Cancer Risk Reduction

The proper combination of Vitamins and supplements may help decrease the risk of cancer of various organs and tissues.

 

Vitamin E is an antioxidant derived from plant sources. It is the shorthand for a group of nutrients which includes tocotrienol and tocopherol, each of which is composed of their own subgroups consisting of Alfa, Beta, Gamma and Delta compounds.

 

Gamma tocopherol has been found to be a potent antioxidant. As its primary function it collects the most dangerous free radical: Nitrogen Dioxide (found in high concentrations in car exhausts and tobacco smoke). The formation of Nitrogen Dioxide in the body initiates the Inflammatory response in the different organs of the body. Prolonged inflammation contributes to the development of various health conditions, particularly cardiovascular, neurological and immunological problems.

 

Packaged brands of Vitamin E that do not contain the Gamma form of the supplement only deliver a fraction of the benefit of using vitamin E. Unfortunately, most brands of vitamin E do not contain the Gamma form and therefore do not  produce optimal antioxidant effects. The type of vitamin E commonly available at most local health food stores and pharmacies is Alfa-tocopherol. Alfa-tocopherol is an important antioxidant, however, when combined with other forms of vitamin E, the antioxidant properties of Alfa-tocopherol are significantly improved.

Flavonoids are known  as a free radicals scavenger and are also used to support healthy collagen formation. Resveratrol counteracts the Linoleic acid responsible for promoting cancer cell growth. The chain of reactions begins with Linoleic acid which in turn is transformed to Arachidonic acid; Arachidonic acid is then transformed to Prostaglandins and Leukotrienes. Finally, Prostaglandins and Leukotrienes promote the Inflammatory response that, among other things, stimulates cancer cell multiplication. A study conducted in Japan revealed that Resveratrol inhibits the multiplication of breast Cancer cells, and blocks the cancer promoting effect of Linoleic acid consumed as a result of an unhealthy diet.

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant plentiful in red tomatoes. Lycopene is a member of the carotenoid group that gives tomatoes, red grapefruit, red peppers, and watermelon their reddish hue. As one of the strongest antioxidants amongst the carotenoids, Lycopene may be used successfully to maintain a healthy prostate.

Ellagic acid is a Polyphenol originated from the Pomegranate fruit. Scientists in the University of Wisconsin found that Pomegranate fruit extract has powerful anti- oxidation and anti-inflammatory effects. The extract was, in fact, researched for its anti-cancerous effects. The study concluded that Pomegranate fruit extract may be used to as a viable preventive treatment "in a wide range of tumor models."

This result supports conclusions derived by several studies performed in 2003 researching the pomegranate seed as an effective treatment against skin and colon cancer. A different study, performed in 2002, demonstrated that the pomegranate seed was capable of suppressing the spread of breast cancer up to 90%; Ellagic acid, a Polyphenol originated from pomegranate, has been acknowledged to hold potent anti-cancer, antioxidant and atherosclerosis-preventive properties.

Turmeric is a spice derived from the herb Curcuma longa, which belongs to the Ginger family. Curcumin is a Polyphenol that gives Turmeric its yellow-orange color.

Curcumin has various biological properties beneficial to the body. However, the most significant function of Curcumin is its ability to suppress angiogenesis (growth and expansion of the new blood vessels supporting the Cancer). Curcumin has also been found to bring up the arrest of the Cancer cells cycle leading to Cell apoptosis, or the programmed cell death of the Cancer cells.