Antioxidants May Make Cancer Worse?
One camp holds that taking antioxidants during cancer treatment could interfere with the way chemo and radiation work and diminish their benefits to the patient. This is because radiation and some chemotherapy agents work by generating free radicals, which then kill rapidly dividing cancer cells. Since antioxidants scavenge free radicals, they might interfere with the therapeutic effects of these treatments.
The opposing argument is that oxidation supports the proliferation of malignant cells and may itself interfere with treatment. People who hold this view maintain that antioxidants may counter the harmful effects of oxidation in the malignant process and thereby increase the effects of drugs or radiation therapy to the benefit of the patient. Moreover, they note that some evidence suggests that antioxidant supplements offer patients protection from the toxic effects of therapy.
Let's dive into the realm of science and research.
Antioxidants are often marketed in products from foods to skin creams as a way to ward off aging and cancer.
While antioxidants seem to have some benefits, ongoing research shows that although they don’t cause cancer they may fuel growth of the disease once it does appear.
The latest research from an international team of scientists shows that, at least in mice, antioxidants used in diabetes medication can spur the spread of existing cancers, specifically liver and colon cancers.
The research, published in the journal
This, in turn, boosts the cells’ ability to migrate from their source and invade other parts of the body.
Researchers note that this highlights antioxidants’ potential to fuel the spread of cancer.
Scientists believe that diabetes is caused by oxidative stress that occurs when the body has an imbalance between reactive oxygen species, known as “free radicals,” and the body’s ability to get rid of them.
This kind of oxidative stress is why antioxidants are often added to diabetes drugs. They can be helpful in ushering out free radicals, which have also been linked to cancers.
According to the American Diabetes Association, age, tobacco use, being male, white or black, overweight, or inactive increase a person’s risk of both diabetes and cancer. Worldwide, the numbers of people with both diabetes and cancer are rising.
As researchers are still trying to explain the link between diabetes and cancer, the new research suggests there may be cause to suspect diabetes drugs containing antioxidants may help cancer cells spread once they’ve formed.
The new research, led by Hui Wang of the department of endocrinology at Xinqiao Hospital in Chongqing, China, began with mice with liver and colon cancers.
Researchers gave the mice diabetes drugs with antioxidants to see the effects on cancerous tumors.
The research team, comprised of scientists in China, Germany, and the U.S., found that while these antioxidant-infused drugs didn’t raise the risk of developing cancer, they did speed up the spread of the tumors. It did this, they say, by protecting the cancer cells from oxidative stress.
This, in turn, activated what scientists call the NRF2 signaling pathway and triggered the production of proteins that promote metastasis. Researchers noted that deleting or blocking NRF2 reduced the cancer’s ability to spread.
Besides mice, which aren’t always as reflective of humans as researchers would like, the team analyzed liver tumor samples from human patients. They found the expression of NRF2 correlated with the spread of cancer cells.
The researchers concluded that in light of their results, further studies should be done on the safety of antioxidant-containing diabetes drugs, especially those being used in patients with cancer.
However, before any meaningful clinical decisions can be made, these studies need to be replicated in human patients.
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The research is far from being alone in suggesting antioxidants have a role in the spread of cancer.
A 2014 study, also published in Science Translational Medicine, showed a connection when mice were given vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties, and the drug N-acetylcysteine (NAC). NAC is used as a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In that study, a team of Swedish researchers found the more antioxidants given to mice, the quicker they died from lung cancer. The presence of antioxidants caused a three-fold increase in tumor growth, researchers found.
The same researcher, Martin Bergö, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Gothenburg’s department of molecular and clinical medicine, concluded in 2015 that an excess of antioxidants might speed up the spread of skin cancer.
While supplementing your diet with antioxidants may appear to do more harm than good for cancer patients, the research is still preliminary and results are based on animal models.
The
“Additional large randomized controlled trials are needed to provide clear scientific evidence about the potential benefits or harms of taking antioxidant supplements during cancer treatment,” the ACS website states. “Until more is known about the effects of antioxidant supplements in cancer patients, these supplements should be used with caution.”
Key Takeaways
A systematic review of the available evidence regarding the use of vitamin and mineral supplements for the prevention of chronic diseases, including cancer, conducted for the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) likewise found no clear evidence of benefit in preventing cancer (Source), published in 2013.It is possible that the lack of benefit in clinical studies can be explained by differences in the effects of the tested antioxidants when they are consumed as purified chemicals as opposed to when they are consumed in foods, which contain complex mixtures of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals (Source). Therefore, acquiring a more complete understanding of the antioxidant content of individual foods, how the various antioxidants and other substances in foods interact with one another, and factors that influence the uptake and distribution of food-derived antioxidants in the body are active areas of ongoing cancer prevention research.
If you want to take in more antioxidants, health experts recommend eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of antioxidants. Taking large doses of antioxidant supplements or vitamin-enhanced foods or liquids is usually not recommended while getting chemo or radiation therapy. Talk with your doctor to find out the best time to take antioxidant supplements.
Sources and References:
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/evidence-antioxidants-fuel-cancer-fb
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