Yes. Several nutritional supplements potentially are beneficial, both in helping reduce the risk of breast cancer and in minimizing the impact of cancer treatments.
If you are a cancer patient, before adding any vitamins to your daily regimen, it is important to first coordinate with your integrative healthcare professional and your oncologist. At certain stages of treatments, some vitamins may not be appropriate, or else dosages of vitamins may need to be changed to maximize their benefit/effectiveness.
Vitamins and cancer treatment is a very controversial topic in medical circles. As many recent headlines attest, there is heated debate as to both the efficacy and safety of adding vitamins to cancer treatments. Because of this, it is even more important that you gather as much information as possible when investigating supplements, and allow your integrative healthcare professional and your oncologist to guide you.
The following nutritional supplements are key in helping decrease the risk of breast cancer and in helping to reduce side effects from cancer treatment:
Antioxidants—Vitamins C, E and A are a vital part of bolstering immunity and staying well.
*Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants. Women should include at least 1,000 mg. of Vitamin C each day. Additional doses can be added for women undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments to help prevent or reduce the side effects of treatment. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and your oncologist.
*Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant that is found naturally in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. Vitamin E reduces carcinogen production and strengthens immune cells and cell membranes against the penetration of viruses and toxic chemicals. Vitamin E functions best with adequate levels of selenium as selenomethionine, and vice versa, as both of these compounds are antioxidants and cell membrane protectors.
A dose of 400 units of Vitamin E once a day is customary. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative medical professional and your oncologist.
*Vitamin A and its derivatives, retinoids, are being investigated for their potential to treat breast cancer. Some preliminary studies indicate that Vitamin A and some other retinoids have the potential to modify cancer cells and prevent normal cells from becoming cancerous.
A dose of 25,000 units of Vitamin A per day is the standard recommendation. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and your oncologist.
B-Complex. The main components of the B vitamins are: B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinic acid and nicotinamide), B5(pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalamin), folic acid, biotin, choline and inositol.
Several studies suggest that the B vitamins may work together to help lower the risk of breast cancer, as well as in helping minimize the side effects of traditional cancer treatments. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and your oncologist.
Folate, a member of the “B” vitamin family, has been shown to help reduce the possibility of genetic mutations caused by toxins and free radicals that may lead to breast cancer.
A good B-complex vitamin supplement is the best way to incorporate all the benefits of the B-vitamin family. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and your oncologist.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), also known as ubiquinone or ubiquinol, is a naturally occurring nutrient normally present in our bodies and available through foods (especially fish or meats) and supplements. In addition to being an antioxidant, CoQ10 plays a significant role in the energy system of each of our cells.
A study conducted in Denmark in 1994 showed that patients with breast cancer who were given CoQ10 fared better than those without it. In order to better understand the role of CoQ10 in breast cancer, a recent clinical trial including 200 women hospitalized for the biopsy of a breast tumor was conducted. Concentrations of CoQ10 in blood and concentrations of vitamin E in plasma were determined. A deficiency in CoQ10 was noted in both cancers and non-malignant breast tumors. Vitamin E concentrations, however, were within the normal range, regardless of the type of tumor. A correlation was shown between the intensity of the deficiency and the bad prognosis (expected outcome) of the breast disease. In other words, the more serious the cancer, the less CoQ10 was present in the blood. The researchers speculate that, because pro-oxidants may promote tumor formation, CoQ10 supplementation might be beneficial to breast cancer patients.
A dosage of 100mg of coenzyme Q10 per day is the standard recommendation. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and oncologist.
Calcium D-glucarate is the calcium salt of D-glucaric acid, a natural substance found in many fruits and vegetables. Calcium D-glucarate has been shown to inhibit the action of beta-glucuronidase, a bacterial enzyme that otherwise prevents the elimination of certain toxins from the body. One of the main ways the body gets rid of toxic chemicals, as well as hormones such as estrogen, is by attaching glucuronic acid to the toxic chemicals in the liver and then excreting this complex in the bile. Beta-glucuronidase prevents this from happening and consequently the toxic substance is available for re-absorption by the body. Elevated levels of beta-glucuronidase have been linked with hormone-dependent cancer like breast cancer.
If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and oncologist.
Selenium. For nearly 20 years, animal studies have shown that small amounts of selenium, a trace mineral found in liver and certain kinds of nuts, may help prevent risk of various types of cancer. More recent research found that selenium may be of particular benefit for those women who are genetically predisposed to breast cancer.
A dose of 100mcg of selenium per day is the standard recommendation. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and oncologist.
Bromelain, a natural substance found in pineapples, helps relieve joint inflammation and may support anti-tumor responses in cancer patients. Bromelain reduces blood levels of kinins, which are proteins involved in angiogenesis, the process that supplies new blood vessels to tumors. Research also indicates that this pineapple enzyme breaks down fibrin, a component of the gel-like substance that encases solid tumors. By breaking down fibrin, bromelain helps cancer cells become more vulnerable to the body’s immune responses. Other research suggests that bromelain increases the quantity of cytokines, immune system growth factors that are produced by white blood cells.
In addition to eating pineapples, you can obtain bromelain in capsule and ointment form. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and oncologist.
Melatonin. The hormone melatonin helps protect breast cells against free radical damage, chemical carcinogens, and cortisol-induced damage. Melatonin also blocks estrogen receptors on breast cells, stopping them from proliferating in response to estrogen and other factors that promote tumor growth.
Our bodies produce melatonin during the darkest hours of the night. Exposure to light at night interferes with melatonin production and is believed to increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer.
It is best to start with a very small dose (0.1 mg) of melatonin and take it at night. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and oncologist.
Zinc is another important mineral. Zinc deficiency may be a contributory factor to cancer development. Not only does zinc bolster immunity, but also zinc aids the formation and function of many enzymes that help detoxify the body. Although zinc can promote tumors under certain circumstances, several studies indicate that zinc may play an important role in prevention, treatment, and adjuvant (i.e., in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy) treatment of cancer.
A dosage of 15-30 mg elemental zinc is considered safe for cancer patients. Zinc should be taken at a separate time from that of other supplements and at a separate time from eating food. If you are a breast cancer patient undergoing treatment, be sure to first consult with your integrative healthcare professional and oncologist.
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