Vitamin E Is Useful Aid to Cancer Treatment
30
June 2003
by Wyn Snow, Managing Editor
Researchers
at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center have reviewed
two decades of studies on the effects of various forms of vitamin
E on cancer cellsand found alpha-tocopheryl succinate (alpha-TS)
to be the most useful.
The
superiority of the alpha-TS form was first established in 1982 and
confirmed in several later studies. However, these researchers note
"the value of this form of vitamin E has not drawn significant attention
from researchers and clinicians" and say "a critical review on the
potential role of alpha-TS in the management of cancer is needed."
In
test tube cultures of cancer cells from both rodents and humans,
and in studies of live rodents, alpha-TS "induces differentiation,
and inhibits proliferation and apoptosis in cancer cells, depending
upon its concentration." Equally useful, alpha-TS effect does not
affect the proliferation of most normal cells.
When
used in conjunction with the standard forms of cancer treatmentsuch
as radiation, chemotherapy or hyperthermiathe scientists conclude
that alpha-TS both strengthens the cancer-killing aspects of those
treatments and protects normal cells against some of the adverse
effects.
Source
K.
N. Prasad et al. Abstract of "alpha-Tocopheryl Succinate, the Most
Effective Form of Vitamin E for Adjuvant Cancer Treatment: A Review."
J Am Coll Nutr, Vol 22, No 2, pages 108-17, April 2003. On PubMed:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12672706&
dopt=Abstract.
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