🎙️PODCAST: The Hidden Risks of Taking Vitamins with Chemotherapy | #ChemoTips #CancerTreatment #Chemotherapy

Vitamins & Chemo: Uncover hidden dangers! Learn which vitamins to AVOID during cancer treatment.

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Disclaimer:
The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard or read in this podcast or on this channel.
Reliance on any information provided by Dr. Jay Chaplin or Elevating Cancer Treatment is solely at your own risk. Dr. Jay Chaplin is a scientist and drug developer, not a medical doctor providing patient care. The content presented here reflects general scientific understanding and research, and may not be applicable to your individual health circumstances. Individual medical conditions and treatments vary, and no two situations are exactly alike.
Always consult with your personal healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment plan.

Transcript

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We all strive for better health, and for many of us, that includes a daily multivitamin. But what if that vitamin you take every day to support your health was actually working against your cancer treatment? It sounds counterintuitive, right? We're taught that vitamins are always good for us. When it comes to something as important as chemotherapy, the interaction between supplements and treatment can be really complex and in some cases very detrimental. Hello everyone, and welcome to Elevating Cancer Treatment. I'm Dr. Jay Chaplin. Today we're diving deep into a critical topic that every cancer patient and their loved ones really needs to understand. Which vitamins you should absolutely not take during chemotherapy. A quick reminder: the information in this video is for educational purposes and it isn't medical advice. Always consult with your personal health care provider for guidance on your specific situation. So, here at Elevating Cancer Treatment, we explore the intricate world of cancer, dissecting the science and debunking myths to help you navigate your health journey. What distinguishes my approach is a dual commitment. Beyond educating about cancer, I'm actively involved in crafting the innovative drugs and treatments that are defining the future of oncology, specifically immuno oncology. Your doctor prescribes drugs but doesn't make them. I do. This experience offers me a better grasp of these therapies' molecular mechanisms and how they interact with the human body. That's an insight I'm really excited to share with you. So, today we'll uncover which vitamins you should absolutely not take during chemotherapy, why these interactions occur, and how to navigate your treatment. Our goal today is to shed light on this critical issue, providing you with essential information to help you make informed decisions on your chemotherapy journey. If understanding these vital connections is something you're interested in, make sure to like this video, subscribe to the channel, and hit that notification bell so you never miss an update. And two last things. First, is a thank you for being here. I've created a free resource, 10 things to know about chemotherapy, which you can download from the link in the description. And second, by signing up for that guide, you'll also get exclusive updates on the innovative new cancer treatment I'm working on, a significant leap forward that I'm committed to sharing with you. Alright, let's explore why some vitamins can hinder cancer treatment. So again, it's completely natural for many cancer patients to seek out dietary supplements. The hope here is often that these supplements will help minimize the harsh side effects of chemotherapy or boost the immune system. You can't boost the immune system. Or even enhance the treatment's effectiveness. However, there's significant evidence-based research that shows the exact opposite. Many vitamins actually decrease the safety and efficacy of chemotherapy. Consider a large study conducted between 2003 and 2016 that tracked cancer patients' use of supplements during chemotherapy. The findings were really striking. 17.5% of the participants used at least one antioxidant daily throughout their chemotherapy, and a substantial 44% took multivitamins. The outcomes for these patients were not what they had hoped for. The study revealed that individuals who took any antioxidant, we'll come back to that later, during chemotherapy were 41% more likely to experience a cancer recurrence and 40% more likely to die. Even more concerning, those taking vitamin B12 specifically throughout chemotherapy were 83% more likely to have a recurrence and about twice as likely to die. These statistics are a stark reminder that when it comes to cancer treatment, the conventional wisdom about vitamins and supplements doesn't apply. The question then becomes: how could something seemingly beneficial like vitamins have such an incredibly negative impact? Let's explore the mechanisms behind those interactions. So, number one, drug buildup. To understand how vitamins can interfere with chemotherapy, we need to first look at how your body handles drugs and other substances. Your cells have sophisticated ways of protecting themselves and maintaining balance. One such mechanism involves a protein called P glycoprotein, or PGP. Think of PGP as a tiny, highly efficient pump located in the membrane of each of your cells. It's particularly abundant in areas like your intestines, liver, kidneys, and even in the blood-brain barrier. Its job is to actively kick out chemicals that your cells don't want, whether that's because there's too much or it's perceived as harmful. This is a crucial defense mechanism, but it can also be a point of interference. Here's where certain vitamins come into play. For example, vitamin E as an elephant, it's a very common supplement, has been shown to block this pump. When PGP is blocked, the chemotherapy drugs that would normally be pumped out of your intestinal cells instead accumulate inside of them. That buildup of chemotherapy drugs in your intestines leads to increased side effects, particularly nausea and diarrhea, which can become far worse than necessary. Similarly, coenzyme Q10, another popular supplement, also leads to drug buildup, though for a different reason. PGP pumps out coenzyme Q10 when it's in excess. When both coenzyme Q10 and chemotherapy drugs are present, they compete for exit through that pump in your intestinal cells. That competition results in higher levels of chemotherapy drugs remaining in your system. Again, that causes more severe side effects. This illustrates how even seemingly beneficial substances can disrupt the delicate balance of drug distribution in your body. Mechanism 2, drug breakdown. Beyond pumping unwanted chemicals out of cells, your body has another system for detoxification, breaking down chemicals in the liver. This system is primarily managed by a family of enzymes known as cytochrome P450, or abbreviated as CYP450. These enzymes are crucial for modifying chemicals that accumulate in fat and cell membranes, making them more water-soluble so they can be easily removed from your body, primarily through urine. You just pee them out. Many chemotherapy drugs rely on this system to be metabolized and eliminated from your body. So anything that interferes with the activity of the cytochrome P450 enzymes can alter the actual dose of chemotherapy that your body and your cancer have to deal with. If a vitamin or supplement blocks these enzymes, it leads to a buildup of drugs in your system, resulting in increased toxicity and more severe side effects. On the other hand, if a substance enhances the activity of these enzymes, it causes the drug to be broken down too quickly, and that reduces its effectiveness and potentially leads to poor treatment outcomes or cancer recurrence, which you do not want. While grapefruit is the most commonly discussed food that interferes with this pathway, certain vitamins also pose a risk. For instance, riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, specifically interferes with that pathway, leads to a buildup of excess chemotherapy. Similarly, vitamin D blocks the pathway. What's more, vitamin D can also interfere with another pathway required for the activation of certain chemotherapy drugs such as cyclophosphamide. This means that if you're taking both vitamin D and cyclophosphamide, some of the drug you receive might not be activated, rendering your dose less effective in fighting cancer, worse side effects and less effective. These interactions underscore the complexity of drug metabolism and the critical need for careful consideration of all supplements during chemotherapy. Number three, direct competition. Beyond affecting drug metabolism, some vitamins directly compete with the chemotherapy drugs and keeps them from performing their intended action. This is particularly true for a class of chemotherapy drugs known as antimetabolites. These ingenious drugs work by essentially cutting off the supply chain for cancer cells. They mimic essential building blocks that cancer cells need to grow and divide. But they're faulty versions. When cancer cells try to use these drugs for their growth processes, they're blocked, leading to their death. There are two main types of antimetabolite drugs. One type blocks folic acid, which is a crucial element for making the building blocks of DNA and proteins. The other type consists of mimics of DNA bases, which make it harder for cancer cells to copy their DNA, which is a necessary step for them to multiply. Here's the critical point. If you take vitamins that contain folic acid, you're providing the cancer cells with the very resource the chemotherapy drug is trying to deny them. That allows the cancer cells to continue to grow and effectively undoes the entire purpose of the antimetabolite drug. Taking vitamin B12 is much worse, and it is often given in high doses and it has a dual negative effect. First, it makes it easier for cancer cells to create new DNA building blocks, directly counteracting all forms of antimetabolite chemotherapy. Second, and more alarmingly, vitamin B12 directly prevents cancer cells from undergoing programmed cell death or aptosis, even when DNA damage occurs. This means that even if the chemotherapy manages to damage the cancer cell's DNA have its effect, the presence of large amounts of vitamin B12 can prevent those damaged cells from dying off. While loading up on vitamin B12 significantly before after chemotherapy has been shown to reduce side effects like neuropathy, that's a very different story and involves different timing. During chemotherapy, especially if you're on folate-blocking drugs, folic acid should be avoided, and vitamin B12 should never be supplemented during chemo because it actively prevents your cancer cells from dying, making the chemotherapy less effective. Mechanism 4. Antioxidants. Many chemotherapy drugs work by deliberately damaging cancer cells' DNA. Most achieve this through mechanisms that generate free radicals or cause oxidative damage. Think of it like this: These chemotherapy drugs create a highly toxic environment inside of the cancer cell, leading to its destruction, while normal cells grow slower and have time to correct the damage before dividing. This is a fundamental way that many chemotherapies exert their anti-cancer effects. Now, consider antioxidants. Their primary function is to neutralize free radicals and prevent oxidative damage. A good thing for healthy cells as it protects them from cellular stress and it may even reduce the chances of cancers forming in the first place. However, when you use antioxidants during chemotherapy, they protect the cancer cells from the very damage the drugs are designed to inflict. There's solid evidence that taking antioxidants during chemotherapy decreases the efficacy of treatment and disturbingly increases the risk of cancer recurrence. It's a critical point that often surprises people, as antioxidants are generally perceived as universally beneficial. We'll come back to this in a deep dive into antioxidants in a later episode. So, what does this have to do with vitamins? Some of the most common vitamins are also very potent antioxidants. Vitamins A, C, E, along with beta-carotenoids and coenzyme Q10, they all have antioxidant properties. If you take any of those immediately before or during your chemotherapy treatment, they shield the cancer cells from the effect of the chemotherapy drugs, leading to poor treatment outcomes. Again, timing is everything. While supplementing with certain vitamins well before or after treatment can reduce side effects, taking them during chemotherapy is like throwing gasoline on a fire instead of water. Counteracts the process designed to extinguish the cancer and may end up spreading it instead. In conclusion, while the idea of taking vitamins and supplements for health is common and assumed to never be bad, it's crucial to understand that during chemotherapy this practice can be counterproductive and very harmful. We've explored how specific vitamins interfere by causing drug buildup, altering drug breakdown, directly competing with antimetabolite drugs, or neutralizing the oxidative damage that most chemotherapy drugs rely on to kill cancer cells. Taking vitamin supplements during chemotherapy requires thorough homework, and most importantly, open and detailed communication with your medical team. Before you take anything, make sure you talk to your doctor about what you want to take and discuss all the potential risks and benefits. Finally, remember these key points when considering any supplements, including vitamins. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. government the same way as medicines. This means that there's no guarantee that a supplement contains only the ingredients listed on the label or the amount specified. If you are going to use a supplement, look for a manufacturer that uses third-party testing for identity, quantity, and contaminants to ensure product quality and safety. And finally, a crucial reminder: just because something is natural doesn't mean it's safe, especially in the context of cancer treatment. Your chemotherapy journey is complex and unique, and every decision, especially what you put into your body, can have a significant impact. Navigating a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, but armed with detailed and accurate information, you can make informed decisions and advocate for the best possible care for you or your loved one. The journey may be challenging, but with ongoing research and advancements, there's always hope. Beyond these videos, if you need more personalized guidance or a deeper dive into specific treatments to have your treatment be as effective as possible, I offer one-on-one sessions. I'm also currently in the process of developing an exclusive video series that breaks down each and every cancer drug and treatment in detail, along with interferences to avoid. You can find information on both of these resources on our website linked below. So, what are your thoughts or experiences with supplements during therapy? Have you heard about different things, conflicting advice, or do you have questions about specific vitamins? Share your insights and questions in the comments below. Your experiences help us all navigate this complex disease with greater clarity. If you found the video informative, please again give it a thumbs up, click the notification bell, share it with others who might benefit, and subscribe to our channel for more science-based cancer insights. I'll see you in the next video. Thank you.