The verdict is not yet in whether "antioxidants" can cure or prevent cancer
80Cancer and the role of antioxidants
- Cancer is a consistent top five killer disease in the world today. It is a degenerative disease in that the affected organs will deteriorate and mutate to other organs killing healthy cells and can kill the physical human body. Many researches are pointing to the fact that lifestyle -- (eating habit is one) and physical activity or the lack of it are the causes of cancer. The other major cause of course is the normal deterioration of human cells.
- Science and medical researches are continuing to search for the ways and means in which to battle the dreaded disease. In the last twenty years, the onset of many different individual researches in the world of medicine focus on the role of antioxidants to cure cancer or even prevent it. Many people have been reading about the cures and prevention of cancer through antioxidants agents, they see it in different news, advertisements in TV or newspaper about supplementing or eating foods which are rich in antioxidant to cure or prevent cancer. It is even included in some packaging of foods and supplements like vitamins and herbals. Chances are you have heard about beta-carotene, lycopene, Vitamin E-tocopherol etc. to fight against cancer, but the question is, can antioxidants cure and prevent cancer? This is the topic of this hub and so I am enjoining you to learn with me about antioxidants and its role in our health.
people are worried when they have "cancer"
The search for help when cancer strikes
Aside from the medical world which spearheads the search for cancer, relatives, friends and the cancer cures and how to prevent it, patients themselves try to look for all the alternative medicine available anywhere for the cure and prevention of cancer. Human life is precious and the goal of humankind is to have a long and healthy life. While the role of antioxidants is uncertain, it is a fact that the sources of antioxidants like fruits and vegetables are best for our health. There are just some precautions in taking antioxidants supplements when one is diagnosed with cancer.
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What is known according to the past conducted researches about cancer and antioxidants?
- In the recent past researches conducted by refutable health national agencies that natural antioxidants found in fruits and vegetable, or those that are taken in vitamin forms are inconclusive as to the benefits that we can derive from antioxidants specially in the prevention and cure of cancer.
- The verdict is not final because the reports and researches conducted are inconclusive and they vary from one research to another. According to National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, American Medical Association and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated that it is not sure whether antioxidants can cure or prevent cancer. This means that the power of antioxidants to cure or even prevent this number one killer degenerative disease cancer is not yet in, nor it could be out already.
How does antioxidants and free radicals work in your body?
- The body has some free radicals which are destructive to our health. We can get these free radicals through bad habits like smoking and some are natural causes like the air we breathe and they are also within our system. When these free radicals attacked the molecules in our body, our immune system is weaken and they destroy our cells, it fails to regenerate and they aged and die. This cause cancer. Look at the figure below how free radicals work.
- The debatable thing about this is that different studies and researches found out that antioxidants are not helpful in many ways in combating diseases like cancer and heart problems. You can read this article from Today and read through the peoples comment about the news for your added information.The researches are sporadic, have different outcomes and sometimes findings will attest that it is beneficial to cancer patient and for cure, at other times it is not, therefore it is inconclusive. But if it is inconclusive it doesn't mean that it cant really cure oir prevent cancer. Maybe the researches conducted have some loopholes in it, we never know. The nice thing about this is that antioxidants help in terms of overall health as fruits and vegetables are best source of healthy nutrients. If the researches can find out that it can prevent or really cure cancer it is like shooting two birds in one stone.
Antioxidants and free radicals
fruits and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants
A brief discussion about antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances in oil, our body (natural or those that we can get from supplement or food that we eat) that prevent our cells from the destructive elements of free radicals. Examples of antioxidants that have been under scrutinized are beta carotene, lycopene, Vitamins A, C, D, E- tocopherol, Selenium and other substances.
Food sources for antioxidants
- Beta carotene -- usually these are found in orange colored fruits and vegetables like oranges, carrots etc. sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Vegetables are collard greens, spinach, and kale..
- Lycopene sources are tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit and blood oranges
- Selenium is a mineral but it acts as antioxidant enzymes. We can get it from rice, wheat, nuts, breads and Brazilian nits are best source of selenium
- Vitamin A can be found in liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks, and mozzarella cheese.
- Vitmain C which is also called ascorbic acid, are found aplenty in fruits and vegetables, cereals, beef, poultry and fish
- Vitamin E --alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn, and soybean oils, mangos, nuts, broccoli, and other foods.
According to other sources like the Researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University they said that the following fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants:
- Fruits like prunes, raisins, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, raisins, prunes, plums, oranges, cherries, red grapes
- Vegetables like spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli flowers, red bell peppers beets, corn and onion.
There are also other food sources which are rich in antioxidants like nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry, and fish.
Conclusion:
- The role of antioxidants in curing or preventing cancer is still unclear but the benefits we can drive from it for the overall and long term health is beyond question, that is why it is important to include the vitamins and minerals in our diet. Foods, fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants is still best for your health. Moderation and the right amount is the key to anything in this world and that takes well in terms of our health.
- In terms of cancer treatment, ask your doctor about the right amount of antioxidants to take. It has been found out taking large amount of antioxidant when one is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy is not good, seek always the advice of your medical doctor first. Hope is always within us, that there will be a cure for cancer and we are all waiting for it, hoping that it willcome soonest. Early detection increases the probability that a cancer can be cure. Precautions and having a healthy lifestyle is good and physical activity helps a lot.
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CommentsLoading...
Miata, This hub has some very good information and I like the diagrams that explains what happens in our bodies. Great hub.
Thanks, Maita-what a informative hub! As kowality mentioned, I am also in love with raw veggies which stuns my family. Raw potato, broccoli, etc. I love them all.
I've been healthy all my life and maybe that's part of the reason...
Laurel
It would be nice to find out if this is a fact. Thanks.
You have done a great job there and thank you for sharing all these information. It is so helpful.
Very helpful Hub ! You do wonderful research. Soon I will need a leason. What do you Charge ? Kidding . Great work.
Thank you for this one
Ron
As Always Also rprcarz50
Very interesting and well researched like always. You did a great job on this hub.
Great Job!
Sage
Good hub; well researched, and it will make a good reference source.
Hi kowality, yes we have also a garden when I was young, but not here in the US anymore, we used to plant our own vegetables also, the good old days, thnak you, Maita
Hi cool, thank you, Maita
Hi Sage, thank you dear, Maita
Hi Ron, it is free, I dont charge anything just a smile back will do, hehe, Maita
Hi hello, thank you, Maita
youre correct Sandy, thanks, Maita
lorlie, I am happy for you, I am glad that you visit me again, thank you, Maita
Pamela thank you and I am glad you like this hub, Maita
Nicely done Maita, thanks for the important information. Even with all the information not in yet on if antioxidants
help fight off cancer or not. I try to mix antioxidants in to my diet. This hub was really helpful. Enjoy your weekend.
You did an excellent job of pointing out the many natural foods in which we can consume in order to fight or prevent cancer, Maita. I also liked the fact that you pointed out the fact that the authorities on cancer are inconclusive to whether or not such foods can do just that, so as to not mislead the reader. Thank you for a great informative and well-researched hub! Salamat.
Dohn
I really learnt a lot from this Hub. Thanks Maita for as usual a great Hub.
Love and peace
Tony
Hi Maita - Very good information on food sources and their possible fight against cancer...It simply amazes me the a medical cure for cancer has not been found but wouldn't be something if the cure was foods like this? thanks...
Hi mtsi, morning, yes it is something, the thing is there are many people adevrtising this and that selling antioxidants when in fact they are not certain whether it is helpful for cancer etc. nice avatar again, thank you!
Hi tony, thanks a lot, Maita
Hi Dohn, there you are thank you, thank you, Maita
Hey T, thank you for your comments, enjoy watching basketball too! Maita
Great information - reminds us to have an open mind and to look through the forest to see the trees
very informative! well done!
Maita, this is a very great hub! We do know that eating closer to real food is good for us. Thanks for a great hub.
I will add a belief of mine though that may not be taken well by many: You say, "Science and medical researches are continuing to search for the ways and means in which to battle the dreaded disease." It is no undoubtedly our wants and desires to believe that this is the case- that these "powers in medicine" are indeed looking under every rock. They may be -but it seems they put that rock right back over the cause and many solutions that they find. I'm now convinced that cures and treatments are covered up because they are not profitable. Yes- I believe there are conspiracies for "money". I have seen without doubt, up close erasing all doubts, conspiracies to hunt deer on 5 acres of treeless land that I once owned. I know there are conspiracies in politics, wall street, and medicine. Sorry for the "hub within a hub". I hope I'm adding and not taking away from your great hub. Thanks Maita!
Ate' Maita this is a great piece of information thank you for sharing it with us.
Love, Hugs, and Kisses
KUYA Dave.
Maita, this is an awesome hub with fantastic info. Very concise and detailed. I especially enjoyed reading the fruits and veggies that have a great source of antioxidants. Thank you so much!
GREAT ARTICLE PRETTY HORSE...ALTHOUGH MY DIET AINT THE GREATEST...(IMA MEAT LOVER).....IM LUCKY TO GET 5 SERVINGS OF VEGGIES IN ME IN 6 MONTHS)GOTTA ADMIT...I LOOK FORWARD TO MY HOME GROWN TOMATOS...BOY..THOSE ARE SWEET AN GOOD...MENTIONING THIS CUZ YOU MENTIONED YOUR OWN GARDEN....NUTTIN LIKE GROWING YOUR OWN...BUT I EAT A LOT OF HOT SAUCE AN EAT RAW GARLIC...HOPE THAT KILLS ALL THE CANCER JUNK IN ME...WELL...IM OFF TO HAVING A "RADICAL KILLING" PIZZA WITH THE WORKS AN LOTS OF HOT SAUCE AN GARLIC AN ONIONS....(HEHE)....GREAT ARTICLE....BLESS YOU MAAM.... ;0)
HEY DAWG, I see you still eat the way you want it, thats fine hehe, home grown tomatoes, can I have some too, please, that will be nice, and pizza hehe, can I have some again? about pizza, I never grew up eating it so I can only eat one slice, thank you and dont call me mam, hehe, thnaks again, take care, Maita
Kuya Dave, how are you,nice to see you again, HUGS too, Maita
Thank you Madison, thats a very nice comments from you, take care, Maita
billyaustindillon, thank you, Maita
hi bl, thank you, Maita
Heh Girl...thanks for all the info...great hub and well worth the read...
Blessings
Hi Quill, thnak you, Maita
Mick, thank you so much for the added information, of course there is "the group of medical asociations" to protect their intesrest, it always happen in a monetary centered world. What happened to your acres of land? must be fun being a farmer, what crops did you plant,hmmm, I can imagine fresh veggies, fruits and fresh products wow,
Take care and night, Maita
Fascinating hub prettydarkhorse. As you may know I wrote one recently on the growing of normal day to day vegetables in unusual colours. Often things like purple carrots, purple or orange cauliflowers etc are actually higher in antioxidants than 'normal' coloured ones.
thank you misty, I appreciate you dropping by, I would like to visit your hub, Thank you, Maita
This is a great work, Maita. Thank you so much. I will be back to read it once again.You know I do not like free radicals at all :)
hi andromida, nice new avatar! thank you!
until they can measure exactly how antioxidants react with cells in the body and the exact mechanisms of absorption or action, the verdict will always be out. I think most see some benefit in antioxidants, but the delivery method and how much or how little are really open to a wide range of interpretation
Nice and well done. Thank you. May be because the cancers are very different types and the cells involved are also different, it is possible the same antioxidant may not have equal effect on all of them. As some of the cancers seem to be heriditary and some are induced by mutagens is it possible that the antioxidants can only attack the induced ones? However, a general control of cell destruction by antioxidants that neutralizes the free radicals, it should be indirectly helping ? Thanks well done and good subject too. RamKKasturi
Great hub. Very informative. Thanks:)
thank you moondive!
ramkkasturi, good am, I guess that antioxidants really do help in cancer but it needs as to what is the extent and what type of canncer is cure or is prevented, It needs a lot moe of study, but antioxidants are good enough for our health in general, as veggies and fruits are sources of it, so why not eat them, thank you for voisiting this hub, good am! Maita
hi traderx, I agree with you, sooner they will find it out, now off to go to take some antioxidants in the form of veggies and fruits, thank you, Maita
The pictures of fruits and vegetables are mouth watering! Although I am big fan of non veg I still like vegetables.I am overweight but couldn't control eating habit!But I am inspired by your hub to take a little more vegetables daily.
Thanks for the great hub!
thanks cupid, eat eat veggies, yehey, Maita
I think the key when it comes to natural prevention or cures for cancer is that there is no magic bullet. It's not about adding in this antioxidant or that antioxidant but about a total change of focus where you give your body the nutrition needed for optimum health. It's just a baby blog at this point, but I'm working on blogging about what I think are the best food choices for fighting cancer. http://cancer-fighting-foods.com/
Check out www.hacres.com and go to 'testimonials'. I've seen cancer healed with proper diet, and this is the best website I've followed for years.
--Roger
thank you Sir Roger and I will visit the site, Maita
Great hub; I eat raw veg ! and love it.
Great hub PDH, I am a cancer survivor, and any way we can find to prevent this disease is important.
I get lots of antioxidants - I'm not taking any chances there! Great info!
thanks habee, Maita
thank you Ross, Maita
Thank you earnest, nice to see you here, I am happy you surpassed cancer, Must have been terrible for you, Maita
Terrific hub. Really useful information. Thanks.
Interesting hub. One point I think should be made very clearly is that a balanced diet has all the necessary antioxidants we need. Our bodies already have a very efficient mechanism for controlling free radicals (which incidentally are essential for nerve transmission, immune response and much besides) and adding extra antioxidants is potentially harmful. See for example the JAMA paper here: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/
I was trained as a biochemist and it's sometimes worrying to me that despite the inconclusive evidence (which retailers sometimes acknowledge) they still say we need additional antioxidants. It is highly unlikely that we need anything of the kind. A balanced diet is all that we need to contain our free radicals.
If you read the scientific papers about free radicals and various conditions, you will see how guarded and non-commital are the scientific statements and that's because the evidence isn't there to support serious claims. Unless or until there is that evidence, we shouldn't be urging people to take additional antioxidants at all.
I knew there was a benefit to all these carrots I've been eating!
Hi jm, yes carrots is my favorite too, thanbk you dear! Maita
Mr Bob Lloyd, your comments are great and I really appreciate you dropping by here. I trust you on that one, adding antioxidants to a healthy diet that you have is bad. Now I am off to read the JMA paper. At times it is dangerous because there are many claims in the Internet about findings, ti si scary really, only truested people and scientific researches should be considered, You take care!
Thank you Fiona, Maita
Even if its not certain whether antioxidants can prevent cancer, I figure there is nothing to lose by eating them anyway. If I eat them and it helps, great. If it doesn't help, well at least I tried to do something good for my body!
youre right rachel, that is exactly my point! on the part of cancer it is scary because some people think that antioxidants can cure cancer and they resort to antioxidants and may have overdose of it, A guided medical procedure is proper for cancer patients! Maita
Excellent Hub! You did a wonderful job presenting a great deal of information. I'll be following your hubs!
thank you Lamme, Maita
Fantastic hub! I've always been a big believer in the power on antioxidants. Summer is one of my favorite times of year because I can get all kinds of great antioxidant rich foods like fresh cherries, raspberries, and strawberries.
antioxidants rock isnt it Ms Summer? yes they are not yet proven to be a cure for cancer but we need them for nourishment as well! thank you!
I think it's probably too soon to be putting lots of investment into antioxidants. But the research looks promising!
yes you're right Billap, Thank you for dropping by! Maita
My brother died of cancer a few years ago, and it was such a sad thing to see. I hope that the scientific community will devote all possible resources to finding a cure.
Thanks for your post, it is very insightful.
Mike
I have too many family members who have died of cancer for me not to try and get all of the information that I can about this horrible disease. I can agree with everything you've written here, because I've heard or read about most of it somewhere else as well. A great hub with a lot of excellent health information packed into it.
On a side note about antioxidants, I've heard that a good balance between most or all of them is a key to good health.
Thumbs up, Maita! Thumbs up!
The best to you.
Kelley
Together we can cure cancer - one person at a time!
What a great job, thanks!!!Very useful information. :-)
Hi Ivallieva, thank you, Maita
Hi Kelley Eidem, thank you for dropping by, Maita
Hi MJFande, yes cancer is a dangerous and scary disease, and prevention is a must and thats why I am researching about it to shed light about it and the role of antioxidants is one, It is useful to eat these foods rich in antioxidants as it is healthy plus who knows it can cure cancer as well. Thank you for the appreciattion, HUGS< maita
Hi Mike, thats too sad cancer, I hope your family is ok now and his family too, cancer is a dreaded disease and I am trying to do research about it to shed light about current developments as well and we all hope there will be cure in the future, Thanks and Good night Mike, thank you, Maita
I really found this hub informative thank you
Let us hope they can it would be very nice if we could cure such a curse ourselves...
hi Barry, youre right, it is scary! thank you!
What a yseful Hub. I thought it was really informative and helpful. I have close family that have suffered, and am under scrutiny myself. Stuff like this brings a glimmer of hope. Many thanks
GOod info. SUre wish I loved veggies more. Just heard V8 (which I wish I liked, but cannot stand) has fruity varieties out that taste better, so trying those....fingers crossed!
Wow what a great hub. It has so much great information that I didn't know. Thanks for enlightening us. Cheers.
thanks ladyjane, Maita
well done, excellent info...
Great info & nice hub!
I want to say antioxidents help everything overall, but you know, the fact is we just don't know. I think everything in moderation and I am sure they help.
It's just crazy how one person can be so physically abusive and live to 100 while another can be the most fit, healthy person and perish at 40.
Oh! And congrats on this hub reaching 100 my friend!
Useful hubs...thanks for sharing...
Anyway, At least we need antioxidants.
I routinely consuming antioxidants
how about coffee?
thanks - .... beta carotene, lycopene, Vitamins A, C, D, E- tocopherol, Selenium will come soon into my anticancer hub collection
thanks for making my hub as a resource in what to write hehe, maita
coffee is bad for health specially in excess, Maita
hsofyan, youre right Sir, just continue taking it, maita
thanks fester, maita
Michale shane thanks, Maita
Matt Larsen, thanks, Maita
Wow! Dejavoodoo! Great hub still Maita!
Mick, thanks, Maita
kowality 2 years ago
This hub is packed full of great info. Thank you pretty. I've always been addicted to raw foods. I guess it was the way my parents fed us. They were old country and my Mother always had a garden packed full of Veggies.