TAKING VITAMINS/SUPPLEMENTS DURING CHEMO?????

maggie_wilson
maggie_wilson Member Posts: 596
edited March 2014 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
sisters,

i know the convention medical wisdom is to not take any vitamins, supplements, etc. (maybe some vit b) while doing chemo because it interferes with the efficacy of the chemo, and protects the cancer cells as well as healthy ones. so, my question: what about all the vitamins, herbs, etc. we take while we have cancer, when we're not in chemo--wouldn't those also protect/grow cancer cells as well??

i
haven't made a real search yet of vitiamins & chemo, wanted to check in here first and see if there are any divergent opinions amongst doctors in this big country of ours, and beyond. where's the data? where are the studies showing harm done by vitamins during chemo? anyone have any thoughts re: this, or information? after i do a little research myself, i'm going to contact commonweal that has access to medical sites we mere mortals do not, and ask them to do a little research on this.

sisterhood,
maggie

Comments

  • RoseyR
    RoseyR Member Posts: 471 Member
    #2
    Vitamins During Chemo


    Maggie,

    A web site I'd recommend is Ralph Moss's CancerDecisions.com

    He has written books and done a lot of reseach on this subject and has many short reports, some free, some available for twenty dollars (to pay staff to keep up with latest clinical findings).

    Yes, there are some divergent opinions. And apparently some research to show that SOME antioxidants not only mitigate some fo the effects of chemo but actually make it more effective.

    Few American oncologists keep up with the subject and apparently can get in trouble by recommending ANYTHING other than chemo, radiation, and pharmaceuticals.

    There ARE clinical studies supporting the use of some antioxidants during chemo. No, there aare not nearly enough of them on large scales. Why not? Because, according to many, there is no financial incentive to FUND the research because pharmaceutical companies cannot earn millions from Vitamin E or alpha-lipoic acid, as they can from taxol.

    However there IS one major study going on at the U of Kansas on the role of antioxidants in treating gynecological cancers; the results should be available within a year.

    Best
    Rosey R
  • RoseyR
    RoseyR Member Posts: 471 Member
    #3
    Vitamins During Chemo


    Maggie,

    A web site I'd recommend is Ralph Moss's CancerDecisions.com

    He has written books and done a lot of reseach on this subject and has many short reports, some free, some available for twenty dollars (to pay staff to keep up with latest clinical findings).

    Yes, there are some divergent opinions. And apparently some research to show that SOME antioxidants not only mitigate some fo the effects of chemo but actually make it more effective.

    Few American oncologists keep up with the subject and apparently can get in trouble by recommending ANYTHING other than chemo, radiation, and pharmaceuticals.

    There ARE clinical studies supporting the use of some antioxidants during chemo. No, there aare not nearly enough of them on large scales. Why not? Because, according to many, there is no financial incentive to FUND the research because pharmaceutical companies cannot earn millions from Vitamin E or alpha-lipoic acid, as they can from taxol.

    However there IS one major study going on at the U of Kansas on the role of antioxidants in treating gynecological cancers; the results should be available within a year.

    Best
    Rosey R
  • sleem
    sleem Member Posts: 92
    #4
    B6
    I was put on 2 tablets of B6 (100mg) @ MD Anderson to help in possible Neuropathy side effect's of chemo. I had little of this (just me)then and still take 1 daily now. I continued to take my reg. Calcium with Vitamin D3 as usual before chemo and do so now.

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