1. < Cancer

Supplements during chemotherapy

Posted by beebe @beebe, Apr 1 12:17pm

Has anyone used berberine during Chemotherapy? It may lower blood sugar levels, thin blood, kill some gut bacteria (some good and some bad bacteria are affected). Berberine exhibits multiple anticancer mechanisms, including reducing cancer cell growth, preventing metastasis, and inducing apoptosis. It may also enhance the effects of other cancer treatments, by sensitizing cells to chemotherapeutic drugs via interactions with DNA repair proteins.
It can strengthen contractions in people with congestive heart failure, increase bilirubin levels causing yellowing of the skin, and lower blood pressure.
The cancer killing aspects sound great, some of the side effects, not so much.
I am interested in any other supplements that might be of benefit during chemotherapy. My oncologist has only cautioned me not to take curcumin.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer Support Group.

beebe | @beebe | Apr 6 10:31am
In reply to @markymarkfl "@beebe , Please push for these questions to be answered at a follow-up or by telephone..." + (show)
@markymarkfl

@beebe , Please push for these questions to be answered at a follow-up or by telephone sooner if necessary. One of the infusion nurses should be able to relay a question or two to the pharmacist or to your oncologist. Once you've gotten stuff established, you might also check to see if you have or can get a "portal" connection to them on the computer.

When I first started chemo, the oncology pharmacist set up an "orientation" phone call with me to provide info and Q&A time about my drugs. I got her phone number and email address for follow-ups, which was very helpful. She identified that a couple "basically friendly" supplements I had been taking could affect my CA19-9 test results or interfere with my chemo drugs. Definitely worthwhile!

I agree, the About Herbs site/app are basically just there for general education / familiarization, but might help you formulate the best questions for your specialists. Their time is so limited it can be hard for them to cover a bunch of random questions.

Good luck with your next infusion(s) and your recovery from the first! Noise-cancelling headphones and some good music (or at least a set of earplugs) are lifesavers, to distract from the beeping pumps if nothing else.

Jump to this post

Thanks for your input, I will take my supplement list with me to my next infusion and ask the Nurse to check with the pharmacist. So far my doctor has not said no to anything besides curcumin which I have read interferes with the blood level readings for your liver.

REPLY
1 reply
markymarkfl | @markymarkfl | Apr 6 9:00pm
In reply to @beebe "Thanks for your input, I will take my supplement list with me to my next infusion..." + (show)
@beebe

Thanks for your input, I will take my supplement list with me to my next infusion and ask the Nurse to check with the pharmacist. So far my doctor has not said no to anything besides curcumin which I have read interferes with the blood level readings for your liver.

Jump to this post

Vitamin B7 (Biotin) can definitely interfere with CA19-9 tests for pancreatic cancer.

There were interactions between antioxidants in general related to either clearance or effectiveness of Abraxane or Cisplatin. (I can't find the original email and don't recall details, but will post them if I can find them again.)

Very useful info for sure.

REPLY
dlmdinia | @dlmdinia | Apr 7 7:04am
In reply to @beebe "What a zoo it was at the oncologist office yesterday for my first infusion. The oncologist..." + (show)
@beebe

What a zoo it was at the oncologist office yesterday for my first infusion. The oncologist office has joined a local hospital and were training new staff, it was so noisy at times, like sitting in an airport!
Unfortunately the pharmacist who was on-site is now somewhere in the hospital which is miles away from the infusion center, so I won't be able to ask him supplement questions.

Jump to this post

Ask your infusion nurse. Not only do these saints have a vast store of knowledge and helpful advice, if they don't have an answer they'll reach out on your behalf.

REPLY
moshi | @moshi | Apr 7 8:57pm

Greetings fellow Breast Cancer person.

I'm a Triple Negative total Warrior in this crappy battle. 5 treatments into a 16 treatment regiment. The best shield I have is my diet. I've turned myself into the best nutritionalist I know because if I don't... I'll die sooner. It's the only thing I have control over. Pretty simple. You should do your own research and be proud of it. and then do more research and ask fact based questions. Don't waste the precious time you get with specialists on questions you can find answers for on your own.

....yeah, we're all going to die someday... but not yet for me, at least let me put up the best fight I can. My job is to keep me alive for the next 40 years. My oncologist is a little too gentle for the type of person I am, so when she gently said I shouldn't take the supplements I thought I loved I didn't listen at first... until I started looking up everything that went into my body. Wow, crazy stuff. She should've hit me with a hammer.... probably not acceptable. I'm down to only taking a calcium with D, flaxseed, melatonin, and I think I'm going to add cbd to my regime. Even my oncologist didn't say no.... not THC, but CBD. For example, when I google a nutrient, or herb or food... I put: TNBC and white rice (long grain brown is better), or whatever food or drug I'm taking... like TAXOl, and I view how whatever I'm putting in my body helps my battle. I want to help enhance what my chemo is doing while at the same time protect, and then I throw my brilliant thinking at my cancer team. You can figure this out...

For me: Ginger tea all day long for hydration... (ginger actually kills cancer cells) look it up. Camomille is another thing to look up and decide for yourself. Quinoa mush in the morning and a smoothie with a protein/iron supplement powder.
I drink my water with chamomile all night long after 5 pm. I also fast 13 hrs at night before I eat breakfast. No more red meat for me means I need to focus on where I get my iron... Black beans, Salmon, Chicken, Broccoli, Kale, Chia seeds, red quinoa, walnuts, nondairy yogurt... are my best friends.
You're Strong, you're Brave. you're Beautiful.... oh yeah, I'm almost going to add BALD to mine... brave, beautiful, bald,... that can work.
These are my choices. I'm wishing the best on yours, ... and to hear what you're doing.

REPLY
1 reply
beebe | @beebe | Apr 8 1:14pm
In reply to @moshi "Greetings fellow Breast Cancer person. I'm a Triple Negative total Warrior in this crappy battle. 5..." + (show)
@moshi

Greetings fellow Breast Cancer person.

I'm a Triple Negative total Warrior in this crappy battle. 5 treatments into a 16 treatment regiment. The best shield I have is my diet. I've turned myself into the best nutritionalist I know because if I don't... I'll die sooner. It's the only thing I have control over. Pretty simple. You should do your own research and be proud of it. and then do more research and ask fact based questions. Don't waste the precious time you get with specialists on questions you can find answers for on your own.

....yeah, we're all going to die someday... but not yet for me, at least let me put up the best fight I can. My job is to keep me alive for the next 40 years. My oncologist is a little too gentle for the type of person I am, so when she gently said I shouldn't take the supplements I thought I loved I didn't listen at first... until I started looking up everything that went into my body. Wow, crazy stuff. She should've hit me with a hammer.... probably not acceptable. I'm down to only taking a calcium with D, flaxseed, melatonin, and I think I'm going to add cbd to my regime. Even my oncologist didn't say no.... not THC, but CBD. For example, when I google a nutrient, or herb or food... I put: TNBC and white rice (long grain brown is better), or whatever food or drug I'm taking... like TAXOl, and I view how whatever I'm putting in my body helps my battle. I want to help enhance what my chemo is doing while at the same time protect, and then I throw my brilliant thinking at my cancer team. You can figure this out...

For me: Ginger tea all day long for hydration... (ginger actually kills cancer cells) look it up. Camomille is another thing to look up and decide for yourself. Quinoa mush in the morning and a smoothie with a protein/iron supplement powder.
I drink my water with chamomile all night long after 5 pm. I also fast 13 hrs at night before I eat breakfast. No more red meat for me means I need to focus on where I get my iron... Black beans, Salmon, Chicken, Broccoli, Kale, Chia seeds, red quinoa, walnuts, nondairy yogurt... are my best friends.
You're Strong, you're Brave. you're Beautiful.... oh yeah, I'm almost going to add BALD to mine... brave, beautiful, bald,... that can work.
These are my choices. I'm wishing the best on yours, ... and to hear what you're doing.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for sharing your dietary approach to healing. I really like how you do the TNBC search. I think I will find that helpful. After my consult with a dietician oncologist I added more protein to my diet, I was already eating 3 salads a day so was good on the veggies and fiber. I agree with you, ginger is a lifesaver, especially when I have just a hint of nausea.

REPLY
moshi | @moshi | Apr 8 7:12pm

To me… I can do better than lettuce for nutrient filled greens… at least have spinach. I didn’t realize how much calcium is in cooked kale, just have to make it taste better… mushrooms and stir fry it up with whatever I have,

REPLY
RickK | @sosereal | Apr 8 7:56pm

Hello, my mayo dietitian / pharmacist, cautioned against Berberine as it increases the level of Docetaxel and Omeprazole. Chemo triggers the cancer cells which the chemo targets. Antioxidants can protect these cancer cells .
Ellagic acid, Bromelain, D3, Lutein. B12, Iron and Probiotics were all cleared under my FLOT and FOLFLOX therapies. - Rick

REPLY
moshi | @moshi | Apr 8 9:10pm

I just googled Berberine and taxol… as well as doxyrubicin (adriamyacin) and continued to only find anti cancer properties of berberine.. it’s mostly turmeric.? I agree not to add it as a supplement, just in normal food… . I quit taking turmeric a while back . Kale, broccoli, chia seeds and quinoa are some of my staples…

REPLY
RickK | @sosereal | Apr 12 8:28pm

Hello, This is expanded information I received from the Mayo for my FLOT and FOLFOX chemotherapy.
I hope this helps. In research it seams for supplements; every positive study has a negative one. I personally feel that Bromeline and Ellagic acid works well. Some studies indicate; Iron and b-12 has some increase of poorer out comes and cancer reoccurrence. The following is a reply from my Mayo pharmacist;

Yes: Vitamin D3, ferrous sulfate, lutein, ellagic acid, bromelains bulk powder, B12-methyltetrahydrofolate-B6, cyanocobalamin, vitamin B-12, multivitamin with iron pediatric, lactobacillus acidophilus (probiotic)

No: co-enzyme Q-10, astaxanthin, milk thistle, quercetin, N-acetyl L-Cysteine, resveratrol, berberine chloride, alpha lipoic acid
Good luck! RickK

REPLY
1 reply
beebe | @beebe | Apr 13 7:22am
In reply to @sosereal "Hello, This is expanded information I received from the Mayo for my FLOT and FOLFOX chemotherapy...." + (show)
@sosereal

Hello, This is expanded information I received from the Mayo for my FLOT and FOLFOX chemotherapy.
I hope this helps. In research it seams for supplements; every positive study has a negative one. I personally feel that Bromeline and Ellagic acid works well. Some studies indicate; Iron and b-12 has some increase of poorer out comes and cancer reoccurrence. The following is a reply from my Mayo pharmacist;

Yes: Vitamin D3, ferrous sulfate, lutein, ellagic acid, bromelains bulk powder, B12-methyltetrahydrofolate-B6, cyanocobalamin, vitamin B-12, multivitamin with iron pediatric, lactobacillus acidophilus (probiotic)

No: co-enzyme Q-10, astaxanthin, milk thistle, quercetin, N-acetyl L-Cysteine, resveratrol, berberine chloride, alpha lipoic acid
Good luck! RickK

Jump to this post

Great information Rick! Thanks for sharing. Interesting that ALA is on the no no list, I have read of people taking it for neuropathy. I am happy to see b-12, D3, and b-6 are ok. Too bad milk thistle and berberine are out, but it is good to know. I will run my list by the oncologist and chemo nurse in a few weeks to check on a few herbals I want to use for inflammation.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.