Vitamins for what ails you

I had read this before about B1 (thiamin) in high doses can promote the growth of cancer cells:

http://www.prescription2000.com/experts/cancer4.html

When you look at the side panel of cereals and pasta and a lot of other products, you'll see that some are highly fortified with thiamin.

http://www.cancerfacts.com/Home_News.asp?NewsId=1777&CB=14&CancerTypeId=4

Dec. 16, 2004 – A form of vitamin E not found in most manufactured nutritional supplements but is plentiful in many nuts and seeds might halt the growth of prostate and lung cancer cells, according to a new study.

and

But because most nutritional supplements contain only alpha-tocopherol, a different form of vitamin E that does not have these anticancer properties, it may be better to supplement the diet with mixed forms of vitamin E. The study shows that the anticancer effect is enhanced when mixed forms are used."

Research on Vit. A and the role it plays in BC.
Also, in England they're looking at Vit. D and they also found a glitch in that D receptor gene.

http://health.yahoo.com/news/54098

If we could get the two research hospitals together with their A and D findings, maybe this research could move along faster?

Vitamin E supplementation is under attack from all sides:

Supplementation with the antioxidants vitamin E and beta carotene may cause unexpected problems in patients with head and neck cancer, researchers warn.

Reporting in the April 6 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, investigators at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada, studied 540 head and neck cancer patients who'd been treated with radiation therapy between 1994 and 2000.


The patients received supplementation with either a placebo, or vitamin E and beta carotene -- a precursor of vitamin A -- during radiation therapy and then for the following three years.


Although patients were tracked for an average of more than four years, beta carotene supplementation in this study was halted at one year after another trial found an increased risk of lung cancer among smokers who took the nutrient.


The researchers report that patients who received vitamin E supplements were at greater risk of developing a second primary cancer while receiving supplementation, as well as a lower risk of a second primary cancer after the end of supplementation, compared with patients who took a placebo.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&am...headneckcancers

Another good site for vitamin info:

http://www.anyvitamins.com/vitamin-info.htm#Fat%20soluble%20vitamins

Cindi,

During radiation, my rad onc didn't want me to use anti-oxidants. They think it might interfere with the what the rays are doing. That's all I remember about what not to take.

About what to take, good luck if you find a Dr. that is knowledgable. I haven't found one yet, sorry to say.

Rosemary

Do you think they'll stop spending money on vit. E research. Ok, we get it!

Women's health study finds vitamin E does not protect women from heart attack, stroke, or cancer

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-07/nhla-whs063005.php

But it does after we reach 65.

The study finding of a decrease in major cardiovascular events among women age 65 years and older is relatively unique, added Dr. Lee. "Almost all previous trials have not reported findings by age. If other current trials provide age-related results, these additional data will help clarify the Women's Health Study results of benefit among the women aged 65 years and older," she said

Vitamin C Kills Cancer cells



http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=238356&source=r_health



"High doses of vitamin C injected into the bloodstream may be effective at combating cancer, a US team from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, reports in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.



It found that the vitamin, in the form of ascorbate, killed cancer cells in laboratory conditions. Cultures of a range of nine cancer and four normal cell types were studied by the team.



In five of the cancer lines there was a 50 per cent decrease in cell survival, while normal cells were unaffected. Growth of lymphoma cells was reduced by at least 99 per cent."



And



http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/050915/86082.html



The institute's research documents that vitamin C, when used in combination with the amino acids L-lysine and L-proline and a polyphenol fraction of green tea known as Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG), could not only kill cancer cells, but limit tumor growth, its infiltration by blood vessels (angiogenesis), and completely stop the invasion and spread of more than two dozen cancer cell types. While the NIH study showed a 50 percent decrease in survival of cancer cells exposed to high doses of vitamin C in five out of nine cancer cell types, the combination of nutrients used by Rath's group was effective not only in eliminating cancer cells, but in arresting cancer cell tissue invasion -- a hallmark of metastasis responsible for 90 percent of deaths from cancer.

Some more on Vitamin A

side effects:
• High dietary intake of retinol seems to be associated with osteoporosis and increased risk for hip fracture.
(Melhus H, et al. Ann Intern Med 1998 Nov 15;129(10):770-778.)
• Some recent double-blind research indicates that supplementation with synthetic beta-carotene by smokers may be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. This may be due to a resulting relative deficiency of other antioxidants.
(Albanes D, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 1996;88:1560-1570; Omenn GS, et al. N Engl J Med 1996;334:1150-1155.)

http://home.caregroup.org/clinical/altmed/interactions/Nutrients/Vitamin_A.htm

We need to be taking more Vit. D. They still don't know how much though. Of course, more study is needed.



"For maintaining calcium metabolism, intake of calcium levels above 800 milligrams daily is probably unnecessary provided that vitamin D status is adequate, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.



Our study suggests that vitamin D sufficiency may be more important than high calcium intake in maintaining desired values of serum PTH," the authors conclude. "Vitamin D may have a calcium-sparing effect and as long as vitamin D status is ensured, calcium intake levels of more than 800 mg/d may be unnecessary for maintaining calcium metabolism."



http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051109/hl_nm/calcium_vitamin_d_dc_1



Also, Vitamin D aids in lung cancer survival:



http://www.wjla.com/headlines/0405/221984.html

Thanks Anne,



That is very interesting advice in that Handbook. I have to say that it's the first time I ever read that we should not have any oils, or fats at all because it interferes with our immune system. That advice is found in Section 7, immune boosting foods.



Just today the AHA came out with advice about it being heart healthy to take olive oil everyday. I don't know what to make of this conflicting advice?



I guess I'll read the oil research and make up my mind which to follow.



Rosemary



I found this: Olive oil didn't affect NK cell activity.



Consumption of diets rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) has been linked with a low prevalence of atherosclerosis and there has been great interest in the effects of MUFAs on lipoprotein metabolism. Less attention has been paid to the effects of MUFAs on the immune system, yet cells of the immune system are an inherent part of the inflammatory events involved in atherosclerosis and several animal studies showed that olive oil has some potent immunomodulatory actions. We therefore considered it important to investigate the effects of chronic consumption of MUFAs on several immune cell functions in healthy humans. Healthy middle-aged males entered a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial in which they consumed either a MUFA diet or a control diet for 2 mo. There was a significant decrease in the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects consuming the MUFA diet. Consumption of the MUFA diet did not affect natural killer cell activity or proliferation of mitogen- stimulated leukocytes. The effects of a MUFA-rich diet on adhesion molecule expression may have implications for the influence of dietary fat on inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis.

More on Folic Acid:



http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/12/11/1188



Higher plasma total cysteine concentrations were significantly associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. For women in the highest quintile of plasma total cysteine, compared with those in the lowest quintile, the multivariate relative risk was 0.44 (95% confidence interval, 0.26–0.74). This association was dose dependent (P for trend = 0.002) and independent of plasma measures of folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and total homocysteine. The inverse association between plasma total cysteine concentrations and risk of breast cancer was not significantly modified by other risk factors for breast cancer, except that a stronger association was observed among women who were leaner. The findings from this prospective study suggest that higher plasma concentrations of total cysteine predict a reduced risk of breast cancer. Cysteine or its precursors might have the potential to be chemopreventive against breast cancer.



AND:



Homocysteine is chemically transformed into methionine and cysteine with the help of folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6. Therefore, insufficient amounts of these vitamins in the body can hamper the natural breakdown of homocysteine. This can cause homocysteine to accumulate in the blood. Conversely, a higher folic acid intake and higher levels of body folate are associated with lower blood homocysteine levels.

I take a liquid cal/mag. They say it's better absorbed. The "They" is the company who sells it. I can't find anyone else talking about liquid being better absorbed.

Taking it after some food so the acids in the stomach can break it down is good, and also taking more Vit. D. Foods rich in vit. K also help for strong bones.

Breaking up the doses about 5 hrs apart is recommended at 500 mgs. a dose. If you can, the last dose you take should be in the evening.

Vitamin

According to the researchers, the studies -- from 1966 to 2004 -- suggest that vitamin D can reduce the risk of colon, breast and ovarian cancers, among others, by as much as 50 percent.



Dosage suggested:



Garland urges everyone to consume 1,000 International Units (IUs) a day of the active form of Vitamin D -- also known by its human form, Vitamin D3 -- which comes in yogurt, cheese, orange juice, fatty fish and milk.



By contrast, Sandon said adults aged 19 to 50 should get 200 IUs a day, equivalent to two glasses of fortified milk. People aged 50 to 70 should get 400 IUs, she said, while those 71 and older should get 700. But she acknowledged that "it is difficult to get this much vitamin D from food alone.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20051228/hl_hsn/vitamindmaypreventsomecancers