Dietary Supplements and Cancer

Chapter 11 – Cancer Preventer Recommendations

This is probably the most important chapter of the book because it is where we give specific recommendations with regards to the cancer preventers discussed in Section II. Remember, before following our recommendations or putting into practice any of the ideas in this book, you should consult with your physician.

In general, the best thing you can do is eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Most government health organizations recommend that people eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Make sure you eat a wide variety instead of concentrating on only a few. It is difficult to think of a fruit or vegetable that is not good for you in some way. Practically all the cancer preventers that we have described in this book come from plant products, so even if you are taking supplements you will be getting many of these substances, plus others that haven't been yet identified as cancer-preventers, right from the source. In addition, plant products are rich in fiber, which also helps prevent cancer. A serving is what it sounds like, but a more precise list of what constitutes a serving can be found in Appendix I.

Most supplements are measured in milligrams (mg) or some factor thereof, such as micrograms (mcg* = 1/1,000 of a mg) or grams (g = 1,000 mg). Others, particularly certain vitamins, are measured in "International Units" or IU. An IU is a standardized measure of biological activity or strength rather than weight, and it is used when the preparation or presentation is not standardized.

Below we prescribe the doses you need of the cancer preventers described in the previous section. We also give guidelines to help you get the most benefit from each one. These are listed in the same order as they appear in Section II above. However, we believe that the fifteen most important preventers, in order of relative importance, are the following:

1. Vitamin C
2. Vitamin E
3. Vitamin A
4. Selenium
5. Folic Acid
6. Green tea
7. Alpha-lipoic acid
8. Lycopene
9. Soy
10. Fiber
11. Sulfarophane
12. Omega-3 fatty acids
13. Resveratrol
14. Zinc
15. Grape seed extract

* Scientific notation for micrograms is actually μg, but the bottles of most dietary supplements that come in doses of less than 1 mg usually use "mcg"

Vitamin C

Despite the fact that significant amounts of vitamin C can be obtained through the consumption of foods such as citrus fruits (and juices), berries, broccoli, and tomatoes, we believe that this is such an important element in the prevention of cancer that we strongly recommend taking 1,000 mg in supplement form each day. You really can go up to 2,000 mg if you feel your immune system is under stress or if you drink or smoke. Most people will be fine with 1,000 mg. The best type of vitamin C is calcium ascorbate (although it is difficult to find) because it reduces the risk of upset stomach associated with other forms of vitamin C when taken in large doses.

Since vitamin C is soluble in water, it cannot be stored in the body's fat and any unneeded amounts are removed with your urine. For this reason, it should be taken in equal divided doses throughout the day, preferably 250-500 mg at equal time intervals. Vitamin C is not known to be toxic even in extreme doses (up to 5,000 mg). Smokers have lower vitamin C levels than non-smokers, so if you smoke you should really take even higher doses than those recommended here.

Some people have a hereditary disorder called hemochromatosis, which means that they absorb too much iron. There is evidence that vitamin C leads to iron overload in people with this disorder, a condition that can have serious health consequences. If you have hemochromatosis, you should limit your intake of vitamin C to no more than 500 mg per day and should only take it under the supervision of a physician.