Antioxidants May Help Prevent ‘Chemobrain’
You might not think that a cancer patient would need to worry about protecting his or her brain or the effects of the condition called ‘chemobrain’. Cancer patients shouldn’t even have to think about it.
If they don’t, then chances are that doctors probably won’t either.
Last week, I told you about post-chemotherapy cognitive impairment (PCCI), or chemobrain – the little-known chemotherapy that includes poor memory, slow thinking, and attention deficit.
The kicker is that if you survive cancer, and if you survive chemo, the chemobrain effect may last for decades.
So how can you protect your precious brain?
The answer may be very simple. Conventional doctors will howl. But it’s not THEIR brain. It’s yours.
Antioxidants against chemobrain: clear win-win
Chemotherapy creates a severe free radical environment in your body. Medical mainstreamers believe this harsh approach is necessary for chemo to be effective. They claim that antioxidants subvert chemo’s mission.
Sorry guys. That’s just not so.
More than 10 years ago, cancer researcher Dr. Ralph W. Moss made the case ?¦ “The overwhelming mass of data accumulated so far supports the concurrent use of chemotherapy with dietary antioxidants.”
Here’s what all that data shows. Antioxidants minimize chemo side effects. They also ENHANCE the effectiveness of chemo.
You can’t get much more win-win than that and it may also include the reduced risk of chemobrain.
Antioxidant-rich nutrient therapies are often given to cancer patients intravenously. One of the ingredients commonly included in these therapies is N-acetyl cysteine (NAC).
A few years ago, researchers tested NAC in rats given chemotherapy. Rats that received only chemo had lower memory scores compared to rats in the chemo-plus-NAC group.
The choice of NAC was not random. This amino acid stimulates the production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. Researchers call glutathione “the great protector” for its immune system support. Studies show that it also helps reduce fatigue, muscle aches, and ?¦brain fog.
Ageing depletes our natural stores of glutathione. Stress, caffeine, alcohol, and some drugs accelerate that process. So keeping levels high is important under the best conditions.
Under the worst conditions – when the body is under attack by chemotherapy – glutathione support is essential.
Your brain will thank you later.
You can easily find glutathione online and you may also be able to find a doctor who specialises in alternative medicine that will be able to help you with NAC IV treatment.
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Sources:
“Antioxidants may Prevent ‘Chemo-Brain'” Natural Standard, 9/12/08, blog.naturalstandard.com
“Scientists Find ‘Chemo Brain’ No Figment Of The Imagination” Science Daily, 10/8/06, sciencedaily.com
“‘Chemo brain’ linked to neurobiological mechanism” HemOnc Today, 5/10/12, healio.com
“High Vitamin D Doses Lower Fracture Risk for Most Vulnerable” Diedtra Henderson, Medscape, 7/4/12, medscape.com
