Supplements 101: The Basics

02/02/22 • 40 min

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The Cancer Pod: Integrative Medicine Talk

Supplement use during and after cancer treatment is common. But do you really need to take supplements? How do you even begin to prioritize what (if any) supplements are right for you?
As naturopathic doctors, Tina and Leah talk about supplements all the time. In this episode, they open up about how they approach their use. Instead of saying, "must do this or that," they talk about how you can prioritize supplements.
And yes, they talk about times when supplements may not be appropriate too. As Kenny Rogers famously put it, "you gotta know when to hold 'em."
They talk pros and they talk cons. By the end of this episode, you will walk away with a better understanding of appropriate supplement use and a framework for their use.
Links we mentioned on this episode and other cool stuff:

Here are some databases to look up supplements to check for interactions. The databases are always updating information. If something you are looking for is not in the database, it does not mean there is no interaction. Always check with your doctor before adding a supplement to your regimen.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center About Herbs Database (Free)
Natural Medicines Database (Subscription)
Medline Plus Herbs and Supplements medlineplus.gov
Dietary Supplement Use is Prevalent Among Cancer Survivors Medscape, December 2021
Facts About the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) from the FDA
The Effect of Cytochrome P450 Metabolism on Drug Response, Interactions, and Adverse Effects American Family Physician 2007
Get to Know an Enzyme: CYP3A4 Pharmacy Times
Get to Know an Enzyme: CYP2D6 Pharmacy Times
Get to Know an Enzyme: CYP1A2 Pharmacy Times
Get to Know an Enzyme: CYP2C9 Pharmacy Times
St. John's Wort The ASCO Post
New York Attorney General Targets Supplements at Major Retailers New York Times 2015

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Previous Episode

Super Size Me: At the Movies with The Cancer Pod

The third installment of the At the Movies pod is Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me. In this 2004 shockumentary, Morgan eats nothing but McDonald’s three times a day for 30 days and assesses the effects it has on his body over that period of time but is this movie exaggerating the facts? And with some problematic and outdated material, can it be shrugged off as “of its time”? You’re going to want to listen to this one to find out what Tina and Leah think!
SPOILER ALERT:

Overall Rating: Tina gave this 🥦🥦🥦/5 and Leah gave it a 🥦🥦/5

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Links we mentioned on this episode and other cool stuff:

Teenagers’ Suit Says McDonald’s Made Them Obese (2002), nytimes.com

Here’s the video of McDonald’s not rotting! Okay, it was the fries, not the burgers, but at least we got the movie right!

Why salads may not return to McDonald’s menu

McDonald’s nutrition calculator

Why the Supersized menu disappeared, according to Mashed

McDonald’s 1955 vs. 2015

McDonald’s cup sizes around the world

The Untold Story of Baskin Robbins (vegnews.com)

USDA National School Lunch Program

Case Study: Appleton Central Alternative Charter High School’s Nutrition and Wellness Program

Physical Health, Wellness and Nutrition Program - Appleton Area School District

Neal Barnard, MD

Marion Nestle (no relation to the corporation)

Alexandra Jamieson on Super Size Me to Women, Food & Desire

SPOILER ALERT:

Overall Rating: Tina gave this 🥦🥦🥦/5 and Leah gave it a 🥦🥦/5

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Next Episode

Omega-3 Fatty Acids : Supplements 101

1 Recommendations

What exactly are omega-3 fatty acids? They are essential, but what does “essential” even mean? Why do we need them? How are they used in our bodies? What foods are the best sources?

In this episode, Tina and Leah tackle these questions and more. They also discuss the role of omega-3s before, during, and after treatment for cancer. They include a few studies that show particular benefits during conventional cancer treatments and some cautionary notes too.

And , keep an ear out for hot tips and trivial bits, all relevant to omega-3 fatty acids, of course. So sit back (or drive, or walk, or do whatever you do when you are listening to a podcast) and enjoy this latest episode in their series Supplements 101.
Links we mentioned on this episode and other cool stuff:
Higher Dietary Intake of Alpha-Linolenic Acid May Lower Mortality Risk

Essential Fatty Acids Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University

Structure of a lipid bilayer

Is fish oil bad for LDL cholesterol?

Increased Plasma Levels of Chemoresistance-Inducing Fatty Acid 16:4(n-3) After Consumption of Fish and Fish Oil JAMA Oncology

DHA-enriched supplement ameliorates cancer-associated systemic inflammatory response via resolvin D1 production: a single institutional study. (resolvins)

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Can Reduce C-Reactive Protein in Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Nutrition and Cancer

Fish Oil Improves Chemotherapy Effects in Lung Cancer Patients Review of study in Natural Medicine Journal

Omega-3 fatty acids are protective against paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. BMC Cancer

The effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on incidence and severity of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy: a randomized controlled trial. Biomark Res.

Fish O

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