4 replies to this topic

[ironfistx]

This says it reduces cancer: https://www.cancertu...irror_lymphoma/

 

This says it increases it (in mice) http://www.nature.co...in-mice-1.14606

[Darryl]

The evidence is that it might counteract some carcinogens (by increasing glutathione), but interferes with p53-mediated tumor suppression in existing tumors.

 

We have human RCTs where NAC did nothing.

 

Van Zandwijk et al, 2000. EUROSCAN, a randomized trial of vitamin A and N-acetylcysteine in patients with head and neck cancer or lung cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 92(12), pp.977-986.

 

I've tossed out my bottle, because cysteine supplementation interferes with benefits from methionine restriction.

 

Elshorbagy et al, 2011. Cysteine supplementation reverses methionine restriction effects on rat adiposity: significance of stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase. Journal of lipid research,52(1), pp.104-112.

Gomez et al. 2015. Cysteine dietary supplementation reverses the decrease in mitochondrial ROS production at complex I induced by methionine restriction. Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes, 47(3), pp.199-208.

 

 

 

[Dorian Grey]

What I've gathered from my admittedly modest reading on the antioxidant pro-cancer / anti-cancer debate is...

 

Antioxidants should help prevent one from developing cancer by protecting DNA from free radicals.  If you subscribe to the oxidative degeneration theory of aging, antioxidants may also help prevent cancer by keeping one's biological age from accelerating past one's chronological age.  Cancer occurs more often as we age, thus keeping biologically youthful should reduce risk of cancer.  

 

However, if one eventually does develop a malignant growth, antioxidants may hinder the body's anti-cancer defense mechanisms by reducing the power of oxidative bursts from immune cells trying to eradicate the abnormal cells.  Antioxidants protect normal cells from oxidative stress, and also protect malignant cells from oxidative death from immune cells.  Megadosing madness and stacking multiple antioxidants together may be a substantial factor in this theory.  

 

I tend to err on the side of protecting my cells from the kind of damage that might result in malignancies, without going overboard with dosing or combination therapies.  One of my favorite pet theories is that by maintaining optimal iron homeostasis (minimizing excess iron through blood donation/chelation), one might reduce the need for large amounts of antioxidants. Iron being the ultimate pro-oxidant is responsible for much of the oxidative stress in the body, particularly as we age (age related iron accumulation).  Fix this (iron) issue and you shouldn't need large amounts of antioxidants to cool the fires of oxidative stress.  

 

 

Edited by synesthesia, 11 October 2016 - 04:18 AM.

[joelcairo]

It doesn't cause cancer, but NAC can protect cancer cells from stresses, and thus keep them alive and promote tumor growth. This has also been demonstrated in multiple studies with vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and beta carotene. I wouldn't recommend supplementing the latter two chemicals, but I have no particular opinion on NAC (as long as you haven't been diagnosed with cancer).

 

However I don't think this research can be unthinkingly extended to all so-called "antioxidants". There are plenty of nutrients that could be defined as antioxidants which very clearly inhibit cancer progression and synergize with cancer treatments.

[Skyguy2005]

It doesn't cause cancer, but NAC can protect cancer cells from stresses, and thus keep them alive and promote tumor growth. This has also been demonstrated in multiple studies with vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and beta carotene. I wouldn't recommend supplementing the latter two chemicals, but I have no particular opinion on NAC (as long as you haven't been diagnosed with cancer).

 

However I don't think this research can be unthinkingly extended to all so-called "antioxidants". There are plenty of nutrients that could be defined as antioxidants which very clearly inhibit cancer progression and synergize with cancer treatments.

 

The problem with NAC would be its "stupidity". It's not "subtle" or "clever" like turmeric or what-have-you.

 

If you need clearing out some ROS, NAC is perfect. If you're actually requiring ROS for some delicate purpose, NAC gets in the way.