Even though Linus Pauling won the Nobel Prize for his work on Vitamin C, it was WJ McCormick that was the first to propose the benefits of Vitamin C in the treatment of cancer even earlier in 1954. Despite the long history of the study of IV Vitamin C and cancer, the research on IV Vitamin C in the treatment of cancer continues. The use of IV Vitamin C in cancer is currently being studied at numerous sites across the United States, including the University of Iowa, Thomas Jefferson University, the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Johns Hopkins University, throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

Intravenous Vitamin C is a natural, yet extremely powerful tool to directly attack cancer and yes, kill cancer cells. In general, patients with cancer have been shown to have significantly depleted levels of Vitamin C compared to individuals without cancer — modern-day metabolic scurvy if you will. The scientific evidence for the use of IV Vitamin C as a treatment option and a treatment adjunct in cancer continues to grow.

In fact, it is my opinion that the evidence for the IV use of Vitamin C in cancer is so strong, it should be considered a mainstay in any and all treatment plans in the treatment of cancer. I would even use the mainstream medicine words standard of care in reference to IV Vitamin C in the treatment of cancer. Not standard of care as defined by mainstream medicine, what everybody is doing, but instead use the standard of care that results from the overwhelming evidence that supports its efficacy and safety. There are a lot of cancer treatments used on people every day that can’t meet the level of evidence available for IV Vitamin C.

Why not just use oral Vitamin C? This gets technical, but an important question to answer. The simple answer is pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetics is the study of the body’s absorption, distribution, metabolism and the excretion of drugs, which also includes vitamins/supplements. The perfect example is a very powerful antibiotic vancomycin. Oral and IV vancomycin have very different effects because of the different absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion properties of the IV and oral delivery.

It is not that one delivery method alone is outright better than another, but that the body processes the treatment therapy, drug in this example, which dictates and effects the therapy effectiveness. Pharmacokinetics can also apply to vitamins and in this case, Vitamin C. Know this next bit of information and you will know more than most doctors and empower your healing. Oral Vitamin C is limited by 2 significant factors.

First, Vitamin C has a maximum absorption rate of approximately 200 mg/hour. Most Vitamin C supplements far exceed 1,000 mg, let alone 200 mg. If one takes more than 200 mg oral Vitamin C, the vast majority of it is flushed out of the body not used. Second, and probably most important, oral Vitamin C has a very low peak plasma concentration, likely related to the first point. Oral Vitamin C will not raise plasma concentration significantly higher than 200 microMolar. The lowest plasma concentration that has been shown to be toxic to cancer cells is 500 microMolar with the target maximum cancer kill rate in the 10-20 millimolar range (see diagram to left from the riordanclinic).

In contrast, IV Vitamin C has been shown to reach peak plasma concentrations of 20-40 millimolar and higher. That is at least a 20,000 times higher peak plasma concentration with IV Vitamin C compared to oral Vitamin C. That is the power of pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetics is also the reason why 2 follow up studies (published in 1975 and 1985) to Pauling’s original 1976 research found no benefit from oral Vitamin C, yet the research on IV Vitamin C that has followed has repeatedly shown benefit.

Benefits of IV Vitamin C in Cancer

The fact that a natural therapy has such significant evidence to support its use is surprising to a lot of people. In fact, when you look at the evidence with IV Vitamin C, the volume actually dwarfs much of the research that pushes many prescriptions drugs today. The published evidence for the benefit of IV Vitamin C in cancer includes:

• Improved Quality of Life
• Increased overall survival
• Reduction in pain
• Increased energy
• Increased appetite
• Decreased cancer-associated inflammation
• Prevents cancer-associated sepsis
• Combats infections (viral, bacterial, fungi)
• Reduces side effects and toxicity of chemotherapy
• Reduces side effects and toxicity of radiation
• Augments the cancer kill rate of chemotherapy
• Augments the cancer kill rate of radiation
• Kills cancer cells
• Allows a decrease in the dose of chemotherapy, yet maintains the same cancer kill rate
• Improves surgery recovery time
• Reduces post-surgery pain
• May even decrease post-surgery cancer recurrence
• Kills cancer stem cells (CSC)

All this benefit and it is non-toxic to healthy cells.

Most importantly, the IV use of Vitamin C has repeatedly been shown to be safe at therapeutic dosing as high as 300 grams daily. How does that compare to your average chemotherapy, radiation, or surgical treatment for cancer? The safety, the increased quality of life and the increased overall survival alone are reasons all people battling cancer should receive IV Vitamin C. Any therapy that is safe, improves outcome, and reduces side effects should be an absolute must!

Is IV Vitamin C helpful in all cancer types?

Intravenous Vitamin C has been shown to be effective in both solid (i.e. brain, breast, prostate) and blood-borne cancers (i.e. leukemia, multiple myeloma) including:

• Brain (Glioblastoma)
• Ovarian
• Lung (Non-small cell lung cancer)
• Leukemia
• Pancreatic
• Breast
• Prostate
• Melanoma
• Liver
• Colon
• Bladder
• Neuroblastoma
• Multiple myelomas
• Sarcoma

Many of these cancers are the worst of the worst and many of the studies showing benefit are in advanced cancer (Stage III and Stage IV). The IV use of Vitamin C has even been shown to be beneficial in smoldering myeloma, the pre-cancerous state of multiple myeloma.

IV Vitamin C is not created equally for all cancers and is definitely not a one-size-fits-all approach. The patient size, tumor burden (amount of cancer present), metastasis or spread of the cancer, the type of cancer, the aggressiveness of the cancer, and whether the cancer is the primary presenting tumor or is recurrent all play a role in determining the dose and the frequency of the Vitamin C. In addition, levels should be monitored to ensure that optimal Vitamin C levels are obtained and maintained for each individual. These are some of the many reasons that IV Vitamin C therapy must be continuously monitored by someone knowledgeable in the use of IV Vitamin C therapy in the fight against cancer. The one-size-fits-all approach never works, and the use of IV Vitamin C in the treatment of cancer is no different.

Cancer is a metabolic disease

Cancer is a metabolic disease. Cancer is rarely a genetic disease. What genetic changes that exist in cancer are likely the result of the metabolic dysfunction. Dr. Lodi does not like the word disease, so let's look at that word and see why. “Disease” is an early 14th-century word that was more descriptive than diagnostic. According to the Etymology dictionary, the original meaning of the word disease meant discomfort, inconvenient, distress. The actual two root words are “dis” (without) and “aise” (ease) which gives the actual root meaning of disease as “without ease.” Interestingly, in the late 15th century the meaning of the word disease evolved to mean “to make ill.” Since traditional medicine treatments are the third leading cause of death, how can medicine not be called a means to make ill, a means to create dis aise, a disease itself.

The scientific literature really leaves little evidence for any other conclusion that cancer is anything but the result of metabolic distress. In fact, cancer is the body’s attempt to adapt, though this is a poor attempt, to the presence of a low oxygen environment, oxidative stress, and poor energy production. In the short-term, this adaptation pays dividends for survival, but in the long-term, this adaptation leads to the survival of very dysfunctional cells and what we know as cancer. The genetic defects often found in cancer are more often the result of massive metabolic dysfunction, than a foundational genetic defect. In many ways, genetic defects are the effect of rather than the cause.

I have had the pleasure of speaking at the same conference as Dr. Thomas N. Seyfried, author of Cancer is a Metabolic Disease. Dr. Seyfried is extremely well published on the mechanisms of the dysfunctional metabolism of cancer. His 2015 article Cancer as a mitochondrial metabolic disease, published in the Journal Frontiers In Cell and Developmental Biology, is a heavy, but very good read on the metabolic mechanisms behind cancer. In addition, Dr. Dominic P. D’Agostino at the University of South Florida spoke at the same conference on the use of the ketogenic diet in the management of metastatic cancer. Now, I have the opportunity to work with my good friend, Dr. Lodi, a pioneer in integrative oncology. These and other pillars in the cancer research community have helped to decipher the mechanisms behind the actions of IV Vitamin C in cancer and apply them to clinical practice. The combination of the knowledge of cancer metabolism and the mechanism and use of IV Vitamin C in cancer metabolism is a targeted, lethal combination in the fight against cancer.

To describe the mechanism of action of IV Vitamin C in cancer, I need to get a little technical so bear with me. Put on your thinking caps. Humans are one of several species that have lost the ability to make Vitamin C, hence what Vitamin C we have in our body comes through our diet and/or supplementation alone.  In addition, the human body has very limited capacity to store Vitamin C. This lack of productive capacity and lack of storage leaves most people with cancer with massive Vitamin C deficiency in what I call metabolic scurvy. One of the benefits of Vitamin C in the battle against cancer is that Vitamin C looks just like glucose.

Vitamin C is actually made from glucose by the enzyme gulonolactone oxidase. Humans lack this enzyme, which requires us to get continuous Vitamin C through our diet. As concerning as this enzymatic deficiency can be, this deficiency provides a silver lining in the fight against cancer. Cancer thrives in the typical glucose-rich environment of the western American diet. The elimination of simple sugars, excessive carbohydrates, and high process foods through the diet will starve the cancer of its primary fuel source — glucose. In the low glucose state induced by targeted nutrition plans, Vitamin C is readily taken up by the energy-starved cancer cells via the receptors SVCT1 and SVCT2 because of Vitamin C’s resemblance to glucose. In this case, Vitamin C is a stealthy metabolic time bomb for cancer cells. This is why nutrition is as much a part of treatment at an Oasis of Healing as the IV therapies are.

Is Vitamin C an antioxidant or a pro-oxidant?

Vitamin C, especially at the higher dosages, only obtainable through IV Vitamin C delivery, has been shown to be a potent pro-oxidant (not antioxidant) in cancer cells. It is this pro-oxidant activity of Vitamin C in cancer cells that generate high levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), such as H2O2, OH−, ·O2−, required to kill cancer cells. The key factor that separates cancer cells from healthy cells is that cancer cells lack certain enzymes, such as catalase and SOD, to handle these high ROS levels. Healthy cells retain appropriate catalase and SOD activity and are thus perfectly capable of handling the high ROS, hence Vitamin C functions as an anti-oxidant in healthy cells but as a pro-oxidant in cancer cells.

This high ROS presence in cancer then interacts with the high levels of Iron present in cancer cells and depletes the glutathione pool in the cancer cells. This leads to an intra-cellular oxidative stress death spiral within the cancer cells which triggers cell death (apoptosis) in the absence of the enzymes catalase and SOD. In addition, Vitamin C also behaves as an inhibitor of glycolysis. Glycolysis is a key pathway in the cell cycle of energy production and the primary mechanism of energy production in cancer cells. Vitamin C targets and blocks the activity of Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a key enzyme in glycolysis. This blockade of the GAPDH enzyme shuts down the cancer cells' favorite way to make energy. These functions make Vitamin C a potent anti-cancer therapy that leaves healthy cells unharmed. What a great combination and a novel concept!

Cancer Stem cells

Functional or integrative medicine is the new movement in medicine that seeks to identify the root cause(s) of dis aise for each individual. This movement is also a return to the roots of what a physician or doctor is — Docēre rāphè. Words have meaning and the historical meaning of the words provide perspective for a purpose. A purpose without a historical perspective is ripe for disaster. Rāphè is the Hebrew root word for physician which can be translated healer or “to heal.” Docēre is the Latin root word for the doctor which can be translated teacher or “to teach.” What is the historical perspective of a doctor? Of a physician? From a historical root perspective, a physician/doctor is one that teaches the body how to heal.

How is medicine doing in this historic mission to teach the body how to heal? As you might guess, not very good. Let the evidence speak for itself. According to data from the American Cancer Society, from 2013 to 2017, the number of deaths from cancer per year has doubled compared to new cases of cancer diagnosed over the same time frame. Despite all the new technologically advanced drugs and therapies that hit the market between 2013-2017, the diagnosis of cancer in 2017 was more terminal than a cancer diagnosis in 2013. That is an eye-opener and an indictment of the failure of physicians to hold to their historical calling—healers.

In the effort to find the root cause(s) of cancer to curb the disproportionate deaths from cancer to a diagnosis of cancer, Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are the new frontier in cancer research and cancer therapy. Cancer Stem Cells are the ultimate back-up for cancer.  As the back-up, CSCs are thought to be the “root cause” of:

• chemotherapy resistance
• radiation therapy resistance
• treatment failure
• tumor recurrence
• metastasis

For those affected by cancer, Cancer Stem Cells may be the difference between winning and losing. Make no mistake about it, we are all in this fight to win!

What is a cancer stem cell exactly?

In general terms, stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that are capable, when signaled, to differentiate or change into specialized cell types. A lot of medical jargon I know; but specifically, in the case of cancer, cancer stem cells can be used as the ultimate back-up to reproduce the original cancer cells in all of its glory of metabolic dysfunction. It is the back-up of the worst metabolic kind of dysfunction in cancer instead of the optimal metabolic function of healing cells. Back-ups are often a good and required task for protection, but in this case, we would rather do without these back-ups. These cancer stem cell back-ups, if not destroyed, will lead to treatment failure and cancer recurrence. When cancer does recur from these cancer stem cells, it is more aggressive and progressive than the original cancer presentation. Cancer stem cells are a cancers secret weapon. It is the sequel that delivers in a very bad way.

Vitamin C and cancer stem cells

What does CSC’s have to do with Vitamin C? A recent study published in the journal OncoTarget helps to identify the connection. In this study, Vitamin C was found to induce oxidative stress and inhibit glycolysis (cell energy production using glucose) via the inhibition of GAPDH in cancer cells. This may not sound like anything new or exciting, as I highlighted this mechanism earlier, but cancer, metabolically speaking, has backed itself into a metabolic corner because of its metabolic inflexibility. Most view cancer as metabolically advantaged over healthy cells, but the exact opposite is true.

Healthy cells retain the metabolic flexibility to switch from glucose to protein, or even better fats, as the primary source of energy production as dictated by the environment. Cancer cells lack this metabolic flexibility, thus limiting a cancer cells ability to adapt to changing nutrient sources. This metabolic flexibility gives healthy cells the survival advantage over cancer cells if targeted therapy is employed to target cancer’s inflexibility and it’s sole reliance on glucose as a primary source of energy production. In the study, Vitamin C (at doses that can only be obtained through IV delivery) was found to kill CSCs. Vitamin C was compared to the experimental drug 2-DG and was found to be 10 times more potent than the experimental drug (2-DG) in killing CSCs. Remember that CSCs are the ultimate backup copy to provide regrowth of the cancer cells if needed. Kill the back-up, you forever kill the potential for recurrence. Other inhibitors of the CSC energy pathways found in this study were also Silibinin, an active component of milk thistle, and caffeine acid phenyl ester (CAPE) which comes from honeybee propolis.

Want more evidence?

A more recent study published in the journal Precision Oncology found that Vitamin C kills CSCs in the very aggressive Hepatocellular (liver) cancer. The reason? Cancer stem cells more readily absorbed Vitamin C because of its high uptake of Vitamin C compared to normal cells. This high uptake of Vitamin C occurred due to the high expression of the SVTC2 receptors (discussed above) on the CSCs compared to healthy cells or even cancer cells in general. It is one thing to have high plasma Vitamin C levels in the presence of high SVTC2 receptors, but starve the CSC’s of its primary energy source, glucose, and the perfect high demand situation is created. Couple this high demand with the high presence of Vitamin C in the plasma, which looks just like glucose, and the set up is in place for the perfect stealth delivery of Vitamin C. It is the perfect wolf in sheep’s clothing, but this time, in a good way.

A third study, published in the journal OncoTarget in 2017 found that IV Vitamin C was able to kill CSCs in those cancers that were found to be resistance to the antibiotic doxycycline. This well known and commonly prescribed antibiotic has been shown to be an effective therapy against CSCs in breast, ovarian, prostate, lung, pancreatic, melanoma, and glioblastoma cancers. Interestingly, doxycycline increases the sensitivity of CSCs to radiation and chemotherapy. Some cancers, however, can escape and become resistant to these effects of doxycycline. The use of IV Vitamin C in these doxycycline resistant cancers has been shown to be highly effective in killing CSCs.

These studies conclude that Vitamin C can be used to target cancer cells in the primary tumor, cancer cells in metastasis and the ultimate back-up — cancer stem cells (CSCs). In addition, Vitamin C also targets the cancer stem Cell’s energy pathways in the mitochondria as glycolytic inhibitors. The authors of the study published in the journal OncoTarget stated:

“Vitamin C may prove to be [a] promising agent for new clinical trials, aimed at testing its ability to reduce CSC activity in cancer patients, as an add-on to more conventional therapies, to prevent tumor recurrence, further disease progression, and metastasis.” 

I agree with the entirety of the statement, but ‘may prove’? How much evidence is needed? How much time is required? Vitamin C has been studied for its anti-cancer properties since its first proposed benefit in 1954! “Time reveals all truth”. Evidence and time have proven the truth of benefit of Vitamin C in the treatment of cancer.

Because of the presence of Cancer Stem Cells, the defeat of the primary cancer tumor is just the beginning of the battle against cancer. The battle must continue with lifestyle interventions to attack CSCs in the short-term and long-term to target a life-long, disease-free survival instead of just 5 years of disease-free survival. Disease-free survival is a traditional medicine term defined as 5 years without evidence of disease. What about 5 years and 1 day? What then?

A plan of attack that includes CSCs could help redefine the disease-free survival to 10, 15, 20 years and even beyond disease. It may even eliminate the use of the word disease as the focus of physicians in medicine, restore it to its original descriptive dis aise and restore physicians to their historical purpose — healing. If you don’t shoot for the stars, you will never reach the stars and beyond.

Learn more from Dr. Goodyear with this seven-part series at An Oasis of Healing

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During an internet search for alternative cancer therapies, you will find thousands of web pages, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. How are you to know which treatments really work? It’s easy to fall victim to disingenuous promises of a cure. But you needn’t despair. I’ve done much of the homework for you.

Part of my job as your doctor is to share what I’ve learned with you, empowering you to make an informed decision regarding your options, helping you discern hype from reality. It is my responsibility as a licensed physician to recommend therapies that I believe to be in your best interest based not only on available evidence but also in thoughtful consideration for your sensibilities. You have a right to choose what goes in your body. When well informed, the average patient needn’t have gone to medical school to make good decisions about their care.

“Yes, you can find websites where patient testimonials report amazing spontaneous ‘cures' with simple nutritional manipulations and supplements, but such responses are truly rare, and the many more patients who failed the ‘cure' are no longer with us to refute these claims.”

Dr. Joseph Shaw Jones

Cancer is not a single disease, and it does not have a single cause. There are many predisposing factors, some genetic, some metabolic and some environmental. In many types, we simply do not know the cause, but underlying all is the loss of control of the cells life cycle, cell division, normal cellular aging, and cell death.

The importance of nutrition

Our immunity — the tissues, and cells that make up our immune system and which are present throughout our bodies — is supposed to monitor for the development of cancerous cells while still microscopic in size. This is called “immune surveillance.” Certain lymphocytes present in everyone are responsible for recognizing these abnormal, mutated cells and destroy them. This surveillance is imperfect.

Abnormal cells can be born with, or develop ways of masking their presence from our immune system. Metabolic abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, infectious agents, and environmental toxins can weaken our immunity. Circulating hormones, byproducts of our metabolism, and tumor growth factors can stimulate tumor cell growth faster than our immune tissue can respond.

But simply removing toxins, correcting deficiencies, normalizing nutrition, removing the infection or maximizing our immunity will not effectively treat a malignancy once it has developed. You will feel better, be healthier — but the tumor will march on.

Yes, you can find websites where patient testimonials report amazing spontaneous “cures” with simple nutritional manipulations and supplements, but such responses are truly rare, and the many more patients who failed the “cure” are no longer with us to refute these claims.

However, it’s quite clear:

• 1) nutrition is certainly far more important in the treatment of cancer than once realized,
• 2) a healthy immune system is extremely important, especially in the prevention of cancer, and
• 3) actions taken to prevent cancer, be it removing toxins, boosting immunity, exercising, eating right, taking anti-oxidants and vitamins, alkalinizing or juicing among others, are highly unlikely to adequately treat an established malignancy.

What is IPTLD?

For the past 10 years, I’ve offered an alternative to traditional cancer treatment, and an alternative to conventional chemotherapy administration. Following the research and teachings of Drs. Stephen Ayer and Donato Garcia, I have used a procedure called “Insulin Potentiation Therapy, low dose” or IPTLD, in those patients in whom chemotherapy was recommended.

Insulin Potentiation Therapy, low dose involves the administration of conventional chemotherapeutics in a “dose-dense” manner — administering chemotherapy at a lower dose — 15 to 20 percent of the usual dose, administered on a weekly basis. Dose-dense administration has been applied with increasing frequency conventionally, as in most cases it is far better tolerated than full doses administered every 3-4 weeks, while response rates are maintained.

Here, dose-dense protocols are combined with pre-treatment short-acting insulin, resulting in mild transient hypoglycemia. In cell culture, insulin increases tumor cell permeability to the chemotherapeutic and in effect “potentiates” the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. The average patient receives, cumulatively over a month’s time, approximately 70-80 percent of the conventional dose of most chemotherapeutics.

Patients experience side effects many orders of magnitude lower under our care than when treated conventionally. Most are able to maintain their usual daily activities. When chemotherapy is the recommendation from your oncologist, there is a way to receive these lifesaving medications that will not make you so sick, and fear can be set aside.

No therapy should be considered in the absence of demonstrated effectiveness. In a comparative trial in breast cancer published a few years ago, those patients who received insulin prior to chemotherapy had a significantly greater response vs. chemotherapy alone. A number of case reports have been published since, reporting successful outcomes in a number of solid tumors. Unpublished accounts at international IPT conferences are commensurate with my experience, that IPT responses mirror that seen with conventional treatment.

This alternative administration of chemotherapy is but part of the recommended treatment plan. I combine Insulin Potentiation Therapy, low dose with complementary modalities which are directed toward immune modulation and mitigation of symptoms, both from low-dose chemotherapy and from your malignancy.

Specifically, these are the Far-Infrared Sauna, functioning in the dual role of detoxification and systemic hyperthermia, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which benefits you by improving immune health and interfering with tumor hypoxia-driven new blood vessel growth, intravenous high-dose Vitamin C, colon hydrotherapy, therapeutic massage, and acupuncture.

You also will receive nutritional counseling, including an explanation of the value of the ketogenic diet. Diagnostic testing for toxic, metabolic and nutritional status is performed, as is an assessment of gut health. Selective supplement recommendations are made and certain prescription pharmaceuticals such as low-dose naltrexone (LDN) and metformin are recommended.

The diagnosis of cancer can be a life-changing event for you, and this also may include your significant other and your family. Everyone goes through the stages of grief to some degree. Depression can complicate treatment, and loss of hope can significantly undermine your success. Counseling is, therefore, an important component of our program.

While I have been conventionally trained, board-certified in Internal Medicine, I recognize the need and value in alternatives to conventional cancer therapy. Since my certification in IPTLD in 2008, I have been given the opportunity to provide a less toxic path for those who are seeking an alternative. At our clinic, The Gentle Wellness Center, you will find a peaceful space to heal.

Learn more about the Gentle Wellness Center at www.mygentlewellness.com.

The post What is Insulin Potentiation Therapy, low dose –and how does it compare to conventional treatment appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

Some researchers have called them “master cells” because they decide what the rest of the tumor cells are going to do. Yes, these deadly stem cells are in control of how fast cancer will spread and in addition, how it manages to grow and even resist harsh treatments over and over again. In laboratory studies using mice, they discovered that just a few of these cancer stem cells can cause the tumor to grow right back again whereas countless other cancer cells could not do that. [2]

Even though these cancer stem cells make up less than 1% of the tumor's mass they have a clever way of escaping conventional medical therapies which target rapidly dividing cancer cells. [3]
These master cancer stem cells divide very slowly, therefore they pass right through and around the chemotherapy and even intensive radiation in many cases.

And to make matters worse, these cancer stem cells if they do take in some of the chemotherapy drugs they have in built-in defense mechanism that causes it to quickly expel the chemical drugs right out of the cell leaving it unharmed.

Chemo, radiation makes cancer master cells stronger

But if that was not the worst of the situation there’s more to be said. When these master cancer stem cells are exposed to chemotherapy and radiation it actually makes these CSC’s several times stronger according to a recent study by UCLA on breast cancer radiation treatments. These cancer stem cells are not only found in breast cancer, but they were found in basically every type of solid tumor to date. So, to effectively overcome cancer the secret is to disable the cancer stem cells.

Another deadly aspect of cancer is causing the patient to starve to death. This syndrome is called cachexia. The muscles waste away. Cancer stem cells are also responsible for this life-threatening condition.

To date, the researchers have found three plant extracts that, when combined, can disable these cancer stem cells. At the Budwig Center, we routinely include this unique plant-based extract combination in our program.

For more than 60 years the Budwig Protocol has helped countless people with all types of cancer recover their health. Contact the Budwig Center for more information.

The post Budwig Protocol disables deadly cancer stem cells appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

High-dose IV vitamin C therapy is a natural, yet powerful intervention that is a cornerstone in most integrative and complementary cancer care programs around the world. It has been used since the 1950s in the treatment of cancer and is believed by many alternative healthcare practitioners to be a potent anti-cancer agent with the ability to selectively target and eliminate cancer cells without damaging healthy cells or causing side effects [1] [10].

There is mounting scientific evidence that supports the safety and beneficial effects of IV vitamin C infusions for cancer patients, but strong clinical data regarding efficacy in humans is still lacking [10]. Early phase clinical research has indicated safety and that high-dose IV vitamin C may be effective in eradicating tumor cells of many cancer types [10]. There is also evidence to show that it works synergistically to make cancer cells more sensitive to certain chemotherapy drugs, helps to mitigate fatigue in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and reduce toxic side effects [10]. However, further well-designed clinical research is still required to determine efficacy as a primary cancer treatment.

There has been controversy over the years surrounding vitamin C due to a lack of understanding of the inherent difference between oral and intravenous administration [1]. In order to achieve therapeutic levels of vitamin C it must be administered intravenously (directly into the bloodstream via an IV drip) and at sufficiently high doses [1] [2] [15]. It is not possible to achieve the same blood plasma levels of vitamin C and related potential anti-cancer activity when vitamin C is taken orally [15].

With this realization there is now renewed interest in IV vitamin C for cancer. More recent research indicates that high-dose IV vitamin C protocols could be beneficial for patients with a range of different cancer types, especially as an adjunct to standard of care treatments [10].

Historical Perspective

The use of high-dose vitamin C as a cancer therapy began in the 1950s. William McCormick, a Canadian physician, observed that cancer patients often had low vitamin C levels and presented with symptoms similar to scurvy. This led McCormick to formulate the hypothesis that vitamin C may help to prevent cancer from spreading to healthy tissues by increasing collagen production.

Linus Pauling and Ewan Cameron then built on McCormick’s theory and published a groundbreaking study in 1976, which showed that high-dose IV vitamin C increased the survival times of patients with advanced cancer [11]. Pauling went on to win the Nobel Prize for his work on vitamin C, but McCormick was the original pioneer of vitamin C for cancer.

Despite these early findings, vitamin C as a cancer therapy has a controversial history. In 1979, the Mayo Clinic conducted double-blind randomized clinical trials on high-dose vitamin C, which showed no benefits in cancer patients [12]. This was more rigorously designed research from a respected institution, which discredited Pauling and Cameron’s landmark study. 

However, the scientific and medical communities overlooked the fact that the cancer patients in the Mayo Clinic studies were only treated with oral vitamin C. The studies did not necessarily disprove high-dose vitamin C’s potential efficacy as a cancer treatment when administered intravenously. In the years following these studies it proved difficult for scientists to obtain funding for research on vitamin C as a potential anti-cancer agent. Furthermore, vitamin C is not patentable and the mechanisms of action were not clear at the time. This meant that there was no incentive for pharmaceutical companies to finance clinical trials. Studies that were conducted had to rely on government grants or private funding [13].

In recent years, it has come to light that vitamin C concentration in blood plasma is tightly controlled when taken orally, whereas an IV infusion bypasses the body’s control mechanisms [15]. Plasma concentrations high enough to have potential therapeutic benefits for cancer can only be achieved with IV vitamin C. This new knowledge has spurred new research into the potential efficacy of vitamin C for cancer [13].

Research

There is growing evidence in the scientific literature that IV vitamin C could be a safe and beneficial supportive intervention for cancer patients. A 2018 review of the research indicates that it helps to lower inflammation, improves symptoms related to antioxidant deficiency, alleviates disease processes, and reduces the side effects of standard cancer treatments [6]. However, there is still limited well-designed clinical research on IV vitamin C as a primary cancer treatment in humans. In general, clinical studies are still lacking on high-dose vitamin C as a monotherapy (without standard of care treatment) in patients that have not received heavy prior conventional treatment and that are not terminally ill [10].

The idea that vitamin C can actually treat cancer has been controversial. However, there are some documented case studies where patients with advanced cancers had unexpectedly long survival times and improved symptoms after receiving high-dose intravenous vitamin C therapy. In light of these findings, researchers called for a reassessment of the role of high-dose IV vitamin C therapy in cancer treatment [7].

New knowledge is now emerging regarding the anti-cancer properties of vitamin C. Recent high-profile preclinical studies have rekindled interest in high-dose vitamin C for cancer treatment. These studies show that vitamin C targets many of the mechanisms that cancer cells use for their survival and growth, but these mechanisms still need to be validated in clinical trials in humans [8].

A 2022 review of the scientific literature summarizes that high-dose intravenous vitamin C has a range of documented beneficial effects including: “cytotoxicity for cancer cells but not for normal cells; improved quality of life for cancer patients; protection of normal tissues from toxicity caused by chemotherapy; reinforcement of the action of radiation and some types of chemotherapy; immune system enhancement; and strengthening of collagen” [9].

Another recent review from 2021 highlights mounting evidence that vitamin C has the potential to be a potent anti-cancer agent when administered intravenously and in sufficiently high doses [10]. Early phase clinical trials have confirmed safety and indicated efficacy in eradicating tumor cells of various cancer types, but strong clinical data is still lacking [10]. Further clinical research is still required to determine efficacy as a primary cancer treatment in humans.

Potential Applications

A large percentage of cancer patients have been shown to have severely depleted levels of vitamin C compared to healthy individuals [1]. Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient for the health of humans. It plays an important role in the defense mechanisms of the immune system, protects against oxidative stress, and regulates the expression of a wide range of genes [3] [4].  

IV vitamin C is reported to be a beneficial supportive treatment for patients with solid tumors and also blood cancers, including: 

• Brain (Glioblastoma)
• Ovarian
• Lung (Non-small cell lung cancer)
• Leukemia
• Pancreatic
• Breast
• Prostate
• Melanoma
• Liver
• Colon
• Bladder
• Neuroblastoma
• Multiple myelomas
• Sarcoma

Numerous clinical studies have reported a range of therapeutic benefits of high-dose IV vitamin C for cancer patients, but evidence is still lacking that it is an effective primary cancer treatment [9] [10]. The potential benefits are summarized below:

• Improved quality of life
• Increased overall survival
• Reduction in pain
• Increased energy
• Increased appetite
• Decreased cancer-associated inflammation
• Prevents cancer-associated sepsis
• Combats infections (viral, bacterial, fungi)
• Reduces side effects and toxicity of chemotherapy
• Reduces side effects and toxicity of radiation
• Augments the cancer kill rate of chemotherapy
• Augments the cancer kill rate of radiation
• Kills cancer cells
• Allows a decrease in the dose of chemotherapy, yet maintains the same cancer kill rate
• Improves surgery recovery time
• Reduces post-surgery pain
• May even decrease post-surgery cancer recurrence
• Kills cancer stem cells (CSC)

In high dosages, only obtainable through IV infusions, vitamin C has been shown to be a potent pro-oxidant in cancer cells [1]. This is important in understanding how IV vitamin C is theorized to work as an anti-cancer agent in humans. The pro-oxidant effect of vitamin C in high concentrations creates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and produces hydrogen peroxide [1] [10]. 

One factor that differentiates a cancer cell from a healthy cell is that cancer cells lack certain enzymes. For example, cancer cells lack, or are entirely deficient in, catalase, which is responsible for breaking down hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water [10]. They also lack superoxide dismutase (SOD), which is required to handle high levels of ROS [5]. 

Healthy cells with normal catalase and SOD activity are able to handle ROS and rapidly dispose of hydrogen peroxide. However, due to an inherent deficiency of catalase and SOD in cancer cells, high ROS and hydrogen peroxide are a lethal combination that essentially overwhelms and kills cancer cells [5] [10].

Vitamin C also inhibits glycolysis, which is the main mechanism of energy production in cancer cells. It targets and blocks the activity of a specific enzyme (GAPDH), which shuts down the cells preferred way of making energy, while leaving healthy cells unharmed [1].

Simply put, in laboratory and animal studies high-dose vitamin C has been shown to create oxidative stress that selectively kills cancer cells without harming healthy cells [10]. It acts as a targeted weapon to eliminate cancer cells by exploiting their enzymatic vulnerabilities. It also shuts down a key enzyme that cancer cells need to make energy.

While the mechanisms of action and potent anti-cancer effects of vitamin C have not yet been confirmed in clinical studies in humans, the preclinical and early-phase clinical research is promising [10]. Vitamin C may provide a tool for application in both novel and synergistic cancer therapies [5] [10]. 

Risks and Side Effects

High-dose IV vitamin C protocols are generally well-tolerated without severe adverse effects, but there is still limited clinical research regarding safety [14]. There are also certain contraindications that are important to be aware of. You should always discuss with your healthcare provider first before starting any treatment.

If you have G6PD deficiency high-dose vitamin C therapy would be contraindicated. G6PD is the enzyme required to safely metabolize high doses of vitamin C. If there is a deficiency the treatment could cause red blood cells to rupture. It is always advised to test for a G6PD deficiency prior to starting high-dose vitamin C therapy [10].

Patients with reduced kidney function, for example in the case of kidney disease or kidney failure, should also avoid the treatment. They may have problems clearing high doses of vitamin C from circulation and it may lead to the formation of kidney stones or acute oxalate nephropathy (oxalate related kidney damage) [10] [14].

FAQs

Q. Is there evidence that vitamin C is beneficial for cancer?

There is promising evidence in the scientific literature that vitamin C could be beneficial for a wide range of cancer types and as a supportive treatment alongside conventional cancer therapy. However, further research is still needed. If you are considering the treatment you should discuss with your healthcare provider first. 

Q. How is it administered and how long does it take?

IV vitamin C is given intravenously, which means directly into the vein via a drip. The treatment normally takes about 1 to 2 hours, but this may vary depending on the dosage and flow rate of the drip as set by the nurse or doctor administering the treatment.

Q. Is the treatment safe and are there side-effects?

The treatment is generally well-tolerated provided you have healthy kidney function and do not have a G6PD deficiency. In high doses some patients may experience temporary mild side-effects such as flushing of skin or headache. It is recommended to drink 2 liters or more of water on the day of treatment as it can have a slightly dehydrating effect on the body.

Q. Does it hurt?

The treatment does not hurt apart from a small scratch with the initial injection to place the IV drip into your arm. If you are going to receive regular IV treatments as part of your integrative treatment program your doctor may advise you to get a port-a-cath. This will prevent the exhaustion of veins and avoid the discomfort of daily injections.

References

[1] Zasowska-Nowak A, Nowak PJ, Ciałkowska-Rysz A. High-Dose Vitamin C in Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients. Nutrients. 2021 Feb 26;13(3):735. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7996511/

[2] Magrì A, Germano G, Lorenzato A, Lamba S, Chilà R, Montone M, Amodio V, Ceruti T, Sassi F, Arena S, Abrignani S, D'Incalci M, Zucchetti M, Di Nicolantonio F, Bardelli A. High-dose vitamin C enhances cancer immunotherapy. Sci Transl Med. 2020 Feb 26;12(532). https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.aay8707

[3] Carr AC, Maggini S. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017 Nov 3;9(11):1211. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29099763/

[4] Belin S, Kaya F, Burtey S, Fontes M. Ascorbic Acid and gene expression: another example of regulation of gene expression by small molecules? Curr Genomics. 2010 Mar;11(1):52-7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851117/

[5] Szarka A, Kapuy O, Lőrincz T, Bánhegyi G. Vitamin C and Cell Death. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2021 Apr 10;34(11):831-844. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32586104/

[6] Klimant E, Wright H, Rubin D, Seely D, Markman M. Intravenous vitamin C in the supportive care of cancer patients: a review and rational approach. Curr Oncol. 2018 Apr;25(2):139-148. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5927785/

[7] Padayatty SJ, Riordan HD, Hewitt SM, Katz A, Hoffer LJ, Levine M. Intravenously administered vitamin C as cancer therapy: three cases. CMAJ. 2006 Mar 28;174(7):937-42. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1405876/

[8] Ngo B, Van Riper JM, Cantley LC, Yun J. Targeting cancer vulnerabilities with high-dose vitamin C. Nat Rev Cancer. 2019 May;19(5):271-282. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30967651/

[9] Gonzalez, Michael & Miranda-Massari, Jorge & Duconge, Jorge & Berdiel, Miguel. (2015). Increasing the effectiveness of intravenous Vitamin C as an anticancer agent. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. 30. 45-50. https://isom.ca/article/increasing-the-effectiveness-of-intravenous-vitamin-c-as-an-anticancer-agent/

[10] Böttger, F., Vallés-Martí, A., Cahn, L. et al. High-dose intravenous vitamin C, a promising multi-targeting agent in the treatment of cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 40, 343 (2021). https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13046-021-02134-y

[11] Cameron E, Pauling L. Supplemental ascorbate in the supportive treatment of cancer: Prolongation of survival times in terminal human cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Oct;73(10):3685-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC431183/

[12] Moertel CG, Fleming TR, Creagan ET, Rubin J, O'Connell MJ, Ames MM. High-dose vitamin C versus placebo in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer who have had no prior chemotherapy. A randomized double-blind comparison. N Engl J Med. 1985 Jan 17;312(3):137-41. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3880867/

Creagan ET, Moertel CG, O'Fallon JR, Schutt AJ, O'Connell MJ, Rubin J, Frytak S. Failure of high-dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid) therapy to benefit patients with advanced cancer. A controlled trial. N Engl J Med. 1979 Sep 27;301(13):687-90. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/384241/

[13] Cantley L, Yun J. Intravenous High-Dose Vitamin C in Cancer Therapy. 2020. https://www.cancer.gov/research/key-initiatives/ras/ras-central/blog/2020/yun-cantley-vitamin-c

[14] Padayatty SJ, Sun AY, Chen Q, Espey MG, Drisko J, Levine M. Vitamin C: intravenous use by complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and adverse effects. PLoS One. 2010 Jul 7;5(7):e11414. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20628650/

[15] Padayatty SJ, Sun H, Wang Y, Riordan HD, Hewitt SM, Katz A, Wesley RA, Levine M. Vitamin C pharmacokinetics: implications for oral and intravenous use. Ann Intern Med. 2004 Apr 6;140(7):533-7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15068981/

Vitamin C, a natural substance found in many foods and dietary supplements, has long been known to carry several important health benefits. Most notable among these benefits are its critical role in the formation and health maintenance of collagen. [1] Therefore, Vitamin C is important for the health of skin and connective tissues throughout the body.

Intravenous Vitamin C has, in fact, been used for aesthetic purposes such as skin rejuvenation and skin whitening. [2] Vitamin C is also important for the health of bone, cartilage, and teeth, and also plays a very important role in iron absorption; thus impacting overall body health in the many critical ways iron does.

Probably the most controversial, yet exceedingly exciting, a benefit of Vitamin C is its suggested role in fighting cancer. The basis of attributing to Vitamin C this cancer-fighting ability is predicated on two main observations: Vitamin C’s property as an antioxidant and its property as a factor that helps enhance the function of the immune system. Several studies have documented the fact that Vitamin C acts as a natural antioxidant.

This property has been shown in laboratory studies to result in Vitamin C being an effective anti-cancer agent when high concentrations are reached in cells. [3,4] This Vitamin C-induced anti-cancer activity is mediated through the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). H2O2 is an oxygen radical that induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells thus resulting in their elimination. [5,6] It is thought that this effect results from the H2O2 damaging the cells’ DNA; cells that do not immediately undergo apoptosis are damaged and rendered more vulnerable to the anti-cancer effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

The significant role that Vitamin C plays in the proper functioning of the immune system is now well documented. [7] Not only is Vitamin C present in high concentrations in immune cells, such as T cells, it has also been shown to be necessary for these cells’ proper functioning. [8] Vitamin C is also known to be consumed in the body at much higher rates in the presence of infection. The immune system, while commonly and automatically associated with guarding against and fighting infections plays critical roles in health maintenance that span far beyond those confines.

Immune system functioning works not only to prevent and fight infections, help the body’s tissues heal after injury, but also works to combat cancer. The immune system’s role in fighting cancer is a versatile and multifaceted one, involved in not only fighting cancer but also preventing it from taking hold in the first place. [9] The important role that Vitamin C plays in supporting immune function, therefore, highlights the important function of Vitamin C as an anti-cancer agent.

Oral vs. Intravenous Vitamin C

Since Vitamin C cannot be synthesized by the body, it needs to be taken in from outside sources. This is an interesting peculiarity of human physiology since Vitamin C can be synthesized by most animals and plants from the more basic compounds of D-Glucose and D-Galactose. [1] Typically, Vitamin C is taken in orally through ingestion of various foods and dietary supplements. Intravenous administration is another method to take in this compound and has been used and studied as a way to reach higher concentration of  Vitamin C in the bloodstream, in order to achieve better therapeutic effects. [10]

This turns out to be a consideration of practical significance as studies have shown that oral Vitamin C does not improve survival in cancer [11,12]. Intravenous administration is required in order to achieve the high enough blood concentrations required for the anti-cancer effect of Vitamin C, [13] This is, in large part, due to the variability in the reliability of oral absorption of Vitamin C which results in lower blood concentrations, in general, compared to intravenous administration. [14,15]

The Half-life of Vitamin C in the body is also relatively short (about 2 hours), hence making it difficult for a high enough concentration to be reached at any point in time when the dependence is on gradual absorption through the oral route. As a result of all of these observations, it is now accepted that any significant benefit from Vitamin C in fighting cancer would have to be delivered in the form of high dose intravenous administration of the compound.

Evidence for treatment of cancer

Laboratory studies have shown that Vitamin C is directly toxic to cancer cells as long as certain concentration levels are achieved. [16,17] Animal studies have demonstrated the anti-cancer effects of Vitamin C for cancers of the pancreas, liver, colon, prostate, ovary in addition to mesotheliomas and neuroblastomas.

Until recently, human trials have shown little consistency in confirming the conclusion reached, based on laboratory and animal data, that Vitamin C can help in treating cancer. Early data from a University of Iowa trial on Glioblastoma Multiforme (an aggressive form of brain cancer that is the most common among adults) has recently become available. The results showed that when conventional treatment with chemotherapy and radiation was combined with high dose intravenous Vitamin C, the survival time was increased by 4-6 months compared to conventional treatment without Vitamin C.

In addition to its own anti-cancer properties, Vitamin C has also been shown to increase the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy agents in fighting cancer. Examples include Cisplatin, Dacarbazine, Doxorubicin, and Paclitaxel, in addition to the anti-estrogen agent used in treating breast cancer, Tamoxifen. [18-21] Another beneficial effect of Vitamin C is its ability to reduce the toxicity and side effects associated with chemotherapy. Intravenous high dose Vitamin C has, in fact, been shown to improve quality of life and lessen the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation in breast cancer patients. [21]

Conclusion

In conclusion, high dose Vitamin C therapy remains controversial and not uniformly accepted as a reliable cancer treatment within mainstream medical dogma. Despite this, however, a positive view of this therapy combined with increasing evidence for its effectiveness is gathering momentum. There is agreement that high dose Vitamin C therapy is overall a very safe treatment in cancer patients. While concerns over interaction with chemotherapy are frequently expressed, studies have in fact shown that it is not only safe with most chemotherapeutic agents but that it also may improve the effectiveness and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.

At Clear Health Inn, high dose intravenous Vitamin C is used in conjunction with other cutting-edge non-invasive technologies to approach cancer in a safe, effective, and innovative way. Visit clearhealthinn.com to learn more and/or to arrange a free consultation.

The post Understanding High-Dose IV Vitamin C as a Cancer Therapy appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

One minute you’re at the doctor getting something minor checked out and then the next moment …

“You have cancer.”

And then your doctor (even though well-meaning) bombards you with a whirlwind of treatments you have to do immediately, while your head is still spinning from the diagnosis.

And your next steps can mean the difference between life or death …

Chris Wark understands this all too well.

In December 2003 — two days before Christmas! — when he was just 26 years old, Chris was diagnosed with advanced cancer.

It was definitely not the Christmas present Chris was expecting, and he was immediately rushed into the cancer treatment system, but a decision he made a few weeks later changed everything and saved his life.

And he told me that one decision was absolutely the hardest decision he’s ever made …

So, what was his hardest decision?

I’ll let Chris tell you in his own words.

Someone you love has been affected by cancer

Last spring there was a massive shift in the cancer healing community.

Chris released an incredible 10-part video series that more than 150,000 people tuned in to watch for free — and the feedback was inspiring.

The video series details the exact strategies Chris used to beat advanced cancer naturally without chemo, and the methods countless others have used to heal from cancer as well.

SQUARE ONE is normally a paid program, but Chris is on a mission to share his message of hope and healing with 1 million people in September. So, beginning Sept. 12, you’ll be able to watch all 10 videos online for free.

All you have to do is sign up. You’ll be notified as soon as the first video is available to watch.

Thousands of people have participated in his program with some amazing results and now is your chance.

If you or a loved one has received a cancer diagnosis, or if you’re serious about prevention — make sure you don't miss the live-saving information in Chris’s program.

I’m almost 100 percent certain that you or someone you love has been affected by cancer.

Why am I so sure?

Because more than 4,600 people are diagnosed every day in the U.S. alone, and as it stands now, 1 out of every 3 people are expected to get a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.

It seems like every time I turn around it's happening to someone I know.

I lost a cousin to cancer on Aug. 13. She chose the traditional route: surgery, chemo, radiation.

The final months of her life were miserable. It was painful to watch — even from a distance.

I encouraged her to try natural treatments but she refused to change her lifestyle – fast food and sodas were everyday choices. Every. Day.

Ultimately, her choices led to a funeral and memorial service. She was 49.

What’s wrong with our healthcare system?

A recent General Account Office report states that some doctors (specifically oncologists, specializing in cancer treatments) actually get a huge discount on certain drugs, up to 86 percent.

And do they pass those savings on to cancer patients?

Nope. They mark up the drugs between 30-600 percent in some cases and bill the insurance companies, who then bill the patients.

To me, that seems like highway robbery — and it’s a big part of what’s wrong with our healthcare system.

Believe it or not, doctors can pocket up to $1 million a year just by prescribing chemo, tacking on a hefty commission, and charging you to put it in your body.

And yet even though some oncologists have a clear conflict of interest, chemo is still the treatment most patients choose because they don’t know there are safer non-toxic options for treating and healing cancer.

Chris is living proof for natural alternatives.

He was diagnosed with advanced metastatic cancer and opted out of chemo and completely eradicated cancer from his life.

Today, nearly 14 years later, he’s alive and well, in the best shape of his life. And his mission is to share his message of hope and healing with the world.

Chris’s SQUARE ONE course contains step-by-step instructions backed by evidence-based science to help you heal and/or prevent cancer.

Thousands of people have participated in his program with some amazing results, and now is your chance!

Chris has chosen to put the entire 10-part SQUARE ONE program online for you to access completely free.

That’s right, free — no cost, no charge, no strings attached.

The decision not to undergo chemotherapy

If you or a loved one has received a cancer diagnosis, or if you’re serious about preventing it — the information in Chris’s program could literally save your life or the life of someone you care about.

When Chris was diagnosed, he was devastated, confused and afraid. But what Chris chose to do about it was remarkable.

He made the decision not to undergo chemotherapy and chose a completely different path.

When he was confirmed cancer-free many years later, he knew he had to spread his message of hope and healing to as many people as he could.

So, Chris created SQUARE ONE. It teaches you exactly what he did (and countless others have done) to heal cancer. And these same principles apply to prevention as well.

No matter how you’ve been affected by cancer, whether it’s impacted you directly, or you’ve seen it affect your friends or loved ones — the information in Chris’s program is not to be missed.

For many, a cancer diagnosis feels a death sentence.

And if you believe the only options for treating cancer and healing your body are brutal therapies like surgery, radiation, and chemo, then your fear is legitimate. Because we’ve all seen these treatments fail to save people we care about.

But decades of research have shown that cancer has very specific causes and that there are very specific methods that promote healing in the body while undergoing conventional treatment or in some cases instead of conventional treatment.

Approach cancer from a natural, holistic perspective

As Chris puts it, “Cancer is a wake-up call.”

The SQUARE ONE program will completely change how you think about cancer. It will replace whatever fears you have with hope, clarity, confidence and an action plan.

Some might say he was one of the lucky ones, although Chris strongly disagrees. Luck wasn’t part of his recovery strategy.

Instead of crossing his fingers and hoping for the best, Chris took massive action as soon as he was diagnosed. He took a completely different path and opted out of chemo, and did everything in his power to promote health and healing in his body.

No matter who you are, the reality of cancer is frightening:

1 out of 3 Americans is predicted to get cancer. … Think of your three favorite people. Chances are, at least one of them will get cancer.

I know, it’s depressing, but I’m not sharing this to bum you out.

I want you to recognize how important it is to educate yourself about how cancer works and the options you have on how to approach it from a natural, holistic perspective.

Discover Chris’s powerful journey back to health and learn about how you can start your own healing journey with his amazing free online course. It could, quite literally, save your life.

There is one caveat. This powerful 10-part video program will only be free online for a short time, so I strongly encourage you to sign up now.

Sincerely,

Duane Cross
CancerTutor.com

A few of the thousands of enthusiastic comments Chris received about SQUARE ONE:

“Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge, you are a wealth of information. It is because of you that I chose the natural route to heal my breast cancer. You gave me the courage to tell my doctors NO! It will be 3 years in June. I am forever grateful. You touch more lives than I think you realize. God truly gave you a calling. You are an inspiration to so many of us. God Bless you as you continue to bless others.” — Sherry

“Wow, Chris!! You are amazing. Thank you for all the hard work… You provided so much information and INSPIRATION. I watched and listened to every module, some of them twice! I took so many notes I have writer's cramp, LOL. I have had some very low moments and lots of fear, but you have given me so much encouragement and hope and I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.” — Diane

“I have heard so many experts speak about different things when it comes to whatever will help cancer patients, but you not only explained it in a way we can understand, but also told us EXACTLY what we need to do, what to get, and where to get it. You break it down so easily. Step by step. That is really what we need. A true coach. I wish I had this info when my dad had cancer… Well done Chris. Everyone going through cancer or who wants to prevent cancer needs this program. I will highly recommend it to everyone.”  — Lisa

The post SQUARE ONE: beat cancer naturally — without chemo appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

EDTA is a remarkable arterial cleansing agent with the ability to effectively remove the plaque, cholesterol, and toxic heavy metals that congest, restrict, and impede blood flow and oxygen throughout the 75,000 miles of blood vessels within the body.

Another benefit, and perhaps the most important for cancer patients, is that EDTA binds with and removes from the body the excessive free radicals that many experts attribute to the development and progression of cancer.

Free radicals and cancer

Free radicals are the highly unstable chemicals that attack, penetrate, and damage vital cell structures. Most stable chemical compounds in the body possess a pair of electrons. Sometimes, one member of the electron pair gets stripped away. The resulting compound is called a free radical.

When a free radical is created, it travels through the body looking for another compound to steal an electron from. When it finds an electron to steal, it breaks up the stable compound and results in releasing another free radical, and so on. This process can do tremendous damage to the delicate machinery of your cells.

Free radicals lead to nutritional imbalances, aging, vitamin deficiencies, and oxygen deficits. [1] According to the National Cancer Institute, one of the underlying causes of cancer is excessive free radical damage in your cells that harms your DNA and results in some cells mutating into cancerous cells.

Chelation therapy has the ability to bind with the free radicals and excrete them through the process of urination.  It also removes transition elements, such as iron, which accelerate free radical pathology, including cancer.

By eliminating excessive free radicals and their proliferation, you can restore the body’s natural vitamin and mineral levels thus allowing the body’s cells to repair themselves, and assisting our body in healing.

Heavy metals and cancer

Heavy metals are defined as metallic elements that have a relatively high density compared to water.  Studies have demonstrated human exposure has risen dramatically as a result of an exponential increase of their use in several industrial, agricultural, domestic and technological applications. [2]

Reported sources of heavy metals in the environment include geogenic, industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical, domestic effluents, and atmospheric sources. [3]

We begin accumulating heavy metals from our toxic world before birth. The developing fetus is subject to about 70 percent of the mother’s heavy metals released into her blood to start off with. [4] Then we add to that toxic-metal-laden vaccines, processed foods, toxic air and water, metal laced salves and ointments, and of course, dental amalgams and other medical implants.

Heavy metals that are immunosuppressant and can actually cause cancer are: mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum, arsenic, and uranium.  They are classified as human carcinogens (known or probable) according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer.  These deadly and silent invaders cause suppression and/or deregulation of the immune system, leading to a 10-fold increase in cancer mortality. [5-7]

Chelation therapy and oxygen

Another key benefit of Chelation therapy is the resulting increase in oxygenation to the cells. Healthy cells are aerobic, meaning that they function properly in the presence of sufficient oxygen. Healthy cells metabolize (burn) oxygen and glucose (blood sugar) to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy “currency” of the cells.

Cancer cells on the other hand are anaerobic, meaning they function without oxygen. In the absence of oxygen the cell reverts to a primitive nutritional program to sustain itself, converting glucose, by fermentation. The lactic acid produced by fermentation lowers the cell pH (acid/alkaline balance) and destroys the ability of DNA and RNA to control cell division … the cancer cells begin to multiply unchecked.

Dr. Otto Warburg emphasized that you can’t make a cell ferment unless a lack of oxygen is involved. In 1955, two American scientists, R.A. Malmgren and C.C. Flanigan, confirmed Warburg’s findings. They found that oxygen deficiency is always present when cancer develops.

What Warburg found, however, is you can reverse fermentation simply by adding oxygen. When you flood the cancer cell with oxygen, you can regain apoptosis, their programmable cell death. If you put enough oxygen into a cancer cell it will turn on the Krebs Cycle (the mitochondria) and this reignites the program for cell death. [9]

Is Chelation therapy safe?

Chelation therapy, using EDTA, has been approved by the FDA as a safe and effective treatment for heavy metal poisoning for more than four decades. Utopia Wellness has administered more than 80,000 Chelation therapies without incident.

The most common side effect of chelation therapy is a burning sensation at the site where the EDTA is injected into the vein. This can be easily alleviated by adjusting the rate of infusion or applying a warm compress.

Rarely, side effects can include fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. More serious side effects are extremely rare but could include a sudden drop in blood pressure; abnormally low blood levels of calcium; and kidney damage. Utopia’s trained and experienced practitioners monitor patients closely and provide proper supplementation to avoid these incidents.

The post Chelation Therapy appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

It is the common ingredient in many curries. Grown as a root crop, it can be used as a root directly (as it often is in cooking) or converted to a powder for use as a spice. For example, turmeric seasons yellow curry at Thai restaurants and a variety of curry dishes at Indian restaurants. Commonly known as the “yellow-colored spice,” it is even used as a natural coloring agent in foods in the United States, for instance in French’s mustard and other products that have a yellow color.

When using turmeric as a food (or dietary supplement), one should take into consideration important factors such as whether it is synthetic, GMO, or grown with the use of pesticides and herbicides. Further, turmeric is available in many grades, ranging from very good to very poor. To get the benefits of turmeric, one must choose the right cultivar.

Turmeric is a very powerful adaptogenic and anti-inflammatory compound when grown and processed responsibly. Its many health benefits come from a powerhouse compound in its root: curcumin.

Curcumin — a vital component of turmeric

The most vital therapeutic component in turmeric is curcumin.  Although curcumin was described more than a century ago, the last two decades have seen an explosion of research into the compound and its numerous health benefits. Currently there are more than 8,000 published studies on turmeric and curcumin, making it one of the most researched natural ingredients. Curcumin has been shown to have more than 600 potential health benefits despite making up only 2-5 percent of the turmeric root on average.

As you can see from the above diagram, curcumin provides both a multitargeted and monotargeted approach to its therapeutic actions. [1] Multitargeted means that curcumin works on hundreds of biochemical processes. For example, it works on transcriptional factors, protein kinases, adhesion molecules, enzymes, and inflammatory cytokines through its multifunctional actions and effects. Monotargeted means that, like conventional pharmaceuticals, curcumin works specifically on single-targeted pathways. Additionally, curcumin works by inhibiting the same pathways as NSAIDs — in addition to more than 100 other inflammatory pathways — without the unwanted effects.

For those who are interested in the scientific specifics, curcumin has been shown to reduce inflammation via NF-kB a major switch which plays an important role in health and disease (see image below). In addition, curcumin reduces COX-2, 5-LOX, C-reactive protein, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, AP-1, macrophage inflammatory protein, matrix metalloproteinase, human leukocyte elastase (HLE), several types of protein kinases, adhesion molecules, and genes involved with inflammation — to name a few (see image below). In addition to reducing and inhibiting factors that aggravate health conditions, curcumin also activates important protective factors such as Nrf2.

 Other protective factors include curcumin’s demonstrated ability to boost antitumor immunity through different mechanisms. These include: increased population of CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells, along with increase in Th1 cytokines like IFNγ, which mediate tumor cell apoptosis. Curcumin can block Treg cell development, thereby decreasing immunosuppressive cytokines like IL-10 and TGFβ. Curcumin also reduces tumor-induced T-cell apoptosis. All these actions help to invalidate the overall immunosuppressive environment created by a tumor (which is how the tumor avoids being recognized by the immune system) and lead to tumor regression. Thus curcumin has the ability to provide a favorable response by supporting the immune system and restoring immune system-mediated elimination of tumors. [2]

The foregoing explanation is heavy on scientific terminology. In simple terms, curcumin has been shown to exhibit the following properties: [3]

• Antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antiviral
• Antibacterial
• Antifungal
• Anticancer

The above effects are mediated through the regulation of various transcription factors, growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, protein kinases, and other enzymes. For those who have severe chronic inflammatory health conditions—such as rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and even some cancers—you probably have been treated with pharmaceutical immunosuppressive agents and anticancer agents, offering some benefits along with heavy side effects and a large list of black-box warnings (see The Dangers of NSAIDs: Black Box Warning) . Curcumin has been shown to work similarly to these powerful medications, but without unwanted and unpleasant side effects.

Curcumin: A natural pharmaceutical without side effects?

Curcumin exhibits activities similar to an astonishing number of major pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drugs and chemotherapy drugs, including (but far from limited to) the following: COX-2 inhibitors (Celebrex), TNF blockers (Humira, Remicade, and Enbrel), vascular endothelial cell growth-factor blockers (Avastin), human epidermal growth-factor receptor blockers (Erbitux, Erlotinib, and Gefitinib), HER2 blockers (Herceptin), topoisomerase inhibitors (Camptothecin), tubulin inhibitors (paclitaxel, Taxol), and BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Gleevec) — without side effects.^* In fact, there are no reports of death or serious injury from the consumption of turmeric or curcumin — just millions of tasty meals. [4]

So promising is the therapeutic potential of curcumin that a recent turmeric study published in Cancer Letters is paving the way for a revolution in the way that we understand and treat cancer, titled “Targeting Cancer Stem Cells by Curcumin and Clinical Applications.” [5] Researchers in the United States demonstrated via many cell and animal studies that curcumin has the ability to target cancer stem cells (CSCs), getting to the root cause of tumor formation and malignancy. [6]

CSCs are the deadliest cell types within a tumor or blood cancer, since stem cells have the ability to give rise to all the cell types found within a particular cancer. CSCs are capable of dividing (by mitosis) to form either two stem cells (increasing the size of the stem population) or one daughter cell that goes on to differentiate into a variety of cell types and one daughter cell that retains stem-cell properties. This means that CSCs are tumorigenic (tumor forming) and tumor sustaining. Therefore, it makes good medical sense to focus cancer therapy on treating the disease at this level. CSCs are also increasingly recognized to be the cause of relapse and metastasis following conventional cancer treatment.

Turmeric and curcumin extract have been extensively studied for their ability to kill various cancer-cell lines. Research identifies a number of ways in which curcumin provides an ideal CSC-targeting therapy, including the following: [7]

Regulation of the CSC self-renewal pathway: Curcumin appears to directly and indirectly influence at least three self-renewal pathways within cancer stem cells, namely Wnt/b-catenin, sonic hedgehog 89 (SHH), and Notch. The authors list 12 different cancer-cell lines that curcumin appears to affect positively.

Modulation of microRNA: MicroRNAs are short noncoding RNA sequences that regulate approximately 33 percent of the protein-coding genes in the human genome. They bind to target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to their degradation or inactivation. Curcumin has been found to alter the expression of microRNAs in cancer stem cells in a way that would suggest a strong suppression of tumor formation.

In addition to the dozens of anticancer activities that curcumin has demonstrated, it also acts as a chemotherapy and radiation-therapy sensitizer. This means that it helps sensitize the tumors to cancer therapies, making those treatments more effective. In other words, making toxic therapies more targeted. Curcumin can sensitize tumors to many different chemotherapeutic agents, including doxorubicin, 5-FU, paclitaxel, vincristine, melphalan, butyrate, cisplatin, celecoxib, vinorelbine, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, etoposide, sulfinosine, thalidomide, and bortezomib.

Chemosensitization has been observed in cancers of the breast, colon, pancreas, GI tract, liver, blood, lung, prostate, bladder, cervix, ovary, head, neck, and brain, as well as in multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma. Similar studies have also revealed that curcumin can increase the sensitivity to gamma radiation of a variety of tumors, including glioma, neuroblastoma, cervical carcinoma, epidermal carcinoma, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. How curcumin acts as a chemosensitizer and radiosensitizer has also been studied extensively. [8] For example, it downregulates various growth-regulatory pathways and specific genetic targets, including genes for NF-kB, STAT3, COX-2, Akt, antiapoptotic proteins, growth-factor receptors, and multidrug-resistance proteins. [9]

Furthermore, curcumin also helps protect healthy tissues from the toxic side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Curcumin has been shown to protect healthy organs and tissues such as the liver, kidney, oral mucosa, and heart from chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced toxicity. The protective effects of curcumin appear to be mediated in a variety of ways: through activating Nrf2 and inducing the expression of antioxidant enzymes (e.g., heme oxygenase-1, glutathione peroxidase, modulatory subunit of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine ligase, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, and increase glutathione — a product of the modulatory subunit of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine ligase), directly quenching free radicals, and inhibiting p300 HAT activity — to name a few. [10]

To summarize all that dense scientific language, curcumin exhibits some of the most amazing anticancer properties, such as the following, which apply to most cancers:

• Inhibits TNF-alpha, NF-kB, and hundreds of other mechanisms that stimulate inflammation [11]
  • As little as 150 mg of curcumin twice daily, standardized to three curcuminoids orally, can significantly decrease TNF-alpha [12]
• Prevents multidrug-resistant cancers [13]
• Destroys cancer stem cells (CSC) [14]
• Protects tissues and organs from chemotherapy- and radiation-induced damage (reducing overall toxicity from these treatments) [15]
• Works synergistically with chemotherapy and radiation therapy to make those therapies more targeted and, therefore, more effective. [16]

In addition to inhibiting and influencing the biological mechanisms of inflammation as described earlier, curcumin has been shown to improve endothelial function and reduce vascular inflammation (which increases blood flow and prevents plaque buildup in the arteries), downregulate adipokines (including resistin and leptin, factors involved in obesity) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and upregulate Nrf2 (key factors involved in brain-inflammatory processes and brain-degeneration issues that manifest in disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury, and other neurodegenerative conditions).

So what does all this mean in terms of preventing and treating disease? It means curcumin may be the most powerful natural therapeutic substance for a wide array of acute and chronic health conditions.

Conditions helped by curcumin^*

• Osteoarthritis
• Autoimmune arthritis (rheumatoid)
• Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
• Cancer (breast, prostate, brain, colon, bone, and liver), via immune-modulating, angiogenesis, tumorigenic properties
• Allergies and asthma
• Diabetes and diabetic neuropathy
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Obesity
• Fibromyalgia and other chronic-pain syndromes
• Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, etc.)
• Acne, psoriasis, and eczema
• Liver diseases (toxic insults and dysfunction)

Which form of curcumin is best for me?

Now that you know some of the amazing benefits of curcumin, and you’ve seen that there is a lot of low-quality curcumin on the market, how can you tell what is best?

The gold standard for curcumin is called Curcumin C3 Complex, (which is part of Bosmeric-SR formula; see The Vital Role of Boswellia (Frankincense) for Cancer).  It is the patented form of curcumin that contains standardized 95 percent curcuminoids and is supported by 50 human clinical studies (and counting) at major universities, hospitals, and health-care institutions worldwide, making Curcumin C3 Complex the most clinically studied brand of curcumin on the market today.

Curcumin C3 Complex is not only the most effective form of curcumin and the most clinically studied but also contains the three major constituents (curcuminoids) in specific ratios, guaranteed:

• Curcumin (70-80 percent)
• Bidemothoxy curcumin (2.5-6.5 percent)
• Demethoxy curcumin (15-25 percent)

These three curcuminoids are guaranteed to be in the same ratios in every batch, which is almost unheard of in the natural-product world. Most importantly, these curcuminoid ratios are also the precise ratios that have undergone the most clinical studies. This guaranteed uniformity ensures consistency of health benefits and enables physicians to more accurately recommend and administer these incredibly beneficial compounds.

What about generic curcumin extract standardized to 95 percent curcuminoids?

If you’re familiar with curcumin supplements, then you’re familiar with the ways in which companies try to assure consumers that they’re getting what they’re paying for. Most companies use generic “standardized 95 percent curcuminoids,” but that standardization doesn’t guarantee that the curcuminoid ratios are exactly in the proportions that have been clinically studied. In fact in a recent study in 2016 on the “Strong Anti-inflammatory Effects of Curcumin” by Vetivicka and Vetivickova, demonstrated that only Curcumin C3 Complex had both anti-inflammatory and immunological activity in comparison to four other brands of generic 95 percent curcuminoids in both vitro and vivo testing.

The study showed the other major brands and sources of generic 95 percent curcuminoids had little to none inflammatory and immunological activities. Thus not all curcumins available are equal.  The reason for the difference it is not the just the total amount of the three specific curcuminoids that was patented in Curcumin C3 Complex but also the process on how they are extracted.  Therefore since generics cannot extract the curcuminoids in the same way, their physiological benefits differ and in this case there is little to no activity.

This explains why in the clinical trials there are benefits to lowering inflammation through a variety of mechanisms and improving cancer outcomes but many people in the public do not obtain this benefit when they use generic 95 percent curcuminoid products. Thus generic standardization limits the effectiveness and purity of most curcumin supplements. Generic curcumin has no potency guarantee and is not validated by third-party testing; most supplements fall short of efficacy and safety measures. With this recent study, it proves again the difference between real science of proven natural patented ingredients and the ineffective generic products that are heavily marketed.

Supplement manufacturers from China and India, driving the marketplace to provide the cheapest product possible, generally purchase generic curcumin products. In this competitive international marketplace, corners are cut to further drive down costs; the most basic cuts are to safety (not testing enough or at all) and efficacy (not verifying clinical effectiveness).

Most companies (including MLM companies, health-practitioner channels, and retailers) will purchase generic curcuminoids not knowing (or caring) which type of turmeric they come from, how the turmeric is grown (whether pesticides, herbicides, GMO, or synthetics were used), whether harmful solvents were used for the extraction process, whether the product was irradiated, or whether or not the curcuminoids are effective. All that matters is the bottom line and having a “buzz worthy” ingredient. Thus by providing a substandard material and citing the clinical studies done on Curcumin C3 Complex as also applicable to their curcumin, these generic suppliers are misleading the consumers.

Remember, the FDA classifies a dietary supplement as “not intended to treat, prevent, or cure disease.” This limitation actually works in unscrupulous supplement companies’ favor. Since the FDA has defined what a supplement can’t do, supplement manufacturers can take advantage of this disclaimer by obtaining the cheapest (even completely ineffective) product because they are not being held to any standard of efficacy, potency, or purity. In essence, they don’t have to provide products that actually work anywhere close to how they are marketed.

Curcumin C3 Complex (see The Vital Role of Boswellia (Frankincense) for Cancer) contains only this proven form — the curcumin supported by the most safety data. This safety data has been reviewed and acknowledged by the FDA for GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, a process that includes a comprehensive review of safety and toxicology data. Most other curcumin products on the market cannot make that claim.

Because Curcumin C3 Complex is made using a patented and proprietary process, the safety data for Curcumin C3 Complex is not applicable to other curcumin products. In fact, many other curcumin-supplement companies derive their indirect and direct health claims and advertising from research studies using Curcumin C3 Complex and not their own products! And you may see other curcumin products advertise that their curcumin is touted to be safe…

Our recommend Curcumin product is the C3 Complex found in Bosmeric-SR, which is guaranteed safe.

The use of turmeric and curcumin supplements has skyrocketed because of the enormous amounts of research published on a near-weekly basis (again, there are over eight thousand studies). Curcumin is one of the top five best-selling herbal ingredients every year. Because of this high demand, many companies and products state that they use curcumin, but, in actuality, their curcumin compounds are not as potent, as effective, or even as safe. The only one I recommend is found in Bosmeric-SR (see The Vital Role of Boswellia (Frankincense) for Cancer).

Natural versus Synthetic

As I touched on in the previous section, because of the competition in the marketplace and the drive for higher profit margins, you might have thought you tried Curcumin C3 Complex in the past. Over the past few years, companies have been caught claiming Curcumin C3 Complex on their label when in fact they were selling generic curcumin, synthetic curcumin, or turmeric extract. More nefariously, some companies have added a small amount of Curcumin C3 Complex to their product but illegally cut the product with generic curcumin, synthetic curcumin, or turmeric powder to make the margins on the product better.

This year synthetic curcumin was discovered being sold as turmeric extract with forged certificates of analysis. A major company selling curcumin extract in India for export to the United States was adulterating their product with synthetic curcumin (43 percent). What makes it worse is that the company was not revealing the synthetic contents. This leads one to a few obvious questions. What was it synthesized from? What chemicals were used? What process did they use to make it? And the most important question: is it safe for consumption by humans?

Synthetically made materials may have distinctively different pharmacological activities compared to natural products. If a company is selling synthetic curcumin and not identifying that some or all of the product was synthetically derived, that lack of transparency is not only misleading consumers who think they are taking a product derived from turmeric root, but it has the potential to hurt people.

Therefore, in order to avoid questionable contract manufacturers, I prefer to go directly to the source of ensuring each batch is consistent and guaranteed every time.  This is what you get with Bosmeric-SR, 100 percent guaranteed of the right form (purity) and dose (potency) of Curcumin C3 Complex each time you take it.

In a time when it seems everyone is trying to make a fast buck on supplements, transparent quality control and safety protocols have never been more important. Curcumin C3 Complex (as well as Bosmeric-SR) is manufactured in an FDA-inspected facility compliant with CGMP (the FDA’s standard for “current good manufacturing processes”). Its manufacturer maintains quality through the sourcing of raw material; they have direct control and access throughout the sourcing and manufacturing process. They use only analytical and biological testing labs audited and certified by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). Bosmeric-SR is manufactured in state-of-the-art facilities assessed by NSF International and certified to be in compliance with GMP. [17]

Again, although all manufacturing facilities should be up to these standards, because of the staffing limitations of the FDA and other regulatory agencies (since there are hundreds of contract manufacturers opening all over the country on a regular basis), not all companies actually comply with current FDA regulations.

Whether you decide to use Bosmeric-SR or not, it is important that you know the guidelines and the regulations that all supplements should abide by. The more informed we are, the higher standards these companies will have to hold themselves to if they want to stay in business.

What about the newer forms of curcumin that claim to be better absorbed?

Many companies claim to be selling newer forms of curcumin that they advertise as “new and improved,” “better absorbed,” and “more bioavailable” products. The industry uses these new buzzwords to help sell products, but as you might imagine, they aren’t necessarily providing the results they’re promising. I am not saying that some products do not have additional benefits or even improve on the benefits of a previous formulation. But when I started looking into actual formulations and actual data for “better absorbed” curcumin, what I found was shocking.

Bioavailability: A path and not a destination

The supplement industry has placed a disproportionate emphasis on the role of bioavailability of their formulations, but bioavailability is not the sole criterion for judging the therapeutic effect of curcumin.  Bioavailability is the amount of a substance (in this case curcumin) that is absorbed and made available at the site of physiological activity.  Therefore increasing bioavailability is important, but making sure that the substances, which are measured, also have health benefits is critical.

Vast amounts of research, along with the expert opinions of those who specialize in the field of curcuminoids, have continually maintained that bioavailability is only a “path” and not the “destination.” Enhanced bioavailability cannot be used as an alternative to or as a substitute for clinical studies. Now, I am interested in increasing bioavailability with all my products (see article on Black Pepper), and I also favor those companies that have invested in making their products more bioavailable. But these companies must have also initiated, supported, and invested their resources in several curcumin-based clinical trials. Science trumps buzzwords, always.

Formulations that contain curcumin-phosphatidyl choline, curcumin-lecithin, and micronized and micelle-curcumin mixtures deliver curcumin as a small fraction of the actual mass (most offer less than 20 percent curcuminoids; one even provides only 7 percent). Although the studies on these products show some benefits (as they should, since they are providing some curcumin), their claims of “29 to 60 times” to even “185 times more absorbed” contain flat-out skewed data.

When curcuminoids are absorbed in the body, they are converted to many byproducts or metabolites such as glucuronides. Studies of these newer formulations are measuring not the actual curcuminoids but these other metabolites. They are using the increase in the metabolites to show increased absorption, but they are not actually providing those metabolites directly. For example, the above formulations do not inhibit the biotransformation of curcuminoids, which is the limiting factor for improving bioavailability. Instead, these formulations just load the body with more of the inactive glucuronide metabolites of curcuminoids. Additionally, many of these metabolites have been recently discovered to have little to no anti-inflammatory effects! [18]

Companies routinely misrepresent data and skew it to exaggerate the comparisons between formulations — especially in relation to other products. In fact, pharmaceutical companies may be the biggest offenders in this area. According to a handful of medical studies on the pharmaceutical industry, most of the comparison graphs and data that pharmaceutical sales reps and advertisements presented to doctors were not accurate. [19]

If this happens within the pharmaceutical industry — which the FDA regulates — you can imagine what happens when there is no regulation or oversight for such marketing from dietary-supplement companies. Exaggerated graphs and data are shown every day in supplement advertising and by sales reps. Store clerks, doctors, and the general public have probably seen a chart that shows “increased absorption” or “better bioavailability.”

Often these charts are comparing apples to oranges. As one example, I was presented with studies on curcumin that showed increased absorption rates, but those higher rates were for curcumin in a liquid versus a tablet form, and the company giving the presentation sold only tablets. This is a common trick in which sales representatives extrapolate data from one form or type of supplement and try to use it to their advantage; most products, when taken as a liquid, deliver better absorption than as a solid. In the case of this tablet company, however, they were attempting to misguide me with inaccurate data that made their product look better than it was.

Another newer form of curcumin uses something called “colloidal dispersion technology” and states that it has “enhanced absorption and bioavailability up to twenty-seven times.” A sales rep from the nutraceuticals company marketing this product arrived at my office and tried to tell me that this new curcumin was superior to anything else on the market. He had a colorful graph showing that it was “twenty-seven times” more absorbable than “regular” curcumin.

He did not know that I was familiar with the study used for the infographic. In that study, the authors tested their newer form of curcumin (which contained far less curcumin than most brands) against a turmeric product, but they (purposely) never stated the actual quantity of curcuminoids that the comparison product contained — only that theirs dissolved better in water. Thus, the rep was using an invalid comparison, which is sadly all too common.

Aside from that, however, this salesman didn’t mention that his product contained far fewer curcuminoids, and he declined to disclose the product’s sources. On top of that, a supplement that disperses better in water does not necessarily correlate to improved efficacy or absorption in the blood. What does this mean to the consumer? It means that dietary-supplement companies that sell these sorts of well-marketed “more bioavailable” products can make bigger claims and bigger profit margins while using lower potency or lower amounts of curcuminoids.

Another wrinkle in the bioavailability competition is the rise of lipid- or nano-encapsulated ingredients. These processes take standard ingredients and encapsulate them in tiny absorbable particles, making them smaller and more dispersible. Nanoparticles may be beneficial, although they certainly have their detractors, but with curcumin I tend to use what is tried and true. To date, no nanoparticle curcumin has been studied against Curcumin C3 Complex — just generic, nonstandardized curcumin powder or extracts without disclosed potencies. Generic forms never test against patented forms. Again, be wary of unsourced supplement studies and read very carefully between the lines—especially when it comes to an extremely popular compound like curcumin.

When assessing the bioavailability of curcumin in the body, ignoring the role of curcumin’s metabolites reveals a lack of knowledge and expertise. Curcumin breaks down into certain metabolites, which are mainly tetrahydrocurcumin, curcumin glucuronides, and sulfates. While the positive effects of tetrahydrocurcumin have been recognized, most bioavailability studies have failed to quantify the bioconversion of curcumin into this efficacious metabolite, tetrahydrocurcumin. [20]

This means that most studies are not giving the full therapeutic picture. The bioefficacy of glucuronides and sulfate metabolites, which is what the newer forms of curcumin formulations are claiming are better absorbed, has not been well established. They even have been shown to be less active and have weak activity. [21] Furthermore, they have no anti-inflammatory effects, nor do they have any effect on mitotic catastrophe, an important step in preventing proliferation of some cancerous cells. [22]

A world-renowned cancer and inflammation researcher in natural therapeutics announced at a recent cancer conference that his research demonstrated that “curcumin glucuronides show very little antiproliferative activity against human cancer-cell lines and have no inhibitory effect on NF-kB, thus lacking the anti-inflammatory activity of curcuminoids.” [23]

Although many products sold in health-food stores, on the Internet, through MLM companies, and through doctors’ networks may claim better absorption, they are measuring curcumin metabolites — especially the glucuronides — and thus are missing the stronger intended anti-inflammatory effect. In the real world, such absorption claims have nothing to do with efficacy; they’re simply the stuff of cleverly written research articles, with graphs that seem to illustrate meaningful differences, and very convincing marketing campaigns. Again, instead of searching for the “new and improved,” I tend to go with what has been tried and true — and backed by research.

Since many products are being introduced into the market almost monthly, and it would be impossible to go through all the comparisons here, I have provided comparisons on the most popular curcumin products being sold on the market which is described in detail in my book An Inflammation Nation.

Turmeric cultivation and processing: What is best?

Since so many supplement companies focus on marketing “better absorption,” maybe we should ask them, better absorption of what, exactly? What type of curcumin are they using, and how is it cultivated and processed? You might make a smoothie with a high-quality blender such as a Vitamix, but that doesn’t mean that the smoothie is good for you — especially if it contains conventional, nonorganic, and GMO foods. What makes a smoothie better for you is not just the quality of the blender but, more importantly, the quality of the ingredients.

Most companies that sell curcumin products have no control of the actual turmeric crop, nor any control over how it is cultivated (e.g., with pesticides, herbicides, radiation, or GMOs). These companies only worry about getting the cheapest raw ingredients from the world market (mainly from China) and then trying to improve upon them with their proprietary processes.

However, when using foods as medicine, starting with the best ingredients makes the biggest difference. The curcumin in Bosmeric-SR is controlled, from crop cultivation at the farms to the highest certified processing facilities, to a patented process of extracting the specific ratio of curcuminoids — guaranteed batch to batch — to the manufacturing of the unique delivery system. All of this ensures a superior product that is consistent, potent, pure, and effective every time.

Taking things a step further, I have ensured that the Curcumin C3 Complex in Bosmeric-SR is not irradiated. Here’s why this is vitally important.

Many people are not aware that since 9/11, all food ingredients imported into the United States must be irradiated to ensure “safety” and destroy contaminants (bacteria, fungus, etc.). I have researched extensively and traveled to India (where most of the turmeric is grown) and discovered that almost all curcumin — especially curcumin grown in China, which is the second largest producer — is irradiated prior to being sent to the United States. My experience in India was truly disheartening. During my search for the best type of turmeric/curcumin, I witnessed many batches of raw product being sent to facilities to get irradiated. At these various facilities (which irradiate products and then provide certification of the completion of such treatment), there was no difference in the amount of radiation used to sterilize each different product.

For example, I personally witnessed the irradiation of a variety of herbal turmeric products from the biggest exporters in India (exporters that provide turmeric/curcumin to the major retailers and common brands at the health-food stores). These exporters have their products irradiated at the same dose that is used to sterilize surgical equipment. We are all familiar with the harmful effects of extreme doses of radiation, and sterilizing the herbal ingredients at that extreme level dramatically decreases the effectiveness of the antioxidants, phytonutrients, and other important aspects.

Curcumin C3 Complex is also non-irradiated to preserve the therapeutic benefits that are stripped out by massive doses of “protective” radiation. It does cost more to obtain certifications and to follow extremely strict importation procedures to ensure that there are no contaminants (bacteria, fungus, etc.) without irradiating anything. Naturally, it takes extra money, time and steps of quality control, but it is worth it to provide the true benefits of these incredibly powerful natural ingredients. Most of my patients who have tried other turmeric supplements said they did not work as well as they expected, but almost all reported that when they took Bosmeric-SR, they noticed an immediate and ongoing difference.

Not only does Bosmeric-SR have ensured potency and efficacy because it uses Curcumin C3 Complex, but it also has guaranteed safety from contaminants like heavy metals. Heavy metals? How do they wind up in any supplement? When supplement manufacturers request turmeric, the bulk spice is shipped to the United States in large containers. During the past few years — especially in 2008, 2011, and again in 2013 — independent consumer groups discovered that 33 percent of turmeric and curcumin supplements failed quality testing, and many popular brands contained lead and other contaminants. [24] Turmeric was being shipped in lead containers (mostly from India and China), and the containers’ linings were leaching lead into the turmeric. Makes you wonder about other foods, such as grains, shipped in those containers.

During the time of greatest lead contamination, many patients who came to see me were taking turmeric supplements for their joint pain. They told me they were taking it because they had read all the health benefits, but they felt that they were actually getting worse. No surprise: they were taking products from companies whose turmeric/curcumin products failed safety tests for lead contamination. Even worse, the patients had high levels of lead when we screened them using blood testing. This is a tragically obvious example of why purity is so important.

You will almost always get what you pay for. Sometimes a bargain costs you far more in the end. Remember, by the FDA’s own definition, “Dietary supplements are not intended to prevent, treat, reverse, or cure any disease.” Far too many companies follow that rule, but not to avoid getting in trouble for making sensationalistic health claims; instead they use the FDA’s disclaimer to absolve them of providing high-quality, effective, or safe products.

Furthermore, it is important to make sure that no harmful, toxic solvents are used in the process of extracting real curcumin from turmeric, as solvent residues do remain on extracted products and can cause harm. No harmful solvents are used in the extraction of the Curcumin C3 Complex used in Bosmeric-SR. Again, this processing is an investment in the health of anyone taking Bosmeric-SR; it costs slightly more to make a cleaner and safer product than to use cheap, poisonous chemicals, but it’s an investment worth making for so many reasons.

In addition to checking purity and quality of source, one must make sure that they’re getting real curcuminoids from real turmeric. Companies in China and India can make synthetic curcuminoids in the laboratory, creating something like a pharmaceutical compound. This is why you see turmeric/curcumin products priced as low as $2-5 for a bottle on the Internet. These cheap products are usually synthetically derived; you are taking an isolated molecular compound, and therefore, you are not receiving the full benefits of the curcuminoids — as well as the other active turmeric compounds.

Cheaper products mean that more harmful chemicals have been used in the production process, and, thus, they expose you to greater risk of side effects and allergic reactions. Next time you see a cheap generic turmeric product, see if the word “natural” is listed in the ingredients. I can say with near 100 percent certainty that you will see only the words turmeric or curcumin or turmeric extract (or powder) or curcumin extract (or powder). All the supplements with their ingredients listed this way will be priced at or below five dollars per bottle. On top of that, some branded turmeric or curcumin products are actually synthetics. Some supplement companies sell products honestly thinking they are using real turmeric when they are actually purchasing synthetic curcumin or turmeric and don’t even know it! The deception can seem insidious, but it’s not over yet.

When investigating your dietary supplements, always look for NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) and CGMP (current good manufacturing practice) certifications and a guarantee that the supplements have been formulated and packaged in registered ISO 22000 facilities only. These certifications establish strict guidelines that make sure the manufacturer follows ethical practices that all boil down to ensuring that the label matches the contents of the bottle. These certifications ensure compliance by requiring audits that verify that the company is meeting the highest standards of manufacturing and handling of products at all times.

I prefer to obtain a finished product directly from the company that owns the patents and ingredients instead of buying from third-party vendors — especially when it comes to turmeric, because of all the pitfalls I described above. Since the FDA does not regulate dietary supplements but only offers guidelines (which are not enforced until after an adverse report or event), many companies cheat their customers and increase their bottom line by blending patented ingredients with generic ones.

In essence, this means that they can state on their labels they are using the patented ingredients—like Curcumin C3 Complex — when in fact the product might contain only 5 percent to 10 percent Curcumin C3 Complex. The rest could be generic turmeric powder or even synthetic curcumin extracts. This practice is so widespread as to be epidemic. Consumer groups decry it, but federal agencies do not have the resources to investigate every supplement manufacturer.

Since I work closely with the manufacturers of the ingredients I use in my products, I know the raw cost of the product — that is, the actual price of the product before it is sold to wholesalers and then to retailers. Even nutrition companies that sell exclusively to healthcare providers and on the Internet join the many online discount vitamin companies (I like to call them the “big-box vitamin shops” or “discount warehouses” of supplements) that sell Curcumin C3 Complex at prices lower than the actual raw cost of the product.

No matter how much volume discount a company receives, the price of any product at retail should never be lower than the raw cost. Products sold below raw cost guarantee that the branded ingredient is being cut or diluted with generic or synthetic ingredients, or it contains other ingredients altogether. If you look at a patented ingredient and find a competitor with a price that is greatly lower or even half the price, you’re virtually guaranteed that the cheap product would not meet its label claims of potency or purity if tested.

Therefore, when looking for turmeric/curcumin — and, really, any other natural products — make sure they are:

• Tested for heavy metals (there is a high risk of lead contamination in cheap supplements)
• Produced in an NSF- and CGMP-certified facility
• Manufactured in an ISO 22000-certified facility
• Guaranteed for potency and purity, with documentation and third-party test results
• Using patented ingredients (like Curcumin C3 Complex, for example) to ensure quality, potency, and purity
• Certified GRAS (generally regarded as safe) by FDA

How much Curcumin C3 Complex should one take?

Now that you better understand the potential pitfalls of generic curcumin, I would like to talk about the product I know best and tell you how you can use it best to achieve your health and wellness goals.

Most of the clinical studies on the use of curcuminoids suggest a daily dose from 1 g (1,000 mg) to 3 g (3,000 mg), in divided doses for a better response (e.g., 1,000 mg three times a day). I recommend the divided doses because when curcumin is absorbed into the body, it has a short “peak” and then falls off over time. Therefore, multiple doses provide a better response throughout the day. The more chronic or severe the health condition, the higher the dose that the person would require. Some studies suggest upward of 8 g (8,000 mg) or more for severe, life-threatening diseases or end-stage cancers. [25]

When I first started recommending turmeric — and especially Curcumin C3 Complex — my patients were taking multiple pills three times daily, as there were no other options. That was one of the driving forces behind the development of Bosmeric-SR. I made sure we improved the efficacy of curcuminoids (through a combination of synergistic ingredients) and the potency of curcumin itself through a unique delivery system that requires just one to two caplets, twice daily with food. Those with severe health conditions, such as cancer, can take two caplets three times daily with food for twenty-four hours of full support.

Bosmeric-SR comes in an easy-to-swallow bilayered vegetarian caplet that has an immediate action — meaning it is designed to start working within 20 minutes (like a “fast tab”) but also incorporates sustained release for over eight hours of support. This specific type of sustained release provides the clinical benefits of 3 g (or more) of curcuminoids with the intake of just 1 g.

What about taking curcumin products during chemotherapy, radiation, or imaging (CT and PET scans)?

In the past, most oncologists and internal medicine physicians advised their patients not to take anything herbal while undergoing their chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Thankfully, this is now considered to be out-of-date advice.

Most recent studies (in vivo studies on various cancers) have shown that animals and human patients that took the combination of conventional treatment along with curcumin did better than those taking conventional treatment alone. Curcumin has been shown to have both chemo-protective and radio-protective benefits. [26] In other words, it helps protect the healthy cells from the damaging effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Thus, curcumin has a threefold effect:

1. Curcumin reduces the toxic side effect of damage to healthy cells.
2. Curcumin decreases inflammation and other dangerous cancer signals that aggravate cells (see figure Curcumin Targets).
3. Curcumin sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapy and radiation, which makes these toxic therapies more targeted (helping to attack the cancer, while leaving healthy, unaffected cells and tissues unharmed). [27]

Curcumin is only one means that might be able to improve someone’s treatment outcomes. Bosmeric-SR and all of its synergistic compounds may be an important part of an overall protocol for those suffering from cancer. The ingredients in Bosmeric-SR have not only healing aspects but also protective or preventative aspects. For that reason, I recommend all my patients take Bosmeric-SR for added radiation protection when they get CT and PET scans, and other imaging as well, including full-body scans at the airport.

For more detailed information on 10 steps to optimum health using diet and lifestyle changes and the use of natural anti-inflammatories, please read An Inflammation Nation.

Modified by permission from An Inflammation Nation by Sunil Pai © 2015.

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The lymphatic system is considered part of the body’s circulatory system, and it serves several functions, the most important of which is the transport of immune system cells. The lymphatic system not only carries white blood cells throughout the body but is also responsible for training these immune cells so that they can properly recognize invaders and successfully fight them.

Dr. Jonathan Stegall — founder of the Center for Advanced Medicine, one of Cancer Tutor's verified clinics — practices integrative oncology, which involves combining the best of modern medicine with natural therapies.

• Center for Advanced Medicine
• Dr. Stegall on Cancer Tutor

Unfortunately, the fluid inside the lymphatic system — known as lymph — can become congested. One of the most common reasons for this “clogging” of the lymphatic system is cancer. A classic example is a breast cancer patient who has had lymph nodes removed as part of the surgery. The remaining lymphatic network can become overwhelmed, which causes a backup of lymphatic fluid. The fluid can become so backed up that visible swelling of the arm occurs. This is known as lymphedema.

Lymph nodes do not have to be missing for lymphedema to occur. Sometimes, a tumor can be so large that it disrupts the flow of lymph fluid and causes lymphedema. Infection, inflammation and anatomical abnormalities can also result in the proper flow of lymphatic fluid to be compromised.

One excellent way to get the lymphatic system moving properly again is through Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT), which is a gentle, non-invasive treatment used to stimulate the functions the lymphatic system.

History of Lymph Drainage Therapy

Frederic Millard, a Canadian physician, is credited with creating the term “lymphatic drainage” in 1922. [1]

However, lymph drainage therapy as we know it today was first used in the 1930s by Drs. Emil and Estrid Vodder, a husband and wife team in France. [2] Since that time, Dr. Bruno Chikly, a French physician, has expanded our knowledge of how Lymph Drainage Therapy can improve the function of the lymphatic system. [3]

According to Dr. Chikly, Lymph Drainage Therapy has several key effects in the body:

• Activated circulation of the lymph, capillaries, veins, interstitial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, and synovial fluid.
• Removal of toxins
• Drainage of proteins, which is helpful in addressing edema
• Evacuation of fats
• Improved functioning of the nervous system
• Stimulation of the immune system

Enhanced immune system function is perhaps the most important benefit of lymph drainage therapy when it comes to cancer treatment.

A Lymph Drainage Therapy session

Lymph drainage was originally performed by a massage therapist, using only the hands. While this was effective, it was also labor-intensive. A more recent development and one which I highly recommend is to achieve lymph drainage through the use of specialized equipment made specifically for this purpose. In the hands of an experienced technician, it offers superior results.

In my office, my lymph drainage therapist uses a device which utilizes light and sound in order to stimulate the proper flow of lymphatic fluid. With the patient lying comfortably on the exam table, each of the body’s major lymphatic areas is stimulated by the device. More attention can and should be given to those areas where significant lymph blockages are present. Without exception, patients state that the treatment session is very relaxing. I typically have patients do two treatment sessions per week, with each session lasting approximately one hour.

Because Lymph Drainage Therapy is detoxifying the body, it is very important to stay well hydrated. We always encourage our patients to drink extra water on treatment days.

The beauty of Lymph Drainage Therapy is that it stimulates body in a natural way so that the immune system function is appropriately stimulated. The keyword here is appropriate, because we want to enhance immune function so that it can do its job, but not to the point of over-stimulating it. Many patients believe that the higher the immune system activity, the better. This is not true, as the immune system can be overactive to the point that it is reacting to stimuli which are not harmful. This is arguably just as bad, if not worse, than an underactive immune system. With cancer, achieving this delicate balance is essential.

Conclusion

Lymph drainage therapy is a very valuable treatment for cancer because it addresses the known immune system dysregulation we see in patients with cancer. By properly stimulating the immune system, and also providing detoxification in the process, we can achieve an outstanding complement to other treatments within a protocol. In my office, I have found Lymph Drainage Therapy to be both safe and effective.

The post Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT) appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

In fact, dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times in many cultures with the root and young tops most commonly used for medicinal purposes, while the young leaves have traditionally been consumed as a nutrient-dense healing food or tea [1]. Dandelion tops, leaves or roots, fresh or dried, are used in a variety of different forms in herbal remedies such as tinctures, liquid extracts, teas, tablets, pills and capsules. Roasted dandelion root tea is also used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute.

What are the benefits of dandelion root, you might wonder? Scientific studies have explored the potential antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and immune boosting effects of dandelion root extract [1]. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), dandelion has been used as a remedy to improve upset stomachs, digestive disorders and skin problems [18]. TCM also recommends dandelion to reduce inflammation, cleanse the kidneys, gallbladder and liver, regulate the metabolism, relieve coughs, and purify the blood [18]. 

The potential applications of dandelion don’t stop there. Dandelion has also been used in traditional medicine systems, such as Chinese, Arabian, Indian, and Native American for many different types of cancer [2]. Ancient wisdom appears to be supported by preclinical research in laboratory and animal studies, which show that dandelion root extract has potent anticancer effects, selectively targets cancer cells of various types and inhibits tumor growth [1] [3]. 

Preliminary research indicates that dandelion root extracts could potentially be a well-tolerated and beneficial adjuvant (supportive) or primary therapy for multiple cancer types [3]. However, clinical research is still lacking. Therefore, the safety and efficacy of dandelion root extract in the treatment of cancer is currently unknown in humans.

Historical Perspective

Traditional use of medicinal plants often plays a significant role in the discovery and development of new drugs in modern medicine. Plants of the genus Taraxacum, more commonly known as dandelions, have a history of use in Chinese, Arabian, Indian, European, and Native American traditional medicine systems to treat a wide range of ailments including cancer [16].

The origins of the medicinal use of dandelion can be traced back to 659 BC in ancient China and the plant is still used today in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In TCM, dandelion is prescribed for stomach problems, appendicitis, and increasing milk flow [18]. In traditional European medicine, dandelion was used as a fever remedy and to treat boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea [18]. In Native American medicine, dandelion was boiled into a tea or chewed to help relieve pain, ease sore throats, treat kidney disease, swelling, heartburn, and upset stomachs [18].

In recent decades, there have been concerted efforts to find less toxic and more effective cancer treatments that can improve the prognosis and quality of life of cancer patients who have often suffered severe side-effects from conventional cancer therapies. This has led to scientific research into the potential anticancer effects of dandelion [19].

Dr. Caroline Hamm, an oncologist at the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre in Canada, became intrigued in the potential anticancer effects of dandelion after hearing anecdotes and word-of-mouth tales of dandelion helping cancer patients to heal. This led to a collaboration with Dr. Siyaram Pandey, a Professor at the University of Windsor, to research dandelion with a view to developing new anticancer therapies [19].

They conducted many studies using animal models of human cancer. Their results showed potent anticancer effects and gave insight into the mechanisms of action. This consequently led to approval for the first human clinical trials in December in 2016. The researchers hope that human clinical trials will open the door for the introduction of dandelion root extract as a safe and effective adjunct or a primary treatment option for cancer [19]. However, more research is still needed in humans to confirm the safety and efficacy of DRE.

Research

Despite being an ancient remedy for cancer, there is currently no published clinical research on the anticancer effects of dandelion root in humans. However, laboratory and animal studies appear to support many of dandelion’s claimed health benefits in traditional medicine, including cholesterol-lowering, liver protective, blood-thinning, diuretic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties [5]. 

The anticancer properties of dandelion root are currently only supported by in-vitro (test-tube) studies and efficacy has yet to be validated in human studies. However, laboratory research is promising and indicates that DRE has anticancer effects against multiple types of cancer cells including liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, melanoma and leukemia [5]. 

The results of a 2021 study on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells showed that DRE selectively inhibited cell growth, proliferation, migration and invasion and induced cell apoptosis in ESCC. Further research would be required to understand if DRE may serve as an effective anticancer alternative for human esophageal cancer [15].

A study in 2008 showed that dandelion leaf extract (DLE) inhibited breast and prostate cancer cell growth. It concluded that extracts of dandelion may be of value as novel anticancer agents [16]. However, clinical research in humans is still needed to validate the hypothesis.

A 2012 study demonstrated that dandelion root extract caused the collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to autophagy, in human pancreatic cancer cells. It concluded that DRE has the potential to induce apoptosis and autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells with no significant effect on noncancerous cells [7]. However, clinical research is still required to determine effects of DRE in humans with pancreatic cancer.

In a 2011 study, dandelion root extract was shown to specifically and effectively induce apoptosis in chemoresistant melanoma without causing toxicity in noncancerous healthy cells, which indicates potential application in the treatment of drug-resistant skin cancer. However, further research to validate anticancer effects and efficacy in treating drug-resistant cancers in humans is still needed [13]. 

A 2016 study showed that DRE selectively induced programmed cell death in over 95% of colon cancer cells after only 48 hours of treatment. The anticancer efficacy of the extract was confirmed by in-vivo (animal model) studies where DRE slowed the growth of human colon cancer models by more than 90%. The study demonstrated that DRE targets multiple vulnerabilities in cancer cells and researchers hypothesized that it could be a non-toxic and effective anticancer alternative with the potential to help reduce the occurrence of drug-resistance in cancer cells [9]. However, clinical research is still required to evaluate the effects in humans.

While there is limited research on the benefits of dandelion root extract in humans, there have been some case reports, but these only provide anecdotal evidence of limited quality. For example, a 76-year-old male with previously untreated leukemia whose bone marrow blast counts vastly improved while taking dandelion root extract in combination with papaya leaf extract [17]. 

Overall, preliminary research indicates potential anticancer effects of DRE, but clinical trials are still needed to determine safety and efficacy as a cancer treatment in humans.

Potential Applications 

Dandelion has been studied for a range of potential health benefits. An analysis of 54 studies identified 12 key potential therapeutic properties of dandelion, but further clinical research is required to determine the validity of all these purported effects [1]:

• Diuretic (increases urine output)
• Hepatoprotective (promotes liver health)
• Anticolitis (prevents colitis)
• Immunoprotective (supports immune system)
• Antiviral
• Antifungal
• Antibacterial
• Antiarthritic (aids arthritis)
• Antidiabetic (aids diabetes)
• Antiobesity (aids weight-loss)
• Antioxidant
• Anticancer effects

Preliminary research indicates that DRE may exhibit the following anticancer effects, but further research is still required to confirm effects in humans:

• Selectively inhibit cancer cell growth
• Induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells
• Induce autophagy (destruction of damaged cells)
• Activate genes and pathways related to cancer cell death
• Inhibit tumor growth
• Kill cancer stem cells
• Damage mitochondria in cancer cells
• Improve immune function
• Reduce inflammation

In light of the medicinal properties of dandelion, it comes as little surprise that dandelion root extract (DRE) may have potential applications in the treatment of cancer. Preclinical laboratory research shows that DRE has potent anticancer effects through multiple specific mechanisms of action [4]. 

Firstly, dandelion has powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [5]. The free radical scavenging properties of dandelion have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and prevent DNA damage [6]. Oxidative stress can damage DNA and trigger mutations in healthy cells, which can lead to chronic inflammation and cancer growth.

Dandelion root extract has been shown in laboratory studies to selectively target and kill certain cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Multiple studies on various cancer cell types (including pancreatic, colon and leukemia) have demonstrated that DRE efficiently and selectively induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) and autophagy (destruction of damaged cells) in a dose and time dependent manner with no toxicity to healthy cells [4] [7] [8].

The anticancer effects of dandelion root are related to multiple active compounds, targeted genes, activation of cell death pathways and a range of other complex biological processes [4] [9].  Gene expression analyses show that DRE modulates gene expression and triggers multiple death pathways in colon cancer cell models [9]. Natural compounds in DRE switch on specific genes that are involved in the programmed cell death of human colon cancer cells [9].

DRE has been shown to increase the production of certain cytokines (cell signaling molecules) such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and selectively target multiple cancer cell types [5]. TNF-alpha and IL-1 alpha play multifunctional roles in the inflammatory response of the immune system and cancer cell survival, growth and death [10] [11].

Luteolin, an active compound in DRE, has been shown to have cytotoxic effects on breast, colon and skin cancer cells without harming healthy cells, inhibit tumor growth and eliminate breast cancer stem cells, which indicates potential therapeutic benefit in the prevention of cancer initiation and metastatic disease progression (spread of cancer) [5] [12].

Natural compounds in DRE have been shown to specifically and effectively target mitochondria (energy powerhouses) in drug-resistant skin cancer cells without causing toxicity in normal cells [13].  Studies also show that DRE impairs mitochondrial integrity and collapses the mitochondrial membrane potential of neuroblastoma and pancreatic cancer cells, selectively leading to autophagy, while normal cells remain unharmed [7] [14] .

In short, laboratory results show that DRE has well-defined anticancer effects on various cancer cell types. It may have potential therapeutic applications for cancer treatment, but further research and clinical trials are needed to determine safety and efficacy in humans.

Risks and Side-Effects 

Dandelion is typically considered to be safe and well-tolerated when consumed as a food or tea and probably safe in higher dosages as found in dandelion root extracts, but there is still limited research on the effects in humans [20].

Dandelion root side-effects include stomach discomfort, diarrhea or heartburn in some people [20]. Dandelion may also cause allergic reactions. Anytime you experience itching, redness, or swelling after starting a new supplement you should discontinue use.

Dandelion can interact with certain drugs. It also acts as a diuretic, which can result in medication being excreted from the body more quickly and reduce absorption. If you are taking any of the medications listed below dandelion may interfere with their effects.

• Antipsychotics
• Antidepressants 
• Anticoagulants (blood thinners)
• Diuretics 
• Antibiotics
• Diabetes medications
• Statin drugs 
• Estrogen-based contraceptives

If you plan to start a new supplement and are taking prescription drugs, you should always talk with your doctor first to ensure there are no potential interactions. 

FAQs

Can dandelion root treat cancer?

There have not been clinical trials to confirm if dandelion root can help to treat cancer in humans. However, dandelion is a traditional remedy that has been used for cancer and dandelion root extracts have been shown to have potent anticancer effects in laboratory and animal studies. More research is needed to understand clinical treatment options utilizing dandelion for cancer treatment.

How is dandelion taken?

Dandelion can be taken in many forms including tinctures, liquid extracts, teas, tablets, pills and capsules. Most scientific research has been conducted on dandelion root or leaf extract for cancer, which is a more potent and concentrated form. Anecdotally, and in traditional medicine, dandelion root tea has reported anticancer benefits. However, clinical studies are still lacking.

What cancer types is dandelion used for?

There is currently not enough clinical research on dandelion root extract to determine what cancer types may respond to dandelion root extracts. In laboratory and animal studies there are early indications it could have anticancer effects on multiple cancer types, but further research is still needed in humans.

References

[1] Di Napoli, A., Zucchetti, P. A comprehensive review of the benefits of Taraxacum officinale on human health. Bull Natl Res Cent 45, 110 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-021-00567-1

[2] Rehman G, Hamayun M, Iqbal A, Khan SA, Khan H, Shehzad A, Khan AL, Hussain A, Kim HY, Ahmad J, Ahmad A, Ali A, Lee IJ. Effect of Methanolic Extract of Dandelion Roots on Cancer Cell Lines and AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway. Front Pharmacol. 2017 Nov 28;8:875. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29234282/

[3] Christopher Nguyen, Ali Mehaidli, Kiruthika Baskaran, Sahibjot Grewal, Alaina Pupulin, Ivan Ruvinov, Benjamin Scaria, Krishan Parashar, Caleb Vegh, Siyaram Pandey, “Dandelion Root and Lemongrass Extracts Induce Apoptosis, Enhance Chemotherapeutic Efficacy, and Reduce Tumour Xenograft Growth In Vivo in Prostate Cancer”, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2019, Article ID 2951428, 12 pages, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/2951428

[4] Xie J, Chen R, Wang Q, Mao H. Exploration and validation of Taraxacum mongolicum anti-cancer effect. Comput Biol Med. 2022 Sep;148:105819. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35810695/

[5] Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dandelion – Purported benefits, side effects and more. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/dandelion

[6] Hu C, Kitts DD. Antioxidant, prooxidant, and cytotoxic activities of solvent-fractionated dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flower extracts in vitro. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Jan 1;51(1):301-10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12502425/

[7] Ovadje P, Chochkeh M, Akbari-Asl P, Hamm C, Pandey S. Selective induction of apoptosis and autophagy through treatment with dandelion root extract in human pancreatic cancer cells. Pancreas. 2012 Oct;41(7):1039-47. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22647733/

[8] Ovadje P, Hamm C, Pandey S. Efficient induction of extrinsic cell death by dandelion root extract in human chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) cells. PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e30604. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3281857/

[9] Ovadje P, Ammar S, Guerrero JA, Arnason JT, Pandey S. Dandelion root extract affects colorectal cancer proliferation and survival through the activation of multiple death signalling pathways. Oncotarget. 2016 Nov 8;7(45):73080-73100. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27564258/

[10] Wang X, Lin Y. Tumor necrosis factor and cancer, buddies or foes? Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2008 Nov;29(11):1275-88. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2631033/

[11] Chiu JW, Binte Hanafi Z, Chew LCY, Mei Y, Liu H. IL-1α Processing, Signaling and Its Role in Cancer Progression. Cells. 2021 Jan 7;10(1):92. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7827341/

[12] Tsai KJ, Tsai HY, Tsai CC, Chen TY, Hsieh TH, Chen CL, Mbuyisa L, Huang YB, Lin MW. Luteolin Inhibits Breast Cancer Stemness and Enhances Chemosensitivity through the Nrf2-Mediated Pathway. Molecules. 2021 Oct 26;26(21):6452. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34770867/

[13] S. J. Chatterjee, P. Ovadje, M. Mousa, C. Hamm, S. Pandey, “The Efficacy of Dandelion Root Extract in Inducing Apoptosis in Drug-Resistant Human Melanoma Cells”, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2011, Article ID 129045, 11 pages, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/129045

[14] Menke K, Schwermer M, Felenda J, Beckmann C, Stintzing F, Schramm A, Zuzak TJ. Taraxacum officinale extract shows antitumor effects on pediatric cancer cells and enhance mistletoe therapy. Complement Ther Med. 2018 Oct;40:158-164. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30219442/

[15] Duan X, Pan L, Deng Y, Liu Y, Han X, Fu H, Li Y, Li M, Wang T. Dandelion root extract affects ESCC progression via regulating multiple signal pathways. Food Funct. 2021 Oct 4;12(19):9486-9502. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34476429/

[16] Sigstedt SC, Hooten CJ, Callewaert MC, Jenkins AR, Romero AE, Pullin MJ, Kornienko A, Lowrey TK, Slambrouck SV, Steelant WF. Evaluation of aqueous extracts of Taraxacum officinale on growth and invasion of breast and prostate cancer cells. Int J Oncol. 2008 May;32(5):1085-90. PMID: 18425335. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18425335/

[17] Rahmat LT, Damon LE. The Use of Natural Health Products Especially Papaya Leaf Extract and Dandelion Root Extract in Previously Untreated Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia. Case Rep Hematol. 2018 Dec 18;2018:7267920. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30662779/

[18] Mount Sinai. Dandelion. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/dandelion

[19] Advanced Orthomolecular Research. Dandelions: Potential Anti-Cancer Properties. March 20, 2019. https://aor.us/dandelions-potential-anti-cancer-properties/

[20] WebMD. Dandelion. Side Effects. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-706/dandelion

Dandelion, typically thought of as a pesky weed, can be traced back to 659 B.C. for its medicinal purposes. Dandelions are highly nutritious and are chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. [1]

Scientifically known as Taraxacum officinale, the dandelion is a hardy perennial. This vibrant yellow flower has hundreds of species that can be found in North America, Europe, and Asia, and can grow to up to 12 inches in height. [2]

The entire plant is edible, nutritious, and can be eaten from flower to root. Dandelions can be eaten cooked or raw. The greens and flowers of the plant can help brighten up any salad. The flowers can be dried and boiled into a tea, or if you are looking for something with a little more kick, fermented into wine. The root of the plant can also be roasted to create a caffeine-free coffee.  

When used medicinally, the root can be made into tinctures, infusions, teas, poultices, and is available over the counter in capsule form. [3] 

So, before you dig out your weed killer, let’s take a gander this small but fascinating plant that has been used for centuries to help many different ailments, including cancer. 

Origins of dandelion as medicine

Medicinal use of the dandelion can be traced to 659 B.S. in ancient China (and is still used in today’s traditional Chinese medicine). Dandelions were used by Native Americans as well as in Arabic, Welsh, and European medicine. [1]

In Native American medicine, the root of the dandelion was typically chewed or boiled. People would use it to help relieve pain, ease sore throats, treat kidney disease, swelling, heartburn, and upset stomach. [2] 

Traditional Chinese medicine uses for dandelions are in aiding digestion, appendicitis, an increase of lactation production, and liver healing. [1-2]

For centuries this small but mighty plant has been used in treating many ailments. Some of the claims are better supported by research than others.

Health benefits, cancer, and what the research says

Lowers Cholesterol and Rich in Antioxidants

McDonald’s for lunch and pizza for dinner, sounds good right? Think again. 

“Several studies have shown that an increased dietary intake of cholesterol results in hypercholesterolemia, which is known to eventually generate atherosclerosis and enhance the risk of coronary heart disease, fatty liver disease, and cancer-associated with hydroxyl radical formation.” [4] 

In 2010 a study was done on dandelion root and leaf and its effect on rabbits fed with a high-cholesterol diet. The objective was to find the hypolipidemic (lowering of cholesterol) and antioxidative effects the dandelion might have. The findings showed that after treatment with the dandelion root and leaf positively lowered the total cholesterol, triglycerides, and “bad” LDL. It also increased the HDL “the good cholesterol” and reduced the oxidative stressors. [4] 

Even after all those hamburgers, the dandelion root lowered Roger the rabbit’s bad cholesterol. Of course, we are kidding; they did not feed the rabbits hamburgers, but one of the 28 male rabbits could have been named Rodger or Bugs.  

Liver Protection

A 2017 study was conducted on the dandelion root polysaccharides (DRP) and the effects it had in preventing liver injury. The research was done in vitro and in vivo (in mice) and given large amounts of acetaminophen and DRP. The ones who were given the DRP showed that the DRP protected the liver from acetaminophen injury by activating the body’s metabolic pathway (Nrf2-Keap1). [5] This suggests that DRP may be beneficial to liver health and may help prevent liver injury. 

Cancer

The dandelion root has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. The current research for dandelion root and cancer is promising. Most of the studies that have been done are in vitro and animal studies. 

A study done on mice with colorectal cancer were given dandelion root extract (DRE) daily and resulted in selectivity induced programmed cell death in the cancerous cells. It also showed that the DRE’s molecular complexity was responsible for anti-cancer activity engaging multiple signaling pathways inside the cancer cells, including “the powerhouse” mitochondria. [6]

Observations on a study conducted on dandelion root extract and liver cancer cell lines (test tubes) showed that DRE demonstrated potency against liver cancer by inducing apoptosis. [7]

A 2019 study on mice with prostate cancer used dandelion root extract and lemongrass extract to see if there were interactions with chemotherapy. If successful, the extracts could be a complementary therapy adjuvant with chemotherapy.

Both exhibited selective anti-cancer activities. When both were introduced with chemotherapies, they enhanced the induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death). The addition of DRE and LRE led to reduced dosages of the chemo, which reduced the drug-related toxicity. Furthermore, they were well tolerated by the mice and saw a reduction in the tumors. [8]

Many current conventional therapies for cancer treatments have many side effects and are not suitable for long term usage. Natural health products that have been used for centuries are typically well-tolerated and safe, including dandelion root extract.

Although the current research involving cancer and dandelions appears to be promising, most studies have been done in vitro and in vivo. There are little research and a lack of human studies done to this point. 

Precautions and drug interactions

While dandelions typically are considered safe, some people may be allergic and should avoid them. If you’re whiffing then you’re sniffing, it might be a good idea not to take a big ol’ bite. 

You should avoid dandelions if you have allergies to ragweed, marigolds, chamomile, chrysanthemums, daisies, yarrow, or iodine. These may cause an allergic reaction when eaten or applied topically. 

Anytime you experience itching, redness, or swelling, you should discontinue use. If the symptoms do not subside, please contact a health care provider immediately.  

Dandelions can act as a diuretic, which can cause drugs to leave your body faster with less absorption. You should avoid dandelion leaf or talk with your healthcare provider, especially if you are taking the following.

• Antacids
• Antipsychotics like lithium and Haldol
• Antidepressants 
• Blood-thinning medications
• Diuretics 
• Antibiotics
• Medicines broke down by the liver
• Medications for diabetes
• Statin drugs 
• Estrogen-based contraceptives

In some cases, only a dose of modification is needed. As with anything, if you plan to start a new supplement and are on a prescription drug, you should always talk with your health care provider to avoid any interactions. [2-3] 

FAQs

The post Dandelion Root and the Benefits for Cancer appeared first on Cancer Tutor.

This helps you by maximizing the dose intensity and exposing cancer cells within your body to the drugs for a longer period of time while  reportedly reducing some of the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy.

Cancers are caused by mutations that occur within cells and therefore selecting treatment based on mutations and not primary cancer site alone can provide advantages that may have gone overlooked. These strategies provide chemotherapy to patients while fasting, giving insulin or other biological response modifiers adjunctively prior to chemotherapy for enhanced targeting, and giving chemotherapy in micro-doses to allow for increased frequency of administration and the utilization of multiple targeted chemotherapeutic agents concurrently. [1]

Researchers have discovered numerous biomarkers and molecular changes that occur within a person’s cancer genetics that can be used to better target treatment. This method allows the use of multiple drugs in lower dosages to help reduce resistance, enhance targeting, and improve overall treatment.

Genetically Targeted Fractionated Chemotherapy

As time progresses, more biomarkers continue to be discovered which can lead to more targets for drugs either currently on the market or clinical trials. In addition to advancements made in the progression of cancer treatment with utilizing molecular profiles effectively, there are other therapeutic strategies that have been postulated as advanced effective ways to administer chemotherapy. [1]

Genetic molecular profiling is used to find patients' cancer cells. Next is targeting cancer cells via glucose metabolism. Glucose accelerates cancer (cancer gets its nutrients from glucose, therefore contains more insulin receptors) so this is one metabolic factor that distinguishes cancer cells from healthy cells. From a metabolic pattern, cancer cells have on average 12-36 times more insulin receptors that use glucose as their main source of energy.

Dr. Dino Prato focuses on Genetically Targeted Fractionated Chemotherapy (GTFC), an advanced form of chemo that applies molecular profiles, genetic typing, and targeted treatment, providing patients with alternatives. This method allows the use of multiple drugs in lower dosages to help reduce resistance, enhance targeting and improve overall treatment.

GTFC sessions are shorter and use lower dosages. Therefore, GTFC is much less taxing on the body. When combined with targeted immunotherapy and nutritional therapy, patients that utilize GTFC often claim they have more energy and feel healthier compared to the standard methods used. [2]

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