right
combination of nutrients for an individual is a highly personal
matter that should employ the advice of a health professional
experienced in cancer treatment.
It is important
to realize that cancer is a multifaceted illness with a number
of potential, but no one certain, causes.
The
watchword with cancer (as with all chronic diseases) is prevention.
Key preventive
measures should include the following:
1. Avoiding
exposure to known and potential carcinogens,
e.g., radiation (including excessive exposure to sunlight),
synthetic hormones, chemical dyes and additives, aromatic
hydrocarbons, tobacco smoke, etc.;
2. Avoiding
dietary factors that
weaken the immune system,
promote cellular mutation, and/or increase free radical production,
e.g., excessive sugar intake, refined foods, food additives,
moldy foods, foods cured with nitrites, margarine, vegetable
shortening, refined vegetable oils, foods with high pesticide
residues, etc;
3. Avoiding
psychological factors
that could increase stress; Also key in prevention is including
in one's life things which serve to protect the body from
the above three items -- it is impossible to live a totally
"sheltered" life so to speak. Supplements are the
easiest of these things to add into one's life as cancer preventives.
Some supplements also hold potential as cancer treatments,
either directly or as adjuncts to other therapies.
If one is faced
with cancer right now and undergoing radiation or chemotherapy
treatment, some supplements can be employed to offset the
damaging side effects often experienced.
The best supplements
for cancer prevention and treatment can be grouped into a
few broad categories, those being
- antioxidants
- hormones
- fatty
acids
- enzymes
Let's take a closer
look at these powerful helpers, noting their potential and
proven benefits, possible dangers, and their food sources.
Antioxidants:
Antioxidants are
a large category of nutritional and chemical substances that
neutralize substances called free
radicals.
Free radicals are
the products of oxidative reactions in and out of the body.
They are, essentially,
unstable molecules that will do anything to get stable. Because
of this, free radicals are highly reactive compounds that
will literally "steal" an electron from another
molecule to stabilize themselves.
In that process,
however, a new free radical is created, namely, the molecule
that was "stolen" from. Upon its creation, that
new free radical then perpetrates the same "theft"
on another nearby molecule, and the cycle begins anew.
Its important to
realize that oxidation is a normal part of life and so are
free radicals. Oxidation is what enables us to get and use
energy from our food and the body utilizes free radicals to
detoxify harmful substances from itself, as well as to destroy
invading microorganisms.
Since they are
so damaging, the body maintains a sophisticated antioxidant
system to hold them in check.
However, when the
body's prolonged exposure to oxidative factors causes an excessive
output of free radicals that exceeds its ability to neutralize
them (technically called "oxidative stress"), the
body is put in an increasingly vulnerable position due to
the accelerated cellular destruction.
This is why it
is absolutely critical for you to avoid the cancer-promoting
factors listed at the start of this article: they all involve
exposure to or stimulate production of free radicals in the
body. Here are the principal antioxidant nutrients and phytochemicals.
Vitamin
A:
Vitamin A has been
studied for its anti-cancer effects for decades. Vitamin A
appears to inhibit what is called the "cancer promotion"
stage and works by blocking certain
enzymes that promote cancer growth, by inducing
cytotoxicity in cancer cells, and by stimulating the immune
system.
Although vitamin
A is protective of all cancers, it is especially useful in
preventing and treating those of the mucous membranes, e.g.,
lung cancer. Lung cancer in smokers, for example, is much
higher in those with low vitamin A levels.
When the level
increases, the incidence of cancer decreases. Increased intake
of this fat soluble vitamin appears to have a protective effect
against breast, mouth, bladder, colon, blood, and larynx cancers.
Additionally, the
body uses vitamin A to initiate the conversion of cholesterol
into various stress hormones. Stress, therefore, including
the stress of illness, directly depletes levels of this nutrient.
There is no consensus
of what constitutes an adequate intake of vitamin A, but foods
rich in this nutrient include butter, liver, cream, eggs,
all animal fats, and fish oil.
Ironically, it
is these very foods that people are told to avoid because
of unscientific fears about animal fats. In this author's
opinion, one of the causes of our current high cancer rates
is the adoption of low-fat diets by the public at the urging
of public health authorities.
A low-fat diet
is automatically low in vitamin A as this nutrient is only
found in animal fats. A teaspoon of cod liver oil each day
will supply you with a good amount of vitamin A, as well as
vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids which are also involved
in cancer prevention and usually lacking in Western diets.
One can also purchase
fish liver oil capsules to insure an adequate daily intake.
Avoid all synthetic vitamin A supplements as these are usually
derived from coal tar and have been shown to cause birth defects.
The
Carotenes:
Carotenes are fat-soluble
plant pigments that appear in red, orange, dark green, and
yellow fruits and vegetables. One of them, beta-carotene,
has been extensively studied and can convert into vitamin
A in the body (provided certain factors are present).
Other well-known
carotenes are lycopene, alpha-carotene, lutein, canthaxanthin
and zeaxanthin.
These
carotenes inhibit and prevent cervical, oral, lung, prostate,
colon, endometrial, and esophageal cancers.
Beta-carotene primarily
works by neutralizing a particular free radical known as a
"singlet oxygen species," and by preventing lipid
peroxidation, which generates free radicals.
Like vitamin A,
beta-carotene also enhances immune function and stimulates
the release of natural killer cells (which directly attack
tumor cells) and T-lymphocytes. Food sources include sweet
potatoes, eggs, apricots, peaches, chard, spirulina. carrots,
and tomatoes. Since the carotenes are not toxic, they can
be eaten and supplemented without fear and the general rule
is that too much is never enough.
Vitamin
C:
According to the
prestigious Nutrition Desk Reference Vitamin C protects against
cancer cell growth by
- destroying
free radicals
- increasing
collagen synthesis
- altering
DNA and protein metabolism in precancerous and cancerous
cells
- preventing
the transformation of precancerous cells to cancerous cells
- producing
cytotoxicity in cancer cells
Indeed, epidemiological
studies of vitamin C and cancer show a significantly protective
effect from vitamin C in preventing and treating esophageal,
oral, pharyngeal, stomach, lung, cervical, rectal, colon,
and pancreatic cancers. Vitamin C blocks the conversion of
nitrites, found in processed meats like bacon, into carcinogenic
nitrosamines.
Drs. Linus Pauling
and Ewan Cameron theorized that vitamin C, by its ability
to strengthen the "ground substance" of tissues
(by promoting collagen synthesis) and by its ability to stimulate
in cells the production of a substance that neutralizes the
enzyme hyaluronidase, prevented and treated cancer.
Cancer is not only
proliferative, but also invasive. It does this by secreting
large amounts of hyaluronidase which dissolves the "cement"
of surrounding tissues and leaves them vulnerable to attack
by the progressing tumor.
By this dual action
of strengthening the collagen of surrounding tissues and by
inhibiting the release of the enzyme that directly attacked
them, Pauling and Cameron felt justified in recommending large
amounts of vitamin C in treating cancer.
Since vitamin C
is a non-toxic substance and since it is the one vitamin that
the body cannot synthesize, it makes good sense to include
vitamin C-rich foods AND supplements in our daily diets.
Pauling recommended
5-8 grams per day for an adult. This amount, however, could
induce mild diarrhea in some people. 2-3 grams a day seems
a safer amount, with more added if an illness or special need
arises.
Like vitamin A,
vitamin C is rapidly used up during periods of stress. Vitamin
C-rich foods include all berries, cabbage, and most fruits.
Vitamin
E:
Vitamin
E helps prevent oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and
fat-soluble vitamins in the body and stimulates the immune
system to destroy tumorous cells as they are transformed into
a cancerous state.
In its actions,
vitamin E is more for cancer prevention than
for treatment. This nutrient also is key in preventing and
treating heart and cardiovascular disease.
The best food source
for vitamin E is cold-pressed wheat germ oil, with raw nuts
and butter as fair sources. 200-400 IUs per day is a good
amount to supplement with. Vitamin E works best in conjunction
with our next nutrient, selenium.
Selenium:
Selenium
acts as an antioxidant by activating the enzyme glutathione
peroxidase (discussed below).
People living in
areas with selenium-poor soils have higher cancer rates than
those living in selenium-rich soil areas.
It is important
to use a natural source of selenium when supplementing as
the non-organic forms (selenite and selenate) can be toxic
at higher amounts. Brewer's yeast, whole grains, oysters,
tuna, and butter provide the best sources of this mineral.
If supplementing,
100 mcg. Is a good amount to take, in conjunction with a nutrient-dense
diet that supplies selenium from other foods.
Glutathione:
Glutathione (GSH)
is a tripeptide formed from the amino acids cysteine, glycine,
and glutamic acid. Low levels are always found in cancer patients,
as well as those affected by other oxidative stress-induced
diseases such as AIDS.
As glutathione
levels drop, the person gets sicker.
This
is because
white blood cells and the liver use
GSH to detoxify poisons inside the body.
When the level
decreases, less toxins are able to be eliminated leading to
a build up in the body. This leads to increased white blood
cell death (due to the cell poisoning itself) and liver impairment.
Glutathione, therefore,
plays a role in cancer prevention and treatment. The best
way to increase and maintain one's GSH levels is to include
animal foods in one's diet as these contain the amino acids
needed by the body to synthesize GSH.
Foods rich in the
sulfur amino acids (e.g., eggs) are especially good sources.
An excellent food supplement is whey protein, available in
powdered form at most health markets.
Whey is an inexpensive
and good tasting food supplement that has been shown to increase
the body's stores of GSH. Whey also has important value for
those cancer patients who are suffering from cachexia, or
wasting syndrome, as its proteins are easily assimilated by
the body.
The amino acid
l-glutamine can also be employed in such cases. Except in
cases of kidney disease, l-glutamine is a safe supplement
that can help build and maintain muscle mass, as well as help
with digestive problems and poor immune function. Suggested
amounts range from 5-40 gms. per day.
Alpha-Lipoic
Acid:
This
substance helps with free radical control by enhancing the
antioxidant functions of vitamins C and E, and glutathione.
Additionally, ALA
helps to recycle glutathione in the liver. Suggested amounts
would be 100-300 mg per day.
Coenzyme
Q10:
A substance similar
to vitamin E in its functions,
CoQ10
helps generate energy at the cellular level in the mitochondria.
CoQ10 also stimulates
the immune system and helps get more oxygen to the tissues,
something highly desired when dealing with cancer or heart
disease. The best food sources for CoQ10 are organ meats such
as heart and animal foods like beef.
Supplements are
available, but they are expensive. When supplementing, be
sure to take CoQ10 with a fatty food or drink as the fat enhances
absorption.
Phytochemicals:
There
are a range of antioxidant compounds found in various plants
that play a role in cancer prevention and treatment.
Herbs such as rosemary,
turmeric, green tea, milk thistle, curry, and gingko biloba
have been well studied for their antioxidant properties. Herbal
combination formulas like Padma 28, an ancient Ayurvedic formula,
have been studied as well.
Padma 28 has been
extensively studied for its good effects on circulation and
hepatitis. With cancer, however, research is only just beginning.
Of all the phytochemicals, it is green tea that has been the
most studied for its anti-cancer effects.
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