Many people use vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements in hopes of preventing disease, especially cancer. A number of natural supplements are available that may either prevent or kill tumors. While many of these supplements have been extensively studied, others are in a more preliminary stage of clinical testing. Talk to your doctor to learn more about how certain supplements may reduce your risk for cancer.
Vitamin D
A number of clinical studies described by the American Cancer Society suggest that having high levels of vitamin D in your body is associated with a lower risk for developing certain cancers. According to these studies, vitamin D supplementation may be very effective in preventing colon cancer but less so in reducing the incidence of prostate or breast cancer. These studies also suggest that vitamin D supplement doses should be in the range of 1,000 IU per day; doses of 400 IU had minimal effects in preventing some cancers in women. Researchers are also looking to see whether or not vitamin D can benefit people who already have cancer. Vitamin D may help make some chemotherapy drugs more potent. If you are currently on a chemotherapy regimen, only use vitamin D under the guidance of your physician.
Green Tea Extract
The National Cancer Institute explains that green tea and green tea extracts may help to prevent cancer. Green tea contains a number of different chemical compounds that contribute to both preventing and killing cancer. Green tea is most likely to prevent colon, lung and prostate cancers. More research is needed to determine how effective green tea really is at preventing cancer in real cancer patients. While green tea has been extensively shown to kill cancer in the laboratory, encouraging studies show that green tea extract can lower levels of cancer cells in cancer patients. One study described by Science Daily shows that the green tea extract epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can reduce the number of cancer cells in leukemia patients. Green tea is typically safe to drink but green tea supplements may have some side effects. Consult your doctor before using green tea supplements to prevent cancer.
Lycopene
Lycopene is a compound isolated from tomatoes that has antioxidant effects that may prevent cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, population studies suggest that diets rich in lycopene are associated with lower cancer rates. Lycopene has also been shown to decrease the growth of tumors in animals with cancer. Research indicates that lycopene may have a strong protective effect against prostate cancer and may also help to prevent bladder, lung, stomach, cervical and skin cancers. Consult with your physician about the dangers of side effects and drug interactions before using supplements.
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