Vitamins and supplements inc CoQ10 - yes or no discussion

[R.B.]

Flori said that she was seeing A Kenneth Conklin. I looked on google and found this very interesting discussion of supplements in treatment including a contribution by him. He is described as an integrative oncologist.

You may like to print it out and take it with you if discussing supplements including CoQ10.

As usual I post this to inform debate and am not sufficiently informed to to comment on merits.

I am afraid beyond the abstract you will have to read it as it is detailed and covers quite a lot of ground.

It also provides further links and references which you should be able to find using Google.

RB

http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/eletters/55/5/319

Abstract

However, if a drug causes a side effect by a mechanism other than that which accounts for its antineoplastic activity, selective protection is possible. For example, the cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines most likely results from oxidative damage to mitochondria and displacement of coenzyme Q10 from the electron transport system of the inner mitochondrial membrane (not inhibition of topoisomerase II), an effect that is selective for mitochondria of cardiac cells (4). Supplemental coenzyme Q10, in both preclinical and (limited) clinical studies, appears to prevent this toxicity without interfering with antineoplastic activity.

[dorinda]

so in plain english is it ok to take coq10 during chemo. i didnt ask my onc, i just figured it was ok since some of you ladies take it. i also take milk thistle, fish oil and b12 sublingual. oh well i will ask my chemo nurse.