ESSENTIAL VITAMINS FOR UTERINE CANCER PATIENTS - Navigating Uterine Cancer: What Every Woman Should Know

Cancer is very hard on the body. Then we add in toxic treatments that can damage multiple areas including our immune system, gastrointestinal system, skin and brain as well as other organs. For this reason it is so important that we are getting more vitamins than we may get from our diet alone.

Clinical research has shown that cancer patients are often deficient in vitamins A, D, C and E.

Menopause, whether it occurs naturally or via surgery (radical hysterectomy) can also deplete the body of important vitamins and hormones.

Unfortunately, due to the reasons I am going to list below and more, diet is usually not enough anymore. Taking a multi-vitamin is probably not going to be enough either if you have cancer. With the damage cancer and treatments cause, higher doses of certain vitamins may be essential.

Not only can they help prevent some of these issues, but they can make the treatments work better, help your body recover faster and often give you more energy.

LOSS OF NUTRIENTS IN FOOD

A landmark study done in 2004 looked at the nutrient content in 43 different garden crops from 1950-1999. They found a significant decline in key nutrients such as protein, calcium, vitamin C, iron and more during this time. It is also believed there was likely a decline in magnesium, vitamin E and vitamin B6 too, but those weren’t being measured in 1950.

Now, 25 years later, the decline in the nutritional value of our fruits and vegetables is even worse. Read M ore

Crops are being engineered to grow faster and bigger and resist pests, but at what cost? The plants can no longer keep up with taking up or making important nutrients due to this rapid growth.

Another problem is the soil is becoming so depleted that the crops lack important minerals and nutrients. There are numerous causes for the massive soil depletion today.

Fertilizers – these can cause harmful pollution in the air and water. They acidify the soil, which can destroy beneficial organisms and deplete the minerals. They also put harmful nitrates into the soil and into our water supply. Ultimately, they diminish the nutrition of the plants.

Farming practices – intensive tillage, overwatering and deep plowing all disrupt the structure of the ground. Not allowing the ground to go fallow and using chemical fertilizers instead of organic matter, like manure and compost also deplete the soil of important nutrients.

Industry – toxic pollutants and chemicals leech into the soil and can even add heavy metals to the ground. Agricultural runoff with all the harmful fertilizers can also make the soil unsafe. Urbanization destroys valuable forests and fields and ground cover leading to erosion by wind and water and storms. Read More

EATING PROCESSED FOODS

73% of the American diet consists of processed and ultra-processed foods now. These foods are engineered to have long shelf lives, be extremely flavorful and easy to prepare. People are so busy nowadays, they don’t have time to cook real whole foods.

Estimates show that approximately 84.8 million adults eat fast food on any given day in the United States!

Unfortunately, processed foods are known to be high in sugar, unhealthy fats from seed oils, preservatives, chemicals and fillers and lack important nutrients.

In this study, they found that up to 80% of total calories consumed in the US and Canada came from ultra-processed foods. Not only that, but these foods were deficient in key minerals and vitamins including vitamins A,C,D,E and B12 as well as zinc, magnesium and more! Read More

GUT HEALTH PROBLEMS LEADING TO LOSS OF NUTRIENTS

Many people are living with gut health issues and don’t know it. With the advent of unhealthy processed foods our bodies were never adapted for, comes problems with gut health.

Have you ever had heartburn, diarrhea, constipation or bloating? Then your gut is not healthy. Not only can gut problems lead to an inability to absorb and assimilate valuable nutrients, it can contribute to major health problems like dementia and heart disease.

In this report, they show that two-thirds of Americans are living with gut health issues!

I had been struggling with irritable bowel syndrome for years prior to my diagnosis. Other examples of gut problems are Crohn’s disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcerative colitis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and leaky gut syndrome to name a few.

Our intestinal tract is filled with trillions of microorganisms called the gut microbiome. I will be writing about this in another post. The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in digestion. When this gut microbiome is disrupted we may not be able to absorb the vitamins we need and can become deficient.

LACK OF SUNSHINE CAUSING VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

Getting enough vitamin D requires exposure to sunshine. Vitamin D deficiency is a global pandemic. Our society has been so programmed to avoid the sun due to the risk of skin cancer that we rarely step outside without sunblock!

Sunshine is essential to get enough vitamin D. With lack of exposure to the sun due to covering up, sunblocks and winter, most people are deficient in vitamin D and doctors aren’t routinely testing for this. Read More

A deficiency is defined as a vitamin D level of 20-29 ng/mL. Ideally, your vitamin D level should be at least 30-100 ng/mL. My naturopathic doctor recommends maintaining a level of 80-100ng/mL for cancer. Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be prevalent in cancer patients and especially in those with more aggressive cancers.

WHY THESE VITAMINS ARE ESSENTIAL TO COMBAT UTERINE CANCER

VITAMIN D

Inhibits the growth of cancer cells

Helps regulate the immune system and promotes anti-inflammatory responses in a variety of immune related diseases including cancer

Can overcome immunological resistance to immunotherapy

Sensitizes the cancer to immunotherapy

Induces apoptosis (the programmed death) of the cancer cells

Blocks formation of new blood vessels, limiting the expansion of tumors

Inhibits gluconeogenesis – the formation of glucose (sugar) from substances like fat and protein in the body instead of carbohydrates. Glucose can feed cancer so we don’t want excess glucose in the body.
Boosts immunity to help fight infections

*Note: The benefits of vitamin D supplementation may be less for obese women. This report showed a clear association between obesity and low vitamin D levels. They also showed that women who are obese need higher levels of supplementation to achieve adequate levels of vitamin D. Read More

VITAMIN C

In this post, I will be referring to oral vitamin C, not high-dose intravenous vitamin C. That will be in another post as the benefits are tremendous.

Humans cannot synthesize vitamin C. We need to get it through our food.

Boosts immunity and can enhance the function of immune cells to fight infections and cancer cells.

A powerful anti-oxidant that is anti-inflammatory. We want to reduce inflammation when we have cancer!

It can neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in the body, both of which are damaging to tissues and can cause DNA mutations.

It can help lower blood pressure

Helps maintain healthy bones and cartilage and also boosts collagen production. Collagen is essential for tissue repair and healing.

There are so many other benefits of vitamin C, it should be part of your daily regimen.

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A is also called retinol. Retinoic acid is the physiological active metabolite of vitamin A. It comes from two sources.

Preformed vitamin A comes from fish, organ meats like liver, eggs and dairy products. It does not need to be converted to retinoic acid by the body.

Provitamin A are carotenoids that need to be turned into retinoic acid in the body. The most common and familiar carotenoid is beta carotene, which comes mostly from orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.

Necessary for good vision
Crucial for maintaining the health of your skin, tissues and mucus membranes, which can often become compromised with cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Vitamin A is great for tissue repair and wound healing as it boosts collagen production in the skin.
Promotes immune health
Some research has shown that retinoids, which are derivatives of vitamin A, have effects against endometrial cancer. These include inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis (destruction) of the endometrial cancer cells. Read More
A powerful anti-oxidant
There is also evidence that retinoids can help reduce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). What is VEGF? This growth factor is what helps cancer cells produce new blood vessels so they can get bigger and bigger. By reducing this factor, it can limit the size a tumor can grow.
One study linked higher intake of vitamin A with a reduced risk of cancer progression, longer survival and minimizing the side effects of chemotherapy. It also enhanced the effects of certain chemo drugs and was beneficial in preventing multi-drug resistance! Read More

VITAMIN E

Vitamin E is composed of eight different chemical forms. Four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. The most active form of vitamin E in our bodies is alpha tocopherol. However, research is showing that the chemical forms gamma and delta tocopherol and gamma and delta tocotrienol are much more effective at fighting cancer than alpha tocopherol.

A powerful anti-oxidant that can reduce inflammation in cancer patients.
Reduces levels of reactive oxygen species (sometimes referred to as free radicals), which cause damage to the DNA. Cancer cells produce increased amounts of reactive oxygen species, which stimulates their growth and proliferation.
Protects cell membranes from damage
Can help reduce side effects of cancer treatments, including fatigue
Helps build up red blood cells (very important if you are anemic) and widen blood vessels so the blood does not clot inside
Helps relieve osteoarthritis and improve joint health
Has been shown to block the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines formed in the stomach from nitrites in foods we eat

VITAMIN K

Vitamin K comes in two different forms. K1 (phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinone). We need K2. Our gut microbiome can convert K1 to the K2 form, but this is an extra step.

Anti-inflammatory
Can induce cancer cell apoptosis and suppress cancer growth and differentiation in various types of cancer cells.
Can suppress lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Lipopolysacchardes are endotoxins from the cell wall of gram negative bacteria. Gram negative bacteria are present in our gut. Lipopolysaccharides have been described in association with a number of diseases, including liver damage, neurological degeneration (Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease), chronic inflammation of the gut and diabetes.
In one study, vitamin K2 supplementation significantly improved overall survival in patients with liver cancer
Vitamin K with chemotherapy could lead to better results with fewer side effects
Necessary in conjunction with vitamin D to improve absorption of vitamin D, maintain bone health and prevent hypercalcemia (high calcium in the blood, which can lead to calcification in soft tissues and arteries).

KEY TAKE HOME POINTS

1. Vitamins A,D,K and E are all fat-soluble vitamins. Therefore it is important to take these supplements with a fatty meal. A good source of Vitamins A, D, E and K is in cod liver oil, which I take every day.

2. All of these vitamins enhance the immune system, which is so important for fighting cancer!

3. They reduce oxidative stress in the body, inhibit new blood vessel formation by tumors and induce apoptosis (cell death) of cancer cells.

4. These vitamins are all powerful antioxidants that help relieve inflammation in the body and protect against damage from chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

5. Oncologists may tell you not to take antioxidants as it may negatively affect treatments. This paper by Dr. Keith Block, Director of the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Chicago, shows this isn’t true.

Many of the studies indicated that antioxidant supplementation resulted in either increased survival times, increased tumor responses, or both, as well as fewer toxicities than controls. Read More

6. Beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E are associated with risk reductions of 12%, 15%, and 9% in endometrial cancer, respectively. Read More

7. It is important what form of the vitamin you take. Vitamin D should be D3. Vitamin K should be K2 (menaquinone). Vitamin E should be the gamma and delta tocopherols and/or gamma and delta tocotrienols ideally. Preformed Vitamin A from animal sources may be better to avoid the extra step of converting it to the active form from plants.

8. Obesity has been linked to low vitamin D levels and can affect the utilization of this essential vitamin. Therefore, women who are obese may need higher levels of vitamin D supplementation to get to a therapeutic level.

9. Lastly, we are all different and certain genetic factors can affect how we process vitamins in our bodies. Here are two examples in my own case.

I have genetic changes that make it hard for me to get enough vitamin D from the sun and from normal dosages of vitamin D3 supplements. Therefore I need to supplement at a high dose to maintain a therapeutic level. I know other women who have this same problem.

I also have a genetic change, that makes it hard for me to convert beta-carotene from plant foods into the active form of vitamin A, retinoic acid, in my body. Therefore, I need to get it from animal sources and supplementation.

Ideally, you will get a lot of these vitamins in a proper diet with real, whole food including animal products, vegetables and nuts, but many times you need to supplement to achieve the higher levels necessary for treating cancer.

While vitamins are important allies in supporting your health when you have uterine cancer, it is important to get proper testing and consult with your healthcare providers before taking high doses of supplements. Each of us is very unique and a good naturopathic doctor can help you navigate what vitamins and dosages would be good for you.

ONE THING YOU CAN DO TODAY TO CONTINUE HEALING FROM UTERINE CANCER

Today, I am going to suggest you consider ordering a very important test kit called the NUTRITION GENOME. This is a comprehensive genetic test that can tell you information about your unique needs when it comes to nutrition and vitamins and so much more. You simply submit a saliva sample (instructions are in the kit) and they send you results in about 5 weeks.

From their website

170 health reports including: Vitamin Requirements, Heavy Metal & Pesticide Sensitivity, Macronutrient Metabolism, Toxin Sensitivity, Bacteria, Yeast & Parasite Sensitivity, DNA Repair, Hormones & Fertility, Sleep Optimization, Meal Timing, Stress Management, Methylation, Cardiovascular Health, Mental Health including Anxiety, Addiction, Brain Repair & OCD, and Athletic Performance

Ideally, it is best if you have a naturopathic doctor to help you interpret the results and guide you in what to do, but the reports are easily understandable.

This test was one of the required tests by my naturopathic doctor and it is where I learned about my genetic alterations when it came to vitamin D and beta carotene.

Here are some examples of vitamin supplements I take on a regular basis.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. The maker of Heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2