Antioxidants And Chemotherapy: A Huge Controversy

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The question whether it is safe to take antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy treatment has been asked over and over again. To date, there has been no firm reply either way, as there is a massive conflict of opinions going on between medical oncologists and nutritionists.

There is a lot of positive information available from studies which state that the use of antioxidants protects healthy cells from the chemotherapy, and many of the results show that the effectiveness of the chemotherapy is actually enhanced. On the other hand, some oncologists have stated that antioxidants may defeat the purpose of the chemo treatment by also protecting cancer cells from free radicals. There is however no positive proof of this, and at this stage is only a theory.

 

The Role Antioxidants May Play In Cancer Treatment

  • Research has shown that folk suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy can get relief from antioxidants which enhance the effects of chemo on tumours, and reduce unpleasant side effects.
  • Conclusive studies have indicated that antioxidants and other nutrients do not negatively impact on chemotherapy or radiation, but may actually elevate the chemo effectiveness in killing the tumour.
  • According to cancer researchers, some cancers are becoming resistant to chemo drugs. In addition to increasing the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemo agents, antioxidants also help prevent healthy cells from being damaged by the free radicals that accompany chemotherapy.
  • Antioxidants are excellent for dealing with inflammation in the body. Cancer and all other diseases thrive on inflammation, which is often caused by free radicals when immunity is low.

There is no evidence to suggest that foods or drinks that are rich in antioxidants should be avoided during cancer therapy.

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