Warning of antioxidants accelerates cancer metastasis

Supplements containing antioxidants that are known to enhance health and slow down the aging process actually accelerate the metastasis of melanoma, a form of cancer. Dangerous skin letter.

Antioxidants accelerate the process of cancer metastasis

This is the result of research done on mice that have just been published in the journal Nature on October 14.

Experiments that US scientists carried out on mice 's body names two months ago showed that metastatic melanoma cancer cells were faster in mice treated with N - acetylcysteine ​​(NAC) antioxidants than in mice. group of mice not injected with this substance.

Research has shown that antioxidants resist a type of molecule that the body produces to attack the destruction of metastatic cancer cells, thereby creating momentum for the metastasis process to proceed more smoothly and make for the condition deteriorates quickly.

Picture 1 of Warning of antioxidants accelerates cancer metastasis
A sign of skin cancer.(Source: BBC).

While these results have not been verified in humans, scientists recommend against putting foods that contain antioxidants into cancer patients' menus.

Scientist Sean Morrison co-authored the study said that antioxidants, with long-lasting health-enhancing effects, have been included in supporting experimental cancer treatment. But some experimental treatments had to be stopped when the survival of patients was much shorter.

A study in mice conducted earlier by Swedish scientists also showed that the number of cancer cells was three times higher and life time was twice as short in patients using antioxidants. , including vitamin E, compared with patients not using antioxidants.

Many studies done previously with breast cancer and prostate cancer patients have similar results.

Antioxidants help the body prevent free radicals from destroying DNA structures . These substances are naturally produced by the human body and also found in green leaves, vegetables and fruits.

Thanks to these effects, many vitamins and medicines containing antioxidants have been widely marketed in the over-the-counter category.