Anti-oxidants, Chemotherapy
and Radiation
If you are taking or considering taking nutritional
or herbal supplements, your oncologist and particularly your radiation
oncologist might insist
that you don't. The rational for avoiding supplemental nutrients, in particular,
anti-oxidant nutrients, is that they will interfere with and reduce the
effectiveness chemotherapy and radiation.
This theory seems to be logical, since the sole
mechanism of action for radiation and for some chemotherapies, is the
generation of free radicals. Anti-oxidants help neutralize free
radicals and thus we have a potential conflict. However, it turns
out this theory and its logic happen to be faulty.
If we look at literally hundreds of cell culture,
animal and human studies on this subject, we find the the exact opposite
is true. Examining the entirety of mainstream medical and
scientific literature, there is an overwhelming and consistent finding;
anti-oxidants significantly increase the effectiveness and reduce the
toxicity of chemotherapy and radiation.
However, there are exceptions. Interactions -
particularly with herbal medicines - are possible. It is essential to
seek the advice of an expert before utilizing supplements while
undergoing conventional treatment for cancer.
Below is a link to an excellent research review
article which goes through the scientific literature on this topic.
Antioxidants in Cancer Therapy; Their
Actions and Interactions With Oncologic Therapies
