The American Cancer Society expects approximately 1.5 million new cancer cases to be diagnosed in 2010 in the United States. As chemotherapy is a standard treatment for several different types of cancer, thousands of patients receive the systemic therapy each year. Kelp, or seaweed, has garnered interest recently for the role it may play in alleviating the side effects of chemotherapy. But whether or not it's right for you is not a simple yes or no answer.
Identification
Kelp is a leafy brown seaweed and one of the fastest growing plants in the world. Kelp is a nutritional powerhouse, containing vitamins A, C and E, which are known antioxidants. It is also a natural source of both iodine and minerals. Algin, a compound extracted from kelp, is used in a variety of foods like ice cream and chocolate milk to improve texture and help ingredients stick together. Algins are also used in things like toothpaste and cosmetics. Kelp has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat thyroid problems.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment, which means it travels through your bloodstream to all parts of your body. Chemo drugs are cytotoxic or cell killing and do not differentiate between healthy cells and cancerous ones. There are several different chemo drugs that work in different combinations and amounts. According to the American Cancer Society, your oncologist looks at factors like the type of cancer you have, the stage of your cancer or how far it has spread, along with your age and overall health when determining what chemo is right for you. Many chemo drugs have side effects that can be difficult for a patient to manage. These include hair loss, nausea, mouth sores, anemia or a low red blood cell count, fatigue, weight loss and an increased risk of infection. It's important to note that not all patients experience the same side effects or to the same degree.
Considerations
As kelp is rich in antioxidants, it's been suggested that it can help alleviate constipation, aid in digestion, minimize hair loss and promote healthy nails and blood vessels. Antioxidants help stop the damage that can happen to your cells when chemicals react with oxygen. Essentially, this means they have the potential to prevent the formation of free radicals or ions. As chemotherapy damages healthy cells along with cancerous ones, many patients wonder if they should take a kelp supplement to help their body fight cancer and speed their recovery. According to the American Cancer Society, "some scientists believe that taking high doses of antioxidants during treatment may make chemotherapy less effective." Some of the chemo drugs your oncologist may recommend work by making the same type of ions that antioxidants fight. Those ions harm the DNA of the cancer cells so they can't grow and multiply.
Recommendations
It's important to note that few studies have been done on the interaction between antioxidants and chemotherapy drugs and until more is known, it's important to talk to your oncologist before taking a kelp supplement or including kelp in your diet. You should also take into consideration the fact that companies who sell nutritional supplements like seaweed do not need to prove under Food and Drug Administration guidelines that they are safe or even effective. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take kelp supplements.
Warning
Beth Szuck, a registered dietitian with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's Breast Health Center, said it's also important to note that, "kelp may contain high concentrations of iodine and ingesting more that 150 mcg of iodine per day can cause hyperthyroidism or worsen existing hyperthyroidism." You should not take kelp if you are being treated for thyroid disease. Finally, if you are at all concerned about proper nutrition while on chemotherapy, speak to your doctor and try to eat a well-balanced diet which includes five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
