Antioxidant supplements? Advised not to take during radiation?

lunchlady61

I had my first appointment yesterday with the RO and also the MO.... I was given a handout (another one to join the pile! ..I need to buy a filing cabinet!!) anyhow I also had to provide a list of medications/supplements that I take on a regular basis and I was surprised to see some of the antionxidants on the list that I shouldn't take during radiation..... It did say it was safe to eat foods that contain them but NOT take the supplements.  Just when you think you are doing something good to try and be healthier and try and ward off this disease by taking supplements along comes someone telling you not to take them!!  So confusing! Now it is making me more nervous about even eating some of the foods.

Moderators

Hi Lunchlady,

You may find it helpful to read the page Vitamins to Avoid During Radiation page from the main Breastcancer.org site, for info on why avoiding antioxidants is recommended.

Hope this helps!

--The Mods

lunchlady61

Thanks Mods... That basically is what the handout said and I "get" what the theory is,,, I am just confused on which ones.  My MO told me to definitely keep taking calcium and vitamin D, but the D is on the list here on this site.... I am also going to be taking Aromasin starting now and I understand I need the calcium and D to protect my bones..... I just feel like if I am doing the radiation that it should be as effective as possible or why go through the trouble? and if I am counter acting that somehow by taking vitamins then I would like to know. 

corky60

My RO said not to take extra antioxidants but I could take my daily multivitamin and also eat foods that have antioxidants.  He said that the day after rads end I can take the extra antioxidants.  I wonder if some folks take super megadoses of vitamins thinking it will help and the dr. wants to avoid that?

SelenaWolf

corky60... that's exactly it.  Many, many people megadose vitamins such as E and C, thinking that it will help fight the cancer.  And they don't always tell their doctors because they think that, since it's a vitamin, that it's "safe".  Keep in mind that the antioxident/radiation issue is not conclusive, although the scientific thinking behind the theory is sound.  Most RO's err on the side of caution and advise no antioxidents, especially since the theory hasn't been "dis-proven" either.

lunchlady61

Thanks for the input girls.... I never megadosed any of the supplements and in fact I honestly never took them to ward off breast cancer specifically ( I guess I thought I was invincible to this disease but I was wrong!! ) They were just mostly to keep my bones healthy and an Omega 3 to keep my heart healthy etc.... nothing extreme by any means.  I just found the information here on this site and in the handout to be conflicting.  I do try to eat healthy and I guess by the theory they are suggesting it makes me wonder if I should even drink green tea and eat tomatoes etc, etc.... so much information and "stuff" to consider with all this.  It really gets mind boggling!

Anonymous

My RO told me not to take Vit E, A and D.  I figured it wouldn't hurt me for 6 weeks to avoid those vitamins...it didn't.

Claire

PatinMN

My RO told me to avoid vitamins A, C and E during radiation (although my daily multivitamin was OK) and also to stop taking fish oil, which is an antioxidant. When I finished radiation the RO suggested that I continue to avoid the antioxidants for two more weeks, as the radiation was still working in my body. Interesting that protocols are so different with different docs!

lunchlady61

I have an appointment for my simulation today and I am going to ask further... the one big conflict I see is vitamin D.... My MO who has already prescribed Aromasin wants me to keep taking the D and also lots of Calcium to keep my bones healthy because apparently the Aromasin is damaging to bones and the Radiation handouts say not to take D.  I don't know why I am so anxious about this radiation stuff.  More so than anything else I have been through so far... it just seems like there are so many long term negatives to it.... I'm almost as scared of the radiation as I am of the cancer coming back!

sciencegal

I found a study where women on turmeric had better skin through radiation than those who did not take it. This is an anti-inflammatory, not anti-oxidant, but kind of fits with the theme of this thread.



It was a fairly small study, N=30 in each group, but enough for me to keep taking it. My docs didnt have an opinion and it keeps my lungs clear from asthma, so can't hurt.

Ariom

sciencegal, could you tell me how you take the Tumeric, and the dosage for asthma?

SheilaB330

Radiation releases the free radicals so they can bounce around and slaughter cancer cells. Antioxidant supplements not a good idea because binds them. But my ROOM said eating something that was high antioxidant - blueberries etc was fine as wouldn't get the same amount that you would in a supplement.



I have Stage IIIa cancer. I have heard that recurrence is generally at a higher level. So doing the math, I want to do everything to take care of me this time. And then pray no recurrence. Check with oncologist about everything. Good to meet with your RO about your future radiation treatment even though it likely won't be for months. I am glad I did as she is wonderful. Good luck!

GrammyR

SheilaB330 I only discovered this thread on supplements today. I start Rads next weel for 6 weeks near my collar bone-neck area for return of ER + BC. Had been OK for 6 years and now this surprise as I was having arm pain and weakness. I do take several suppliments and will ask when I go in for simulation and marking Monday. I see you have bio a little similar to mine. My Onc will not call the stage but as a 1cm lesion seen in one lung I will presume I am a IV. I had not even thought about perhaps having Rads again ( too scary). The one thing I will be going back to very stictly is NO added food hormones. I discovered thta Almond Breeze tastes good w/cereal and no sugar.

dobby

My mom was told avoid A, C, and E.  Multi ok.  Surprised to read about D.