How you Cancer-fighting vitamins Cancer-fightiny Vitamins and dietary supplements come as pills, tablets or Caffeine and physical performance liquid. And can you tell us about the different types of supplements? Black people are also less likely to use vitamin D supplements than White people Financial Assistance Documents — Arizona.

Cancer-fighting vitamins -

Nutritional supplements are widely used among patients with cancer who perceive them to be anticancer and antitoxicity agents. Large-scale, randomized cancer prevention trials have mainly been negative, with some notable adverse and beneficial effects. For example, these trials showed that beta-carotene increases the risk of lung and stomach cancer, vitamin E increases prostate cancer and colorectal adenoma, and selenium reduces gastric and lung cancer in populations with low selenium levels but increase rates in those with higher levels.

Both beta-carotene and vitamin E supplementation increase overall mortality. This article reviews phase II and III trials that examine the effects of multivitamins, antioxidants, vitamin D, and n-3 supplements on outcome and toxicity from cancer treatments.

Some studies indicate that omega-3s may prevent cancer and heart disease. Like all supplements, researchers don't know whether fish oil acts alone or with other food chemicals to provide cancer protection.

Most people can tolerate up to 3, milligrams per day of fish oil. But higher doses may impair the immune system and increase bleeding and stroke risk. Instead of using fish oil, include oily fish, such as salmon and tuna, in your diet.

Charge: Flaxseed contains lignans, which may be helpful in reducing cancer risk. Lignans are phytoestrogens, plant chemicals that mimic the hormone estrogen. Flaxseed is also rich in omega-3 fatty acid. Verdict: Laboratory research has shown flaxseed may slow colon, skin, lung and breast cancer growth, but results haven't been confirmed in humans.

Some people take flaxseed oil, but it does not contain lignans and lacks the antioxidant properties of ground flaxseed. Instead of oil, consider sprinkling ground flaxseed, which is high in fiber and omega-3s, over cereal or yogurt.

But use caution: Flaxseed may cause stomach upset. Drink fluids to prevent bowel obstruction. Flaxseed may also interact with blood thinners, including pain medications such as aspirin.

Charge: Ginger is known to control inflammation -- which may play a role in cancer -- and nausea. Verdict: Ginger supplements are not recommended.

However, adding fresh ginger root to your diet or chewing candied ginger for nausea may be helpful. Excessive amounts of ginger should be avoided, as it may interact with blood-thinners and cause lower blood sugar levels in people who take diabetes medications.

Charge: People who drink green tea seem to have a lower cancer risk, particularly for cancers of the bladder, esophagus, ovaries, pancreas and possibly breast. Green tea contains plant chemicals called polyphenols that act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Verdict: Drinking up to three cups of green tea per day is probably safe for most people and may have anticancer effects.

However, green tea extracts or pills are not recommended. Be aware that green tea contains caffeine, which may interact with medications and keep you awake.

Charge: Lycopene is a plant chemical called a carotenoid. Research has shown that lycopene in food appears to reduce prostate cancer risk; however, this remains controversial. Verdict: Once again, we don't know how lycopene works in the body -- or whether it's working alone -- to reduce cancer risk.

Consider this: Researchers noted that foods rich in beta-carotene -- a cousin to lycopene -- seemed to reduce lung cancer risk in smokers. But when beta-carotene supplements were tested by smokers as a preventive, cancer risk increased. But others choose to use them instead of conventional treatments.

Taking dietary supplements instead of conventional cancer treatment could harm your health. Choosing to stop conventional treatment recommended by your doctor could reduce the chance of curing or controlling your cancer.

Check with a pharmacist or your healthcare team before taking any supplements. Some of these could interfere with how well cancer drugs work. Supplements at a high dose could be toxic or harmful to your health.. Vitamins and dietary supplements come as pills, tablets or a liquid. Some complementary or alternative therapists also use injections of dietary supplements.

Some vitamins or minerals could interfere with how well cancer drugs work. Antioxidant supplements such as co enzyme Q10, selenium and the vitamins A, C and E can help to prevent cell damage.

But there is some evidence that taking high dose antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment might make the treatment less effective. Get advice from your doctor, specialist nurse or dietitian if you want to take supplements and are having any kind of cancer treatment.

Supplements can vary in their price. Some may cost from around £5 to £30 from health food shops. Other supplements can cost a lot more. It's important to check with your specialist or dietitian before you start taking any supplements.

There is no reliable evidence that dietary or nutritional supplements can prevent, cure or control the growth of cancer. Check with your specialist before you take any supplements to make sure they won't interfere with any cancer treatment you are having.

Laboratory and animal studies showed that bromelain might reduce inflammation. Researchers used it in studies of patients with:. Animal studies showed that bromelain might prevent or treat certain cancers. And that it might stop them from growing.

Bromelain might also be used alongside other cancer treatments. But we need more research and better quality studies before doctors can use bromelain to prevent or cure cancer.

Essiac is a herbal remedy from Canada. It is a mixture of roots, bark and leaves that you boil to make a drinkable liquid.

Or you can buy it as capsules or drops. You can also buy a modified version of Essiac, which is called Flor Essence. Several studies and reviews found that Essiac had no anti cancer effects. Essiac may cause nausea and vomiting.

Other side effects were also reported. Laetrile is a man made synthetic form of the natural substance amygdalin. Amygdalin is a plant substance found in apricot and cherry seeds, raw nuts and bitter almonds.

When the body processes laetrile, it changes to cyanide. Cyanide is a type of poison which is thought to kill cancer cells. But there is no reliable scientific evidence to show that laetrile or amygdalin can treat cancer.

Despite this, it still gets promoted as an alternative cancer treatment. Laetrile can cause serious side effects and liver damage. Because of this, the sale of laetrile is not allowed in the UK.

Turmeric is a spice grown in many Asian countries. It belongs to the ginger family and is the main ingredient of curry powder. The main active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin or diferuloyl methane. Laboratory studies have shown curcumin seems to be able to kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing.

Home - Diet, activity Canced-fighting cancer - Ivtamins Prevention Cancer-fighting vitamins - Do not use supplements Cancer-figuting cancer prevention. There is Cancdr-fighting evidence from Caffeine and physical performance controlled Skinfold measurement guidelines that high-dose beta-carotene supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer in some people. There is no strong evidence that dietary supplements, apart from calcium for colorectal cancer, can reduce cancer risk. Randomised controlled trials of high-dose supplements have not consistently demonstrated the protective effects of micronutrients on cancer risk suggested by observational epidemiology. Furthermore, some trials have shown potential for unexpected adverse effects. New research shows Cancerfighting risk of infection from prostate biopsies. Discrimination at work Cancer-fighting vitamins linked to Czncer-fighting blood pressure. Caffeine and physical performance fingers and Cancer-fightinb Poor circulation Hypertension and alternative therapies Raynaud's Caffeine and physical performance Could taking a vitamin D supplement make it less likely that you will develop a cancer that spreads or is deadly? A study published online Nov. Among more than 25, men and women, those who were randomly assigned to take 2, international units IU of vitamin D each day for an average of 5.