There are tons of supplements that doctors often recommend you taking, whether you just got diagnosed, are receiving treatment or recovering from treatments. However, depending on your specific case and on different dietary agents, doses can vary, so it is always best to consult your health professional before taking any supplement.
While generally, supplements CANNOT cure cancer, these supplements below have shown benefit in cancer treatment, directly or/and indirectly, and are proposed as possibly beneficial in conjunction with traditional treatment. My criterias for this list are: They are easy to find in the market, and their benefits are substantial (either through direct effect on cancer cells or indirect impact via the immune system).
- Green tea: Packed with antioxidants, one of which is EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), is known to reduce the risk of breast and other cancers (due to its ability to interfere with oxidation). Side fact: Japan has the highest smoking rate but lowest lung cancer rate, which is attributable to the nation’s consumption of green tea.
- Turmeric/Curcumin: Is a potent antioxidant. Recently it was combined with docetaxel, a commonly used chemotherapy medication, in patients with advanced and metastatic breast cancer with encouraging results. Side fact: 80-90% of the world’s turmeric production comes from India.
- Fucoidan: Extracted from brown seaweed, it’s a powerful anti-cancer dietary supplement, with apoptosis-inducing (cell death), metastasis-preventing, and immune-boosting properties. Fucoidan has been shown to significantly improve the effectiveness of tamoxifen, a common chemotherapy used in breast cancer. In a mouse model, orally ingested fucoidan reduced breast cancer tumour growth by up to an additional 26% when taken alongside tamoxifen. Side fact: To produce the right amount of fucoidan, you need to consume about 3kg (6lb) of seaweed each day.
- Resveratrol: Often found in red wine, red grape skins, purple grape juice. It has been shown to reduce the toxicity of radiation therapy and increase “good” cholesterol ( or high-density lipoprotein).
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Most present in fatty fish as well as walnuts, and soy foods. DHA and DPA are believe to possibly reduce the risk for breast, colon and prostate cancer and also increase the ability of chemotherapy medicines to kill cancer cells. If you are taking Omega 3 supplements, be aware not to take more than 3gr of Omega 3 per day as it will cause stomach upset and low blood pressure.
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