jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...
The USPSTF concludes that the evidence is insufficient to determine the balance of benefits and harms of supplementation with multivitamins for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or cancer. Evidence is lacking and the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined.
From the article:
Brought to you by the:
US Preventive Services Task Force
The same folks who advised against PCa screening.
-Patrick
From Cancer Research UK
There is no reliable evidence that any dietary supplement can help to prevent cancer. Some research has found that taking certain supplements could increase the risk of some cancers developing.
cancerresearchuk.org/about-...
We have already got cancer.
And remember - no matter what the supplement maker claims, dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or relieve the effects of diseases.
See article below
Sam, it is sad you are buying into this claim, please do your research, choose carefully and a whole new healthier world will be yours. My husband and I have enjoyed this healthy lifestyle for over fifty years..I am still never needing any meds at all and my husband until PC the same. Keep an open mind!
World Cancer Research Fund International
There is no strong evidence that dietary supplements, apart from calcium for colorectal cancer, can reduce cancer risk.
From the NIH
Nutritional supplementation is now a multibillion-dollar industry, and about half of all US adults take supplements. Supplement use is fueled in part by the belief that nutritional supplements can ward off chronic disease, including cancer, although several expert committees and organizations have concluded that there is little to no scientific evidence that supplements reduce cancer risk. To the contrary, there is now evidence that high doses of some supplements increase cancer risk. Despite this evidence, marketing claims by the supplement industry continue to imply anticancer benefits.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
So do your research, do it right and take the supplements. You have cancer, throw everything at it that you can!!
I agree with you. Take what you can, eat from the Mediterranean diet, stay hydrated exercise and sleep. I have some things i want to talk about with Nutrients tomorrow when i have more time. thanks for listening. LRV
Dietary Supplements Shown to Increase Cancer Risk
While dietary supplements may be advertised to promote health, a forum at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2015 by University of Colorado Cancer Center investigator Tim Byers, MD, MPH, describes research showing that over-the-counter supplements may actually increase cancer risk if taken in excess of the recommended daily amount.
“We are not sure why this is happening at the molecular level but evidence shows that people who take more dietary supplements than needed tend to have a higher risk of developing cancer,” explains Byers, associate director for cancer prevention and control at the CU Cancer Center.
Exactly. You beat me to it.
Not only USPSTF ... but CNN too !!!!! Double whammy !!!!
Experts my ass!Well dam! I’ve spent $700 per month on nutrients for over seven years now . This plan was given to me by a naturalpathic oncologist … I tossed #4 APC in the drink over six years ago . I am convinced diet and nutrition matter fighting all cancers . Is it a cure ? Hell NO! There is no known cure for #4…… we buy time . 😎✌️
Fight on brother 🏜👍❤️
Luv ya Paul . Enjoy the season , the bike ,Mateo and the open road! God bless! 🙏
Nutritional supplements DO help people with Disturbances" in their body. The experts are educated people like Naturopaths functional MDS and Nutritionists, not drug companies.
The Drug companies who back the idea that supplements do no good don't want people to use natural things to help them. They want the money we spend on their drugs.
after all, what i have told my clients; "There is no money in wellness"
Do they cure Cancer? Maybe some, like mine, maybe not, but they do help the patient maintain balance in their bodies..........Of course you have to use quality supplements not the cheap ones that have lots of fillers. Everyone is different and a lot depends on their lifestyle as well (exercise, foods, supplements, sleep and emotions and thinking)
Just do what you think is best for you...........LRV
🌹🌹
"Evidence is lacking and the balance of benefits and harms cannot be determined."
Exactly why an individual needs to examine all available evidence specific to HIS particular disease and HIS specific supplement regime that he is considering. What might apply to the aggregate, of all people using all supplements for all reasons, may not apply to each individual.
Additionally, if spending brings no medical benefit or harm, but brings a psychic benefit (like spending on movies, music, and Sierra Nevada IPAs or a good Brunello di Montalcino), then money is not necessarily "wasted" in the subjective sense.
But it is certainly true that if you take something that tastes bad, causes your PC to progress, and gives you no feeling of benefit or pleasure or hope, you have wasted your money. Beware the seller of snake oil. (Not that the oil from Chinese water snakes DIDN'T help treat joint pain... just that many sellers weren't selling the "good stuff" that actually worked.)
I’ll raise a glass of Deschutes IPA to that. Brunello being beyond my means for informal occasions. (When are they going to screw tops anyway.) 😎
Ha, I haven't had a Brunello in years... even a mere Rosso is pricy enough these days to be a "special" bottle. But I was in the biz for a few decades, so I tasted my share (and then some).
Rather snarky response....
Unfortunately, that is Jack's normal contribution to the site.
"They" over generations and centuries, have sought to impart wisdom to succeeding generations in witty sayings such as, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything".
Currumpaw
Diet is thy medicine Exercise is the key
Who will do RCT...It varies from one person to other...
Supplements come in as our today junk industrial nutrition lacks basic minerals...
Top medical scientists take supplements....Sure no overdosing...
Lot of studies regarding supplements....
For example on Essential oils
what a study can give except my own study....I am my own CT
On diet...my digestive system decides...what suits it...
Now what are biomarkers to follow reaction of supplements...
Not regular Blood tests...
How to measure load of senescence cells....the key to keep it low...
Taking Metformin Statins Resvertrol..and many others...
Simple problem of stool blood due to chronic Radiation proctitis
I found in France all Gastros are useless for handling it...They will go for APC where there is lot of non invasive therapies existing and published...but no money in it
Take
Just intermittent fasting...
what RCT can give..it is common sense from our ancient ancestors
We have to be careful of all these studies...
This forum for me is the key for clinical trials....where each of us contributes thru opposing paths
as PC follows different paths..
Have a nice journey...
Key is stay healthy till death
Interesting book Lifespan by David Sinclair...
Nal ji you know well the key isEpigenetics....Clean up the rusty epigenetics and bring it back to young state...
Works by Sinclair Fitzgerald and others are the future directions for disease free living...
Especially work of Yamanaka which makes it possible to reverse Epigenetic pathway
That's for multivitamins only, not the full panoply of "supplements."
Of the most popular healthy lifestyle disease fighting choices, taking supplements is the only one that requires no effort. This makes them inherently suspect in my mind.
Given the high percentages of Pca patients who have poor diet and/or overeat, and/or do not exercise, taking supplements represents an attempt at a easier, softer path to health for many.
Those of you with stellar health who also take supplements relax this isn’t for you.
I don’t claim supplements don’t work. I do believe diet, caloric restriction and exercise are much more important. I also believe some supplements probably work synergistically with these.
Which ones to take and figuring out how much they help I leave to the enthusiasts. Personally I’m not invested.
A load of rubbish! I have been taking supplements for ages. Give you an example: I have taken Glucosamine and Chondroiton for many years - my joints are as good as a 30yr old, the rest of me is definitely 74! To each his own and I am a strong advocate for supplements that fight cancer. Most of us will do whatever it takes to keep breathing. Good luck with your life.
All you have to do is follow the money. Look at where these organizations get their funding. Look where their grant money comes from for their research. Colleges and Universities receive money from Big Pharma to conduct studies and it’s in their best interest to have the results come out the way they want in order to continue to receive even more money. Big Pharma would love to see supplements only available through prescription, that way everyone gets their cut.
Yep, follow the money. I'd rather at least get something FOR my money though.
The multivitamin industry rakes in billions of dollars. But science says we're not getting healthier.
nbcnews.com/think/opinion/m...
Supplements are a $30 billion racket—here’s what experts actually recommend
...On the whole, we believe them. Supplements are a $30 billion industry in the US. Recent surveys suggest that 52 percent of Americans take at least one supplement—and 10 percent take four or more. But should we? Are we healthier, smarter, stronger, or in any way better off because of these daily doses?
The answer is likely no. Most supplements have little to no data to suggest that they’re effective, let alone safe. They’re often backed by tenuous studies in rodents and petri dishes or tiny batches of people. And the industry is rife with hype and wishful thinking—even the evidence for multivitamins isn’t solid. There are also outright deadly scams. What’s more, the industry operates with virtually no oversight.
arstechnica.com/science/201...
There will never be double blind randomized studies for vitamins and supplements, they can’t be patented, hence, there’s no money to be made by Big Pharma. Look how many drugs the FDA recalls every year after previously being approved by the FDA.
There's also no money in things that don't work.
I’m happy for you, you’re entitled to your opinion as I am mine.
This study is about disease prevention. It is not about men with a chronic disease such as advanced prostate cancer.
From the study:
"Patient Population Under Consideration
This recommendation applies to community-dwelling, nonpregnant adults. This recommendation does not apply to children, persons who are pregnant or may become pregnant, or persons who are chronically ill, are hospitalized, or have a known nutritional deficiency."
I grow my own supplement.
Having enough nutrients is important. Excess nutrients might not be a good idea like putting 26 gallons in a 25 gallon gas tank.
As of this moment, no edible cure for PCa exists. None.
Certain "supplements" can slow progression.
What works for one person may or may not work for others.
Pound sand.
I’ll tell you what I find amusing. When I see a statement like ‘there is no evidence that supplements are beneficial in some treatment’… the same people are ok with a placebo on the best testing methods. It’s taken as a given. So basically you can have a benefit from believing it will be beneficial.So the question is what happens if you replace a placebo with a supplement which is deemed to have no affect?
Anything that can have a benefit is funny enough - beneficial.
The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.
Propaganda? No. I believe like ck722: "As of this moment, no edible cure for PCa exists."
You made my point. Propaganda cuts both ways like a 2 edge sword. You choose a talking point directed in one direction and one cuts the other way around in its defense.We are inundate with propaganda, commercials, news media, Brochures, talking heads, political.
And even on a cancer site. Cheers 🍻
Are Dietary Supplements Safe?
Used properly, certain dietary supplements may help reduce the risk of some diseases. Some might also reduce discomfort caused by certain conditions or medicines or help you feel better, which can improve your quality of life. Most people can use dietary supplements safely as long as they don’t take too much. But dietary supplements are not totally safe, and taking them can have risks, especially for people who are getting cancer treatment.
Risks and side effects of dietary supplements
Dietary supplements, herbal preparations, and homeopathic treatments caused almost 70,000 calls to US poison control centers in 2019. Of these calls, more than 7,000 people needed treatment at health care facilities. More than 800 of these cases led to moderate to severe outcomes. However, most people who have side effects, illnesses, or drug interactions from dietary supplements don’t call a poison control center or the supplement manufacturer. This means that the numbers we have are likely lower than what actually happens.
Side effects from dietary supplements happen most often if people take high doses or use them instead of medicines prescribed by their health care provider. Also, some supplements can cause problems if taken along with certain medicines. For example:
Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, might make some chemotherapy medicines less effective.
Vitamin K can make the blood thinner warfarin less effective and increase the risk of blood clotting.
St. John’s wort can make certain medicines less effective. Some examples are birth control pills and medicines for depression, heart problems, HIV, and cancer.
Taking many different supplements can increase the risk of side effects and drug interactions.
Special concerns for people being treated for cancer
There are several ways that supplements can cause problems for people during cancer treatment. For example:
Some dietary supplements can cause skin sensitivity and severe reactions when taken during radiation treatment. If you are getting radiation treatments, talk to your doctors before taking any supplement.
For people who need surgery, some supplements may react with medicines used during and after surgery or might increase the risk of certain side effects such as bleeding and infection. Other medicines can affect the way the heart and brain work, leading to complications during and after surgery. Let your doctor know what supplements you are taking before you have surgery.
People getting chemotherapy may be at higher risk for side effects if they take some dietary supplements. Some supplements can interfere with how the body breaks down chemotherapy, which can make it less effective or increase side effects.
Because of these concerns, many cancer experts advise people to avoid dietary supplements while getting cancer treatment. But if you decide to take supplements, be sure to discuss this with your doctor or cancer care team. They can help you understand whether or not a particular product might be safe for you.
Why it’s hard to tell if dietary supplements are safe and effective
Like medicines, dietary supplements have risks and side effects. But unlike medicines, most people choose which dietary supplements to take without learning about them from their doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.
Much of what you hear or read about dietary supplements is based on anecdotal evidence. Anecdotal evidence is based on a person’s (even a doctor’s) personal experience or opinion, rather than research. Be skeptical of sources that make big claims based on a few people’s testimonials or vague references to “scientific proof.” The rule “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” usually applies to such claims. And keep in mind that the makers and sellers of supplements have a financial interest in promoting their products.
Dietary supplement advertising and promotion
Supplement makers do not have to get approval from the FDA to sell their products. The FDA does watch for products that may be unsafe or make false or misleading claims, but they can only do this after the product is already on the market. As its resources permit, the FDA looks at supplement labels and other information, such as package inserts, claims, and online ads. But it cannot review all of the many products on the market today.
And remember - no matter what the supplement maker claims, dietary supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or relieve the effects of diseases.
To avoid unsafe supplements, don’t buy:
Products that claim to work like prescription medicines – anything that claims to treat an illness or cure a medical condition
Products that are advertised through mass e-mails
Products that promise weight loss, body-building, or enhanced sexual performance
Products that say they are a legal alternative to anabolic steroids
Possible quality issues with some dietary supplements
Many dietary supplements are made under careful conditions and labeled correctly. But others are not made as carefully. Some companies don’t follow the FDA’s rules about making claims and labeling supplements correctly. In some cases, when herbal supplements have been tested, they have been found to contain very little or none of the listed ingredient. Some even contain chemicals that could be harmful to certain people. And some supplements contain a larger dose than the label lists. Serious illnesses and even deaths have resulted from these kinds of problems.
Common misconceptions about dietary supplements
"Natural is safer and better"
It is a common belief that natural is safer or better than man-made or refined substances. Not only is this not always true, but some natural products can be harmful even if used as directed. For instance, comfrey and kava can harm the liver.
Botanical supplements (such as garlic, ginger, ginkgo biloba, echinacea, and others) are made of plant material, so many of them are sold as “natural” products. But plants themselves are made up of many chemicals. Even different parts of the same plant can contain different chemicals. Some of these might be helpful, while others might be poisonous or cause allergies in humans. Botanicals that are marketed as “all natural” are not always the most helpful ones since they may not be refined to remove potentially harmful chemicals. Natural products can also be grown under different conditions (such as in different soils), which might also affect the levels of some chemicals. This can make it harder to control exactly what's in the final product.
"More is better"
Some people believe that mega-doses of certain vitamins can prevent or cure diseases. However, no scientific studies have proven this to be true. In fact, large doses of some vitamins or minerals can be dangerous and even harmful. For example, the body cannot get rid of large doses of vitamin A. It can reach toxic levels when too much is taken, which can damage organs and interfere with certain medicines.
Talk with your health care team before taking large doses of any vitamin, mineral, or other supplement. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist should be able to help you find information on safe dosages.
"It’s been used for hundreds/thousands of years, so it must work"
Knowing that a botanical has been used in folk or traditional medicine for many years can be helpful, but it is not proof that it works or that it’s safe. If small amounts of a plant caused painful or life-threatening side effects right away, it probably wouldn’t have been used for very long. But in the distant past, scientific methods weren't used to look for possible long-term side effects. So, if a plant seemed useful over the short term but actually increased the risk of a chronic disease (like cancer, heart failure, or kidney failure), that side effect likely would not have been noticed.
Also remember that most herbs, plants, and other methods were used in traditional medicine systems to reduce symptoms or make the person feel better. This was helpful to people who were likely to recover anyway. But if a person died, it was accepted that death was a possible outcome of most serious illnesses.
Finally, keep in mind that many of these methods were used in the distant past because they were the best option available at the time, as more effective treatments had not yet been developed.
"It can’t hurt to take supplements along with my regular medicines"
Many people assume that it is safe to take dietary supplements along with prescription medicines. This is not always true. For example, certain dietary supplements can block or speed up the body’s ability to break down some medicines. This can cause a person to have too much or too little of the medicine in their bloodstream. Most medicine companies and producers of herbal supplements do not research possible medicine interactions, so the risks of taking supplements with other medicines are largely unknown.
Talk with your health care team about any supplements you are taking or are thinking about taking. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you about any known interactions with medicines you may be taking. Keep in mind that with new medicines and supplements, interactions may not yet be known.
Written by
Additional resources
References
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The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Certainly there are risks in ingesting many drugs and to the extent some supplements have an effect experts such as Dr. Mark Moyad (director of one of the only endowed chairs at a major university in complementary medicine in the U.S), say that these effectively can be considered drugs. Of course one should be concerned with what one puts in one's body. The fact that nearly 50% of anti cancer drugs put through rct trials in the EU and subsequently approved for use in the EU (and also then approved by the FDA) between 1985 and 2000 either had no effect on the intended disease and/or resulted in harm to patients would indicate one should take every drug with caution. In a general sense one could say, drug development is itself a difficult and risky proposition. Specifically, many of the treatments we are now receiving involve taking medications with considerable general toxicity.
As Americans we are not all that discerning about what we consume. In the US there are well over a thousand additives approved for use in our food. Just as a counter example, in the EU there are about 350. In recent years US lifespan has begun to go down. Cancer incidence has been increasing despite advances in treatment. Obesity is way up measured decade over decade. To say that Americans are no healthier despite taking multivitamins might be a fairly meaningless statement.
To return to the subject of supplements. Dr. Moyad's statement(and it was something I heard him say in a talk a few years ago, not as part of well reasoned academic argument.) may be overly broad in the sense that many plant compounds do not act precisely like drugs in that they do not exert a single effect. As Samnabe56 points out beneficial and problematic effects might be combined.
However, to take but one example, Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) appears in numerous papers published by investigators examining natural products that inhibit various epigenitic pathways involved in Pca. It seems to have effects on signaling pathways, abnormal protein pathways, as well as various abnormal connectivities. Its' effects are pleiotropic, acting on many integrated systems at once. These studies are primarily in-vitro with the occasional mouse model, thus of limited use for any specific medical inferences. Yet, cancer is not a well understood process. And those who point out that in the limitations of how we fund science, natural substances like Chinese Skullcap will likely never be put through rct trials in humans are unfortunately correct.
As one who already has cancer, taking these substances that seem to be safe and well tolerated by adults might not be unreasonable. Would it be preferable, as many of the researchers ask in their papers, for these plant compounds to be thoroughly researched? Of course. In the absence of such research, I will take the reasonable course.
There is a brother I care about.Takes a lot of supplements.
Although I am the first guy to promote THC he might be overloading on it.
He apparently wakes in the morning to dry heaves.
His PC is well under control for several years.
I really would like to convince him to at least knock off all the supplements and cut back on the THC for maybe a month. Eat healthy and nutritious. See what happens. Add back little by little some of the supplements he thinks are the most important if still swayed by thinking they help.
The juggling of this that and the other and the danger of possibly not knowing what I am actually doing to myself is not in the cards for me but doesnt mean I cant feel for those who think its necessary.
Your sources are solid: American Cancer Society, New England Journal. etc.
Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer these are my stalwart aides in my quest for more time on earth. Why would I look elsewhere unless I had my mind made up that everything is a conspiracy.
I've been taking supplements for years, first to treat atrial fibrillation: CoQ10, Magnesium, L-Arginine (also good for ED; poor man's viagra) and L-Taurine. I stopped taking these prior to an a-fib ablation operation. They gave me magnesium prior to this operation having determined I was deficient -- and charged me a pretty penny for it. I took the combination of Acetyl L-Carnitine and Iodoral (an iodine supplement) to cure my Peyronies disease after a urologist prescribed Xiaflex injection not only failed to cure it but put me in the ER with urinary retention. Since I take omeprazole, an acid reducer for GERD, I also take B12 in moderation for brain health as a deficiency could cause real problems. I've been taking supplements for prostate cancer for years now. And yeah that USPSTF group are a bunch of jokers that discouraged screening for prostate cancer and even inexpensive PSA tests; after my doctor's administered DRE got me sent to a urologist for a biopsy he was astonished that I, as a 66 year old male at the time, hadn't been tested for PSA and required him to order that test. Incredible. Oh, one more example. At 6'4" I have long legs and had an hour commute to work each way. My left knee would bother me horribly after a while with the only relief being able to extend it, which I couldn't do while driving. I started taking Glucosamin / Condroitin. Problem solved in two weeks and I've been taking it ever since. I'm the wrong person to try to convince that supplements are worthless and a waste of money.
Be careful with chondroitin sulfate . . .see below.
healthunlocked.com/advanced...
Good point. I did read that post and afterwards switched to Vitacost's Glucosamine & MSM supplement with no Condroitin.
Laughter, the best supplement..........
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Saturday 06/25/2022 2:53 PM DST
I would like to express publicly that as of February 2022, roughly 6 months after my RT ended, I had begun to have neuropathy episodes to both my feet and sometimes to my left hand. Those were gradually getting worse in frequency over the weeks that followed. I was even starting to worry that I might have to stop driving eventually. Then in late April I began taking Benfotiamine and R-Lipoic acid twice a day and though it took a while to notice a change, I am now happy to report that I have not had any episodes for more than 10 consecutive days in a row. Don't know if it is gone for good but it is encouraging.
I buy supplements and don't think about it as wasting money. They help me to maintain my health in good condition and prevent some illnesses. Of course, you should contact a doctor before taking anything and buy supplements from proven pharmacies. I always get any pills or vitamins I need from here canadapharmacy.com
Current Consensus on Metformin and Berberine?
Benefits of eating Buckwheat groats
