| One study suggested that vitamin B6 supplementation to correct the metabolic abnormality might prevent recurrence of bladder cancer.24 Ladner and Salkeld also "confirmed the beneficial effects of pyridoxine administration on radiation-induced symptoms—nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea—in gynecological patients treated with high-energy radiation, and observed that impairment of the vitamin B6 status was corrected by 300 mg pyridoxine daily."
Ladner and Salkeld then studied vitamin B6 status in 6,300 gynecological cancer patients with cervical, uterine, endometrial, ovarian, and breast cancers. |
| This led to their important findings that quality of life and survival were both improved with B6 supplementation. They also found that chemotherapy—doxorubicin, cis-platin, and cyclophosphamide—generated "no definite worsening" of vitamin B6 status in women with metastatic endometrial or breast cancer.25 This study of the improved quality of life for women with gynecological and breast cancer who use vitamin B6 supplements with radiotherapy is particularly provocative when we consider a similar report on vitamin C below. |
| If cancer stress lowers vitamin C levels, and below-normal vitamin C levels diminish immune function, this would appear to be an additional rationale for vitamin C supplementation in cancer.
Vitamin C Is Helpful with Radiation and Chemotherapies
Apart from the controversy over the Pauling-Cameron studies, the most important report I have seen on vitamin C is a trial showing the benefits of vitamin C when used in conjunction with radiotherapy. |
| B vitamin supplementation should be approached with care. Vitamin B12 can act both as a tumor promoter and a tumor-inhibitor; its tumor-enhancing activities are partially controlled by methionine. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is deficient in many cancer patients and has been used to enhance the outcome of radiotherapy in a controlled prospective trial.
6. Among the minerals, selenium has broad immunopotentiating and anticancer effects, whereas zinc is a selenium antagonist. While zinc is an essential nutrient for life, great care should be taken in using zinc supplements with cancer. |
| Nutritional supplementation in Vitamin and Mineral Imbalances
As I mentioned in chapter 11, there is good evidence that modern American diets are often nutritionally unbalanced, that cancer patients specifically often demonstrate nutritional imbalances both prior to and after development of cancer, and that, in laboratory and animal experiments, specific nutrients can slow, stop, or reverse the progress of some cancers. This research raises the issue of whether cancer patients should use nutritional supplements. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Natural physicians are particularly concerned that people may worsen existing diseases like heart disease, arthritis, and cancer with unbalanced EPO supplementation. Using evening primrose oil in the short term (a few months) is unlikely to cause any kind of harm—but, still, I always recommend taking EPO in a blend with omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil, flax oil, or hemp oil.
PRIMROSE OIL
Recommendations from the Natural Physician for ...
°^ Arthritis
For most people who have rheumatoid arthritis, I've seen best results from oil blends that contain omega-3 fatty acids and some GLA. |
Committee on Comparative Toxicity of Naturally Occurring Carcinogens
See book keywords and concepts |
 Concerning specific plant derived chemicals, we do not have adequate information to recommend supplementation beyond the recommended daily requirements for particular vitamins or other nutrients.
Future Directions
New research approaches and enhanced resources are needed to address the precise roles of both naturally occurring and synthetic dietary chemicals in human cancer causation and prevention. Multidisciplinary efforts in food chemistry, analytical chemistry, toxicology, nutrition, carcinogenesis, biochemistry, molecular biology, and epidemiology are needed. |
Gary Null
See book keywords and concepts |
 Irwin Stone, a trailblazer in research on the rejuvenating properties of vitamin C, suggests that supplementation with very large doses of vitamin C may allow long-term drug addicts to refrain from narcotics without experiencing withdrawal symptoms.41
Dr. Stone's research led him to discover that in an addict's body, the sodium element found in ascorbic acid is metabolized in such a way that it actually carries away the elements of the drug from opiate (pain) receptors of the brain. These molecules of the drug are replaced by vitamin C molecules instead. |
Committee on Comparative Toxicity of Naturally Occurring Carcinogens
See book keywords and concepts |
| Concerning specific plant derived chemicals, we do not have adequate information to recommend supplementation beyond the recommended daily requirements for particular vitamins or other nutrients.
Future Directions
It is apparent from the above list of recommendations that new research approaches are required to elucidate the precise roles of naturally occurring and synthetic dietary chemicals in human cancer causation and prevention. These needs merge with those related to the broader issue of the roles that chemicals in the general environment may play in cancer causation and prevention. |
| Selenium in human nutrition: Dietary intakes and effects of supplementation. Bioinorg. Chem. 8:303-318.
Schubert, A., M. M. Holden, and W.R. Wolf. 1987. Selenium content of a core group of foods based on a critical evaluation of published analytical data. J. Am. Diet Assoc. 87:285-299. Shibamoto, T., and L.F. Bjeldanes. 1993. Introduction to Food
Toxicology. New York: Academic Press. Simonich, S.E, and R.A. Hites. 1994. Importance of vegetation in removing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from the atmosphere.
Nature 370:49-51. Springer, J. 1994. |
Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.
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 But oxygen damage to body fats would occur as soon as the vitamin C supplementation was discontinued (21-23). Dr. E. Niki from the University of Tokyo stated that harmful free radicals are destroyed faster by vitamin C than by any other antioxidant (24-27). He has also shown that vitamin C interacts particularly well with vitamin E. Pauling showed that most animals manufacture the bodily equivalent of ten grams per day of vitamin C.
Two researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, Drs. Raxit J. Jariwalla and Constance S. |
| Immunologic effects of arginine supplementation in tumor-bearing and non-tumor-bearing hosts. Annals of Surgery. 1990; 211:202-209. lO^SPIRIN
Aspirin, one of the first synthetic drugs ever manufactured, may not only prevent heart disease but guard against colon cancer, as well. While hardly health food, few people know that its original source was white willow bark, mentioned in Hippocrates. |
| Effect of vitamin A, c, and E supplementation on rectal cell proliferation in patients with colorectal adenomas. j Natl Cancer Inst.l992;84:47-51.
7. Hong WK and Doos wg. Chemopre vention of head and neck cancer. Potential use of retinoids.Otolaryngol Clin North Am.1985; 18:543-9.
8. Hong WK, et al. Prevention of second primary tumors with isotretinoin in squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck [see comments]. N EnglJ Med. 1990;323:795-801.
9. Bell R, et al. The use of cis-retinoic acid in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis of the larynx: a randomized pilot study. Am J Oto-laryngol. |
| This provided evidence that such precancerous changes "may be reduced by supplementation with folate and vitamin B12."
However, writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the scientists cautioned that "the results should not be construed as pointing to a potential way of preventing lung cancer in individuals who continue to smoke or as supporting self-medication with large doses of folate or B12 by smokers" (6).
Cervical cancer is the ninth most common cause of death among women in the US. |
| We suggest high-dose supplementation of essential antioxidants for patients undergoing BMT," the German doctors wrote in 1989 (9).
Scientists at Louisiana State University studied patients with lung cancer. Vitamin E was significantly lower in patients hospitalized for lung cancer. They concluded that low serum vitamin E levels may well be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer (10,11).
Vitamin E versus Carcinogens: In a 1989 study, Russian scientists gave rats a powerful carcinogen. |
| Given the malpractice concerns of alternative practitioners," he has written, "germanium supplementation should not play a role in the general practice of medicine, without firm documentation of need and careful monitoring of kidney function."
The major problem with Ge-132 is that it can be contaminated with germanium dioxide in the production process. At present, there is no reliable testing procedure for monitoring the purity and safety of germanium products.
1. Schroeder H and Balassa J. Abnormal trace metals in man: germanium. J Chronic Dis.l967;20:211-244.
2. Sijpesteijn A, et al. |
John Boik
See book keywords and concepts |
 Arginine supplementation stimulated the growth of breast cancer tumors in humans (Park et al, 1992).
The reason for these contradictory results may be that arginine stimulates T-lymphocyte production and action, presumably through its effects on the thymus gland. Therefore, an inhibition of immunogenic tumors, such as many experimental animal tumors, could be expected. Similarly, an inhibition of human tumors, which are generally weakly immunogenic, would not be expected (or they may even be stimulated). |
Committee on Comparative Toxicity of Naturally Occurring Carcinogens
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| It is clear that dietary supplementation with vitamin A for cancer prevention is unlikely at this point because of its inherent toxicity. However, improving our understanding of its mechanism as a morphogen and the role it plays in the induction of differentiation may help us to develop a more effective analogues of vitamin A for future cancer prevention research.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Higginson (1966) reported an inverse association between consumption of foods rich in ascorbic acid and the appearance of certain cancers. |
Dr. Mary Dan Eades
See book keywords and concepts |
 So, clearly a scientifically conducted clinical study proving that you could correct these terrible diabetic problems by something as simple and direct as vitamin C supplementation would be nothing short of a monumental breakthrough."
Information presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in the late fall of 1992 by Dr. David Newsome of Tulane University showed improvement in at least one-third of people with macular degeneration placed on antioxidant vitamins and zinc. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
| The human body doesn't "manufacture" EFAs, so we either have to attain them from our diet or through supplementation. They're what we need to help build the basic structure of our cells and also to help those cells function as they should. They're also the essence of what's good about evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis).
Evening primrose oil—commonly referred to as EPO—is an essential fatty acid supplement comprised of oil that's extracted from the seeds of evening primrose. |
| Children with this form of heart disease and who had carnitine deficiency responded favorably to carnitine supplementation." Ino T, Sherwood WG, Benson LN et al, Cardiac manifestations in disorders of fat and carnitine metabolism in infancy. / Am Coll Cardiol 1988; 11:1301-1308.
• "... [One] study that showed clinical improvement in 12 of 18 people with chronic fatigue syndrome." Plioplys AV, Plioplys S, Amantadine and L-carnitine treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. Neuropsychobiology 1997; 35:16-23.
• "... |
John Heinerman
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 Although not specifically recommended here for cancer per se, yet in an overall program of sound nutrition and good herbal supplementation, suma appears to have certain preventative value in regard to cancer. An average of 3 capsules daily is suggested.
SUMAC
(Rhus glabra)
Brief Description
Sumac can be either a shrub or small tree, growing anywhere from 10 to 18 feet high. |
Earl Mindell
See book keywords and concepts |
 Personal Advice:
As important as molybdenum is, there seems no need for supplementation unless all the food you consume comes from nutrient-deficient soil.
63. Phosphorus
Facts:
Present in every cell in the body.
Vitamin D and calcium are essential to proper phosphorus functioning.
Calcium and phosphorus should be balanced two to one to work correctly (twice as much calcium as phosphorus).
Involved in virtually all physiological chemical reactions.
Necessary for normal bone and tooth structure.
Niacin cannot be assimilated without phosphorus.
Important for heart regularity. |
| I feel that supplementation is particularly important for anyone on a high-protein diet, the reason being that lipotropics detoxify amines, which are by-products of protein metabolism. Also, anyone worried about gallstone formation would be wise to consider these supplements.
My daughter-in-law is taking a hemp oil supplement, which I know nothing about. I know marijuana comes from a hemp plant. Does this supplement have similar hallucinogenic effects?
Not at all! Unfortunately, because hemp is a member of the Cannabis sativa family, it is illegal to grow the hemp plant in the U.S. |
| Personal Advice:
If you drink high protein shakes made with raw eggs you probably need biotin supplementation.
Be sure you're getting at least 25 meg. daily if you are on antibiotics or sulfa drugs.
Balding men might find that a biotin supplement may keep their hair there longer.
Keep in mind that biotin works synergistically—and more effectively—with B2, B6, niacin, and A.
Biotin levels fall progressively throughout pregnancy. Although there's been no association with low birth weight, you might want to check with your doctor about a supplement which could help keep your spirits up.
38. |
Ralph W. Moss PhD
See book keywords and concepts |
 He stresses the need for healthy nutrition and possible supplementation with vitamins and minerals for those who are deficient. He says that, if at all possible, patients should take time off from work, at least during the first series of treatments. All physical activities, either at work or in sports, should be avoided during treatment.
In many ways, Ukrain is a model for what can and should be done with other herb-derived products. Dr. |
Earl Mindell
See book keywords and concepts |
| Personal Advice:
Despite the controversy, I have found B15 effective and believe most diets would benefit from supplementation. If you are an athlete or just want to feel like one, I suggest one 50 mg. tablet in the morning with breakfast and one in the evening with dinner.
36. Vitamin B17 (Laetrile, Amygdalin, Nitrilosides)
For many years, this controversial compound of two sugar molecules (one benzaldehyde and one cyanide) was erroneously called "vitamin" B17, a thoroughly misleading term. |
Natural Prescriptions: Dr. Giller's Natural Treatments & Vitamin Therapies For Over 100 Common AilmentsRobert M. Giller, M.D.
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| Most commonly, night blindness is a specific symptom of a vitamin A deficiency, which can usually be corrected by supplementation.
If you've experienced night blindness and you're over forty, or even in your late thirties, you should have your eyes examined to be sure that you aren't in the beginning stages of glaucoma. For more information, see Glaucoma, page 158.
Natural Prescription for Night Blindness
• Have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist to be sure that you aren't developing glaucoma.
IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, PACE xxiv, TAKE
• Vitamin A: 10,000 I.U. daily. |
Gary Null
See book keywords and concepts |
| Before we talk about how B-vitamin supplementation can help the drinker, let's look at the specific kinds of nutritional damage brought about by alcohol abuse.
• Protein starvation. Protein, among many other nutrients, cannot be absorbed properly when alcohol consumption is excessive. Why? To digest protein properly, your body needs the enzyme trypsin. To make trypsin, you need trypsinogen, which is produced by the pancreas. The pancreas cannot produce enough trypsinogen to make trypsin when there is excess alcohol in the bloodstream. |
Dr. Mary Dan Eades
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| Whatever the role that vitamin and mineral supplementation played for Dr. Pauling, and whatever role it may play in your war on aging and disease, vitamins and minerals alone cannot save you from an overall unhealthy lifestyle. I think Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg said it best: "Vitamins are like seat belts. Wearing a seat belt doesn't give you a license to drive recklessly, it just protects you in case of an accident. Vitamin supplements work in the same way: they don't give you a license to eat poorly and otherwise abuse your health, but provide an added cushion of protection. |
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