Navigating Uterine Cancer: What Every Woman Should Know

In this post I’m going to discuss some very important minerals that are essential to help your body heal from cancer and that you may need to supplement. Minerals are absolutely necessary for optimal health.

Stay to the end because I am also discussing some minerals you should not supplement and why. I will also share links to some of the supplements I personally use and trust.

HERE ARE A JUST A FEW THINGS MINERALS DO

1. They become part of tissue structure – think bones and teeth

2. They help maintain acid-base balance in your body to keep the pH neutral

3. They help regulate numerous enzymes and metabolize food for energy

4. They function in muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission

5. They boost the immune system – so important when you have cancer

6. They balance fluids in the body to maintain a healthy blood pressure

7. They are important for making red blood cells

There are macro minerals, which include sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium. We need these in larger amounts each day. 

Then there are trace minerals, which include selenium, zinc, manganese, iron and iodine. We need these in very small amounts and if we get too much, they can become toxic. 

Cancer patients are often deficient in minerals like magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc. 

REASONS FOR MINERAL DEFICIENCIES

1. Decreased intake of healthy foods

2. Increased needs for nutrients by the body due to cancer

3. Increased losses of nutrients from side effects of cancer treatments like loss of appetite, changes in taste, vomiting and diarrhea

Did you know that 30-90% of cancer patients have an inadequate diet? 

WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU ARE LACKING IN IMPORTANT MINERALS?

1. Increased risk of complications 

2. Make treatments less effective 

3. Delay wound healing and tissue repair

4. Increase fatigue and depression and other side effects

5. Increase mortality 🙁

MINERALS YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON AND PROBABLY SUPPLEMENT

MAGNESIUM

1. Cofactor in more than 300 enzyme reactions in the body. These enzymes regulate muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, blood pressure regulation and much more

2. Important for the synthesis of DNA, RNA and the powerful anti-oxidant, glutathione

3. Improves insulin sensitivity

4. High magnesium levels were linked to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome and hormone related cancers

5. Helps regulate estrogen levels

6. Reduces chronic inflammation

7. Can improve sleep and help with constipation

8. Can help reverse osteoporosis in menopausal women by increasing the absorption of calcium into the bones

9. Low magnesium levels have been clearly linked to increased inflammatory stress in humans

10. Low levels of magnesium have been linked to worse treatment outcomes for cancer patients with more rapid progression and shorter survival Read More

11. Low levels of magnesium can also cause migraines, muscle cramps, numbness and tingling and even heart arrhythmias

The recommended guidelines for healthy women are 320mg of magnesium per day, however cancer patients need higher amounts than this Read More

In conclusion, higher intake of dietary magnesium was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause and cancer mortality…   Read More

I personally take 1000-1500mg of magnesium per day 

Good sources of magnesium include walnuts, chia seeds, spinach, green beans and salmon

ZINC

1. Crucial for immune system function and cell repair

2. Boosts immune surveillance and helps activate T-cells and NK (natural killer) cells that target and destroy cancer cells

3. Zinc has a specific role in preserving the proper function of the p53 gene. This is a protein in every cell in the body that suppresses tumors and keeps cancer at bay. Unfortunately, mutations in the p53 gene occur commonly in cancer and it can no longer stop the cancer cells from multiplying, so we want to get this function back!

4. Prevents DNA damage through its anti-oxidant properties, thereby protecting cells from DNA mutations

5. Regulates genes involved in cell cycle control, promoting apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells and limiting their ability to replicate 

6. Can help fight infections, which can occur more frequently with immunosuppressive cancer treatments

7. Zinc deficiency has been linked to impaired immune responses and increased oxidative stress, both of which can promote cancer Read More

8. May enhance the effects of immunotherapy by improving immune surveillance and response to tumor antigens (foreign and abnormal proteins)

The recommended daily amount is 8mg for healthy women, but cancer patients are often deficient in zinc and will need more. The link between zinc deficiency and cancer has been established in human studies Read More

I take 50mg of Zinc several times per week 

Good sources of Zinc are in meat (especially red meat), eggs, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts and shellfish

SELENIUM

1. Antioxidant – neutralizes free radicals that damage DNA and promote cancer cell growth

2. Triggers apoptosis of cancer cells without affecting healthy cells

3. Boosts immune function, helping the body detect and destroy abnormal cells

4. Enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy by reducing oxidative damage to normal cells and reduces side effects

5. Has been shown to be selectively toxic to cancer cells, especially chemotherapy resistant cancer cells! 

6. Anti-viral, has been used with success for aiding COVID-19 recovery

7. In this study, they found that selenium supplementation improved survival, reduced side effects of chemo and radiation treatments and increased white blood cell counts, which is very beneficial for cancer patients Read More

8. In this study and others, they consistently and statistically found low selenium levels in women with endometrial cancer compared to normal women Read More

9. Here is another study that discussed the important role of selenium in the treatment of endometrial cancer Read More

10. Selenium can be toxic if the levels are too high. Therefore, it is important not to overdo it when taking supplements and, if possible, have your selenium levels checked periodically 
11. The best types of Selenium to supplement are either Selenate or Sodium Selenite

Good sources of selenium include brazil nuts, tuna and eggs  

IODINE

1. Regulates estrogen metabolism by affecting the activity of estrogen receptors maintaining a balance of hormone levels

2. Essential for thyroid function, which regulates numerous processes in the body including metabolism, energy levels and immune responses 

3. Some research suggests that iodine promotes apoptosis of cancer cells and may reduce the risk of hormone-related cancers 

4. Anti-oxidant 

5. Anti-inflammatory

6. In one clinical study 22 women with breast cancer were given molecular iodine each day. They found increased apoptosis of the cancer cells, decreased proliferation of tumors and a decrease in estrogen’s cellular effects. Read More

*Please note: If you have anti-thyroid antibodies that indicate thyroid autoimmune disease such as Graves disease or Hashimotos disease, make sure to talk with your doctor or endocrinologist before supplementing iodine as it could make these conditions worse.  

POTASSIUM

Potassium deficiency is relatively common, especially for cancer patients.

Causes of potassium deficiency include:

1. Vomiting and diarrhea from cancer treatments

2. Poor nutrition, which often goes along with cancer treatments due to loss of appetite and changes in taste, leading to low potassium intake

3. Medications like diuretics and insulin

4. Low magnesium can also lead to low potassium

5. Dehydration

Potassium is so important for our health! Here are some of the things it does:

1. Maintains fluid balance in the body to prevent high blood pressure

2. Helps move nutrients into cells and waste products out

3. Allows nerves to respond to stimulation and muscles to contract, including the heart

4. Protects against osteoporosis

5. Protective effects against heart attacks and stroke

6. Low potassium can lead to muscle cramps, weakness, fatigue, constipation and even heart arrhythmias 

Unfortunately, we rarely get enough potassium from our diet. A healthy woman needs 2800mg of potassium a day and a cancer patient may need more. 

I, and other women I know with endometrial cancer, use a daily electrolyte powder to get adequate potassium along with a nutritious diet. I will link to some good products below.  

MINERALS NOT TO SUPPLEMENT AND WHY

IRON

Anemia, (low red blood cells and hemoglobin) is a common occurrence in cancer patients. It can be caused by a number of things including the following:

1. Acute and chronic bleeding
2. Destruction of red blood cells in the body, called hemolysis
3. Vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies (common with vegan diets)
4. Renal failure
5. Bone metastases that affect the bone marrow
6. As a consequence of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (very common)

There are several ways doctors treat anemia, including iron supplementation. I want to caution you about taking oral iron supplements though. 

You may also want to talk to your doctor if he/she recommends intravenous or subcutaneous iron injections as this can be dangerous too. Often iron deficiency is not the problem and the body has plenty of iron stores. It is a problem with the utilization of the iron stores in the body that can become impaired.

Reasons not to take oral iron supplements:

1. In cancer, iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract is severely impaired and >95% of it may be excreted in the stool 

2. Disturbances in iron metabolism make the amount of iron available to the erythroblasts (precursors to red blood cells) insufficient

3. Iron is a carcinogenic substance, clearly shown in animal models and human experiments Read More Read More

4. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a marker of inflammation in the body. It is also known to be associated with body iron stores and is often over-expressed in cancer patients

5. Studies have shown that oral iron should not be taken in patients with inflammation or active cancer 

6. Anemia is often associated with chronic diseases like cancer. Often people who are fighting chronic diseases become low in ferritin (main test for iron stores in the body). Once the chronic disease is addressed, the ferritin levels return to normal without supplementation

7. Excess iron can be deposited in tissues, it is a metal. This has been linked to causing cancer and also causing cancer to proliferate along with organ damage

8. Iron can be released from dying cells that contain iron following treatments with chemo and radiation therapy, resulting in high iron saturation values Read More 

The take home message is that I would encourage you to get iron from natural sources in your diet and avoid supplementation. 

Natural sources of iron in our foods include meat, especially red meat, eggs and dark green leafy vegetables. Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron in our bodies. Calcium can decrease the absorption of iron. 

In this study, they found no association between meat intake, including red meat, and endometrial cancer. Read More

CALCIUM

Post-menopausal, older women often have osteopenia and osteoporosis. I am only 58 and have osteoporosis. 

Cancer treatments with Aromatase inhibitors can accelerate bone loss. 

Lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet do not help with these problems. 

Unfortunately, most doctors and dietitians will tell you to start taking calcium supplements. This is not a good idea for the reasons I will list below. 

1. Calcium in our bodies is both intracellular (within the cells) and extracellular (outside the cells). Extracellular calcium makes up 1000-10,000 times the amount of intracellular calcium. This means that the majority of calcium is floating around in our bloodstream and tissues and not in our bones

2. Increased calcium levels are seen in about 20-30% of cancer patients 

3. Osteoporosis means there is less calcium in the bones, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have enough calcium. It just isn’t getting into the bone  

4. In this study and many others they showed a significant increased risk for heart attacks, strokes and death for those individuals who were taking calcium supplements compared to those who weren’t Read More

5. Here is another one. This study showed an increased risk of cardiovascular events in healthy, older women who took calcium supplements Read More

6. Calcium supplementation can increase the risk for soft tissue calcification including in the coronary arteries. One third of adults over the age of 45 in America have calcification in their arteries! In this study they found that coronary artery calcification was associated with higher risks for death from cardiovascular disease or all cause mortality in adults aged 30-49 Read More

7. Calcium has many other functions in the body besides building bone. They have found that people taking calcium channel blockers for high blood pressure improved many chronic diseases including Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, angina (coronary artery spasm) and reduced all cause mortality

8. Antacids are usually composed of calcium carbonate. When you take antacids, they neutralize the acid in your stomach, increasing the absorption of high doses of calcium 

9. Low vitamin C levels (scurvy) can cause the following, and not necessarily low calcium levels: 

a. Osteoporosis and osteopenia

b. Bone destruction

c. Decreased production of collagen

d. Soft tissue calcification

e. Resorption of bone

f. Inflammation

10. Taking vitamin C can improve absorption of calcium into the bones and prevent the above listed conditions, it also helps build collagen

11. Magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin K2 are also essential for the proper utilization of calcium by the body and to prevent calcification of soft tissues. See this post on vitamins

As with iron, I would encourage you to get calcium from natural sources and not supplements. Unflavored, full fat yogurt, hard cheeses like parmesan, red meat and leafy greens are excellent sources of calcium. 

Adding vitamin C at higher doses can also help you get the calcium into your bones and out of your soft tissues as well as build collagen. 

As for me, I don’t take calcium supplements. I take vitamins C,D,K and magnesium. I get good exercise that includes strength training and walking and I eat healthy foods including meat and eggs. 

DISCLAIMER

Please remember, I am not a doctor or a dietician. It is very important to discuss any supplements with your care team. I suggest working with a trusted naturopathic doctor for the best recommendations on mineral supplementation. 

Eating a well balanced low-carb, ketogenic diet and using a healthy electrolyte mix are excellent and safe ways to start. 

ONE THING YOU CAN DO TODAY TO CONTINUE YOUR HEALING JOURNEY

Today, I want to encourage you to start taking Epsom Salt baths with added baking soda if you have a place to do this. Epsom salt baths have so many benefits.

1. Flush toxins and heavy metals from the body

2. Ease muscle aches and pains

3. In this study they found that cold epsom salt water baths of the hands and feet reduced the severity of peripheral neuropathy following treatments with chemo drugs Read More

4. Improves sleep

5. Helps soften skin and aids in healing of sores and skin irritations like eczema

6. An excellent way to get more magnesium into your body

7. Reduces the acidity in the cells

8. Reduces anxiety, depression and stress

9. Dilates blood vessels, reducing blood pressure

10. Reduces itching and also has anti-fungal properties

11. Relieves pain and reduces swelling in joints

As an added benefit, you may want to add some essential oils to your bath as these have many benefits as well! Different essential oils have different healing properties so find what you like best. They also can significantly boost mood and relieve anxiety, which is so common if you have cancer! 

Epsom Salt Bath Recipe

• 2 cups Epsom Salt
• 1 cup Baking Soda
• 20 drops of your favorite essential oil, such as frankincense, lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus or others

MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS I RECOMMEND

Selenium (as sodium selenite)

Magnesium

Zinc

Iodine

Redmond ReLyte electrolyte powder

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I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.  – Isaiah 46:4