I recently had a patient ask about the use of antioxidants during chemotherapy. Although my patient didn’t have cancer – her family member did – I remembered reading about this when my mother was being treated for breast cancer. Until I looked into it, I presumed antioxidants would protect my mother’s healthy cells from the damage caused by free radicals that set in motion a chain reaction of oxidizing cells. After some research, I advised against the use of antioxidants.

Studies show that antioxidants react differently depending on the type of cancer as well as the treatment one receives. Some studies show that the same protective benefits to healthy cells that occur with antioxidant supplementation are conferred to cancerous cells thereby reducing the effectiveness of treatment. Other studies showed the opposite results. In essence, not all antioxidants are the same. Antioxidants vary by class, dose (high-dose antioxidant supplementation vs dietary antioxidants) , bioavailability (how much gets utilized by the body) and route of administration (IV vs oral).

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) directly addresses this question in an article appropriately entitled, “Should Supplemental Antioxidant Administration Be Avoided During Chemotherapy and Radiation?” Check it out.

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