A new study suggests that patients with breast cancer who use nutritional supplements during chemotherapy are more likely to return to disease and death.
Researchers in the Journal of Clinical Oncology report that it appears that the use of dietary supplements that increase the levels of antioxidants, iron, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids reduces the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
"We draw from this and other research that it may not be wise to take nutritional supplements during chemotherapy," said Christine Ambroson, head of the Department of Cancer Prevention and deputy head of the Population Science division at the Roswell Park Cancer Center in New York. She explained that "it is believed that antioxidants may interfere with the ability of chemotherapy to kill cancer cells." She added: "The only way chemotherapy works is to generate a lot of oxidative stress inside the cell." The idea is that antioxidants may prevent oxidative stress and make chemotherapy less effective. ”
Ambroson reported that doctors have been advising patients for several years not to take antioxidants during chemotherapy, "but there were no strong empirical data to support this recommendation."