Before I get started, I have been receiving emails and comments defending glucosamine.
I understand! I had been taking glucosamine for years. It helped my knee pain improve measurably. But Danny Parker convinced me to drop-it-off my long–and now shrinking–supplement list.
Danny emailed me several times yesterday. Allow me to share a few of his thoughts:
Pat-
Here is the reference which sounds ominous to me.
http://www.jbc.org/content/276/18/14728.full
“Because HA is a major component of the bone marrow extracellular matrix, these data support the idea that HA could play a major role in the survival and proliferation of myeloma cells in vivo. “
Read this, too:
http://natmednews.blogspot.com/2011/11/1.html
Glucosamine may help with a beautiful complexion and keeping tendons youthful, but I don’t recommend it.
Fair enough. Before we move-on to supplements which can actually help Velcade (and Revlimid, too!) work better, Danny has compiled a list of supplements that myeloma patients should consider avoiding:
– EGCT or Green tea during Velcade treatment
– L-glutamine immediately after SCT
– Alpha Lipoic acid
– Hyaluronic acid
– L-glutamine
– Glucosamine
– Alpha Lipoic acid
I would add any concentrated antioxidant supplement to the list–but Danny and I don’t agree about that.
Here is a list of supplements with clinical data showing that they may help arrest myeloma proliferation or help conventional myeloma therapies to work better. However, only take these with caution:
– Curcumin
– Pterostilbene
– Ursolic acid
– Resveratrol
– Black seed cumin
– Papain
– DHEA
– Fish oil
In my opinion, curcumin and ursolic acid are the two “must take” supplements for most any myeloma patient; ursolic acid for those of us currently undergoing active therapy and curcumin for all.
But Danny reminds us to “only take supplements where your doctor is informed of your actions, and only add supplements singly and slowly to see if there are any problems with tolerance, with CBCs etc. Always be cautious!”
I think that we have added enough disclaimers for one day! But you get the idea.
This is destined to be an ongoing thread, so stay tuned for periodic updates. And please don’t hesitate to jump-in with questions or comments!
In the end, all of this may do little more than help us feel that we have some control over our cancer. That alone may be worth the price we pay for all of the capsules, pills and potions.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat