The Food and Drug Administration reports that lung cancer kills more Americans yearly than any other form of cancer, and that more women succumb to lung cancer than to breast cancer. Lung cancer develops when cells in the lung grow out of control, impairing lung function and potentially spreading to other parts of the body. Inositol is a natural chemical that may lower your risk of lung cancer or improve the outcome if you already have lung cancer. Consult your doctor to determine if taking inositol is a good strategy for you.
Causes and Symptoms
Although there are several forms of lung cancer, almost all are caused by smoking cigarettes. People who began smoking at an early age and those who smoke high numbers of cigarettes daily are at the highest risk. Exposure to radiation, asbestos or high levels of air pollution may also raise your risk of developing lung cancer. Symptoms include a persistent cough, sometimes with bloody sputum, shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, fatique or weight loss.
Inositol
Your body obtains inositol from food and converts it into inositol hexaphosphate, or IP6, which performs many functions in your cells. It is used as a signalling molecule in many metabolic pathways, including several essential for making calcium available to your cells. IP6 may also relay signals from outside cells into the nucleus, where cell division begins. It may help prevent abnormal messages that tell a cancer cell to continue growing from reaching the nucleus and it may promote death of these malignant cells.
The Evidence
Numerous laboratory studies have provided evidence that inositol may block the development of lung cancer. A paper published in 2006 in the journal "Nutrition and Cancer" reviewed positive findings from several studies, indicating that inositol leads to tumor destruction, prevents division of cancer cells and may enhance the benefits of chemotherapy drugs in several types of cancers. A clinical trial of inositol to prevent lung cancer in current or former smokers was underway as of early 2011, co-sponsored by the Mayo Clinic and the National Cancer Institute.
Sources and Recommendations
Inositol is a natural component of many foods, including most cereals, grains, meats and legumes such as peas, lentils and beans. It is also available as a supplement from most health food stores. The recommended dose is 500 mg, twice daily. Inositol is considered a safe supplement with no known side effects. However, it may interfere with some prescription medications such as blood thinners and it may also lower your body's ability to absorb minerals such as calcium or zinc. Discuss the use of inositol with your doctor before you make it part of your daily routine.
References
- Food and Drug Administration: Lung Cancer
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Inositol Hexaphosphate
- American Cancer Society: Inositol Hexaphosphate
- "Nutrition and Cancer;" Protection Against Cancer by Dietary IP6 and Inositol; I. Vucenik and A. Shamsuddin; 2006
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Inositol in Preventing Lung Cancer in Current or Former Smokers With Bronchial Dysplasia
- MedlinePlus: Lung Cancer
