Supplements to take during radiation therapy

 

When I was told I needed radiation to the sacrum in August 2017, and cyberknife in December 2017, I spent some time perusing the About Herbs app from Sloan Kettering to work out which supplements could either potentiate the radiation and/or protect my body from any harmful side effects. These were my findings: 

Aloe Vera -must be organic and the inner leaf otherwise can cause digestive issues. Can be taken orally, or applied topically to sore areas of skin.

Ashwaghanda - research showing it desensitizes cells for radiation and enhances the therapy.

Horny Goat Weed otherwise known as epimedium. This is a Chinese herb known to work synergistically with radiation or other therapies as per this research.

Flaxseeds - dietary flaxseed shown to reduce radiation-induced damage as per this research.

Germanium - currently in phase II trials for reducing radiation-induced fatigue. Importation of germanium for human consumption is not allowed as there are concerns re contamination of germanium products by the toxic inorganic germamium dioxide. Food sources are therefore the best way to consume it: Shiitake mushrooms, tuna and tomato juice.

Isatis - I can't find the root isolated in a supplement but there is this Triple Leaf tea on iherb. 

MGN Biobran - available on Amazon

Lycium (goji berries) - one could cancer-busting trail mix with walnuts and seeds, all soaked and activated first of course!

Peppermint - available as a tea.

Rooibos - protects radiation damage as per this study. Available as a tea.

Reishi mushroom combined with GDE can help radiation outcomes as per this study.

You can buy capsules, or, more enjoyable, try this coffee with contains reishi. There are other brands on iherb but some contain coffee whitener and sugar which I would avoid. 

Turmeric/Curcumin - improves antitumour effect of x-ray irradiation as per this study. One can juice fresh turmeric with carrots and/or orange (except latter is high sugar, so I tend to avoid - if you do use orange, include some of the peel as this is rich in quercetin) or cook with turmeric powder, make golden paste, golden milk. Turmeric is best absorbed with fat and black pepper. Latter increases its absorption by 2000%.

Vinpocetine - potentiates radiation as per this study on animals.

Doxcycline: this is an antiobiotic often used as  repurposed drug and is shown to be a strong radiosensitizer: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5620172/