Angiogenesis is the ability of blood vessels to grow and develop from already available blood vessels in the body. In order to receive essential nutrients, according to the Angiogenesis Foundation, tumor cells exploit this process by tapping into our blood supply and utilizing essential nutrients, especially blood glucose. Although human data is very limited, several dietary supplements exhibit effects that can block angiogenesis against cancer cells in animal studies.
Selenium
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at NIH, selenium is an essential trace element, required for health in small quantities. Selenium acts as an anti-cancer agent through its anti-oxidant properties and anti-angiogenesis properties. According to the January 2010 issue of the "Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology," Dr. Jia-Guo Liu showed that selenium administration successfully blocked the appearance and activity of essential angiogenesis-related proteins, effectively decreasing liver cancer in rats. Selenium has several potential side effects. Selenium is not properly regulated for safety, dose or effectiveness. Consult your doctor before using.
Vitamin C
According to the 2008 issue of the "Journal of Translational Medicine," Dr. Nina A Mikirova found that high levels of vitamin C successfully inhibited blood vessel formation using human umbilical cord cells. According to the 2009 issue of the "Journal of Translational Medicine," Dr. Chang-Hwan Yeom studied the effects of vitamin C on the development of tumors that were induced in mice. The treatment successfully inhibited tumor growth by blocking angiogenesis. These findings may not equate to humans. Always seek medical consultation before using.
Vitamin D
According to the 2007 issue of "Molecular Cancer Therapeutics" Dr. Moshe Ben-Shoshan found that vitamin D inhibits angiogenesis in both human prostate cultured cancer cells and prostate animal tumors, in part, by inhibiting two essential angiogenesis proteins; Hypoxia-induced Factor-1 and Vascular Endothelial growth factor. Excessively high amounts of these proteins can contribute to angiogenesis and increased tumor development. More research is necessary to determine effectiveness of vitamin D in humans. According to MedlinePlus, high levels of vitamin D are very toxic. However, without proper FDA regulations, safe doses and side effects are not standardized and can vary widely from person to person. Please consult your doctor before using.
Genistein
Genistein is a dietary antixodiant supplement that is derived from soy. According to the 2005 issue of "World Journal of Gastroenterology," genistein can block growth and progression of several tumor types. Genistein successfully decreased the blood vessels in tumors induced by the injection of human liver cancer cells into mice. These animal studies function only as an artificial means to observe the effects of genistein on human cancers and do not necessarily equate to human effects. Do not use without proper medical advice.
References
- NIH-Office of Dietary Supplements: Selenium
- "Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology"; Effect of Selenium-Enriched Malt on VEGF and Several Relevant Angiogenic Cytokines in Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocarcinoma Rats; Jia-Guo Liua, Hong-Jin Zhaoa, Yan-Juan Liua and Xiao-Long Wang; January 2010
- "Journal of Translational Medicine"; Anti-angiogenic Effect of High Doses of Ascorbic Acid; Nina A Mikirova, Thomas E Ichim and Neil H Riordan; September 2008
- "Journal of Translational Medicine"; High Dose Concentration Administration of Ascorbic Acid Inhibits Tumor Growth in BALB/C Mice Implanted with Sarcoma 180 Cancer Cells via the Restriction of Angiogenesis; Chang-Hwan Yeom, Gunsup Lee, Jin-Hee Park Jaelim Yu, Seyeon Park, etal; August 2009
- "Molecular Cancer Therapeutics"; 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (Calcitriol) Inhibits Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Pathway in Human Cancer Cells; Moshe Ben-Shoshan, Sharon Amir, Duyen T. Dang, Long H. Dang, Yosef Weisman and Nicola J. Mabjeesh; April 2007
- "World Journal of Gastroenterology"; Genistein Inhibits Invasive Potential of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Altering Cell Cycle, Apoptosis, and Angiogenesis; Yan Gu, Chen-Fang Zhu, Hitoshi Iwamoto, and Ji-Sheng Chen; November 2005
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