Nutraceuticals and Herbals

Oncologists routinely warn their patients not to use supplements, usually based on the belief that supplements that are anti-oxidants will interfere with both radiation and chemotherapy. While this issue is extremely complex, my own evaluation of the relevant evidence strongly disagrees with this opinion. Accordingly, I have posted my own analysis of the clinical evidence as an accompanying article on this website. Here I list the supplements that seem most likely to be efficacious, based on extensive laboratory data. Unfortunately, few clinical results are available to corroborate the experimental data, primary because the supplements cannot be patented; hence there is no financial incentive to develop their clinical usage. The result is that little information is available about the best dosage and about bioavailability, which is often a problem. However, a great deal is known about the mechanisms of action of the various supplements, which often overlap those of conventional drug therapy. A detailed consideration of such mechanisms is not possible here, as it would require a great deal of molecular biology. A special issue (2009, Vol. 269, Issue #2) of the journal, Cancer Letters, was devoted to the molecular targets of many of the individual agents to be considered. A more general review is provided in Reference 257. The list of supplements to be considered is necessarily selective. Undoubtedly, there are numerous other agents that could be useful that are omitted.

List of Nutraceutical Treatments