Antioxidants are believed to protect cells from diseases such as cancer and heart disease by stabilizing free radicals. However, studies on the relationship between antioxidants and cancer have produced mixed results, leading some to question the efficacy of antioxidant supplements. While antioxidants act as a defense against free radicals, some oncologists believe that supplementation during chemotherapy and radiation therapy may interfere with treatment.
Antioxidants are substances that some people believe might protect cells from becoming cancerous by stabilizing unstable molecules, known as free radicals, which are thought to contribute to diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Several studies have focused on this relationship between antioxidants and cancer, and these studies have produced mixed results. The disparity between the findings has led some in the scientific community to question the efficacy of using antioxidant supplements when trying to fight or prevent cancer.
Within the body, antioxidants act as a defense against the damaging effects of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable, so they can damage cells, proteins, and other genetic material, such as DNA, leading to many health-related problems. Enzymes, which are proteins within the body, are known to contain antioxidants, as are nutrients such as vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, and beta-carotene. During some studies, these nutrients have been given to patients to explore the relationship between antioxidants and cancer.
During the 1990s, cancer prevention research examined the effects of a combination of antioxidants given to healthy men and women considered to be at significant risk of developing gastric cancer. The results suggested that antioxidant supplementation significantly reduced the likelihood of gastric and other cancers. Consequently, a link was established between antioxidants and cancer prevention.
In contrast, other research done on male smokers in the mid-1990s showed that lung cancer rates were significantly increased with beta-carotene supplementation. Vitamin E supplementation was found to have no beneficial or harmful effect in the sample group. As a result, the relationship between antioxidants and cancer prevention became questionable, and clinical trials have since attempted to further analyze and evaluate this relationship.
Many people with breast cancer believe that taking antioxidant supplements will protect them from recurring tumors and that the side effects of breast cancer treatment may be alleviated. However, some oncologists believe that women receiving some chemotherapy and radiation therapy drugs should avoid using these supplements during their treatments, as they could have an adverse effect on outcomes. Radiation treatment and some chemotherapy drugs work by helping to produce free radicals that can attack cancer cells. Antioxidants are known to destroy free radicals, so some in the medical profession believe that supplementation may interfere with treatment.
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