10 Best Supplements to Fight Cancer 2024
Can supplements, diet and lifestyle influence cancer risk? Are you able to supplement your way out of cancer? Dive into 300+ research studies to find out.
Cancer prevention is paramount. It’s far better to avoid the disease altogether than to face treatment or even early detection. However, traditional media often overlooks preventive measures due to a profit-driven focus. This leaves many people confused about the role of supplements in cancer prevention.
A vast array of dietary supplements exists, but their effectiveness remains unclear without strong scientific backing. This article dives into the research to answer critical questions:
- Do foods impact cancer risk? We explore which foods might decrease or increase your risk.
- Supplement Savvy: Can vitamins and minerals help, or even hinder, cancer prevention?
- Beyond the "Anti-Cancer" Label: This term can be misleading. We'll discuss supplements that may play a role in both prevention and supporting treatment.
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| Credit: FLCCC Alliance |
This article explores some supplements with potential to prevent cancer or aid recovery. We'll also analyze relevant studies, keeping in mind that new research emerges constantly.
Note: When interpreting scientific studies, it's important to bear in mind the hierarchy of evidence. Cell culture findings are considered less impactful than results from studies conducted on mice. Similarly, mouse-based conclusions are outweighed by findings from human studies. Case studies and preliminary results from small human trials hold less weight than outcomes from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and more extensive, long-term human trials.
We have organised and summarised relevant and salient research information in one place. Below, we look at the most published and studied categories.
Here is the list (listed in order of importance):
1. Vitamin D3 and K2
Is vitamin D the most powerful anti cancer supplement? Vitamin D can absorb calcium and help the immune, muscle, and nervous systems function properly. There are more than 11,000 search results on vitamin D and cancer on PubMed.
Prevention
The first randomized-controlled trial (DO-HEALTH) trial to investigate the combination of three complementary treatments for the prevention of cancer and suggest that the combination of daily vitamin D3, supplemental marine omega-3s, and a simple home exercise program may be effective in the prevention of invasive cancer among generally healthy and active adults aged 70 and older.
Findings from a 3 year Randomized Controlled Trial with more than 2,000 participants observed a 61% reduction in the risk of invasive cancer among patients who completed a home exercise program and took vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids daily.
Dosage: Supplemental 2000 IU/day of vitamin D3, and/or 1 g/day of marine omega-3s, and/or a simple home strength exercise (SHEP) programme compared to placebo and control exercise.
These results, from the DO-HEALTH trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01745263), were published in Frontiers in Aging 2022.
A number of epidemiologic studies have also investigated whether people with higher vitamin D intakes or higher blood levels of vitamin D have lower risks of specific cancers. The results of these studies have been inconsistent, possibly because of the challenges in carrying out such studies. For example, dietary studies do not account for vitamin D made in the skin from sunlight exposure, and the level of vitamin D measured in the blood at a single point in time (as in most studies) may not reflect a person’s true vitamin D status. Also, it is possible that people with higher vitamin D intakes or blood levels are more likely to have other healthy behaviors. It may be one of these other behaviors, rather than vitamin D intake, that influences cancer risk.
A Secondary Analysis of the VITAL Randomized Clinical Trial studied the effect of Vitamin D3 Supplements on Development of Advanced Cancer. The Harvard research, published in the JAMA Network Open medical journal (2020), overturns the initial findings of a study of 25,000 people published in 2018.
Initially researchers believed there was no benefit from taking vitamin D, as they detected no reduced incidence of cancer diagnoses overall. But they were puzzled because cancer deaths went down among those taking the supplements. Meaning, there was no benefit in terms of prevention of cancer but a reduction in cancer deaths was observed.
A secondary analysis, found this anomaly can be explained by the fact that vitamin D seems to stop metastatic cancers - those aggressive types which spread to other parts of the body. That said, when stratified by BMI (body mass index), there was no significant reduction for the vitamin D arm in incident metastatic or fatal cancer among those with overweight or obesity (BMI 25-<30).
The cancers for which the most human data are available are colorectal, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown that higher intake or blood levels of vitamin D are associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (R). In contrast, the Women’s Health Initiative randomized trial found that healthy women who took vitamin D and calcium supplements for an average of 7 years did not have a reduced incidence of colorectal cancer (NEJM 2006). Some scientists have pointed out that the relatively low level of vitamin D supplementation (10 μg, or 400 IU, once a day), the ability of participants to take additional vitamin D on their own, and the short duration of participant follow-up in this trial might explain why no reduction in colorectal cancer risk was found.
According to BreastCancer.org, research suggests that certain cancers such as breast cancer, can have a higher risk of occurring when the body has low levels of vitamin D.
Studies also show a link between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer (Sizar, 2020).
Many experts now recommend 800 to 1,000 IU a day, a goal that's nearly impossible to attain without taking a supplement. Although protection is far from proven, evidence suggests that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, and other malignancies.
In 2016, a landmark study published in PLOS ONE found that women over 55 with blood concentrations of vitamin D higher than 40 ng/ml, had a 67% lower risk of cancer compared women with levels lower than 20 ng/ml.
Although the role of vitamin D in cancer prevention remains an area of research interest and debate, avoiding deficient levels is recommended. (American Cancer Society 2020)
Vitamin D can also be absorbed through sunlight, or with the following diet such as fatty fish, egg yolks and fortified milk.
Make sure to take 500 mg to 1000 mg of magnesium and 150 mcg of vitamin K2, (not K1) which are important cofactors for optimizing vitamin D function. And, remember the only way you know what your vitamin D level is, is to test it. Vitamin D level should be in a therapeutic range of 50 to 70 ng/ml for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Most people are shocked how low their level is when they finally get around to testing it.
“Vitamin D supplementation is not the magic pill that miraculously solves the cancer burden or that can replace a healthy lifestyle. It is necessary to foster a good environment and invigorate a healthy lifestyle, including a high-quality diet and physical activity. Both have been proven to confer health benefits in many diseases, including cancer, and are the best preventive measures available.”
Treatment
- A 2019 meta-analysis showed statistically significant reductions in cancer mortality.
- A Secondary Analysis of the VITAL Randomized Clinical Trial (JAMA 2020) showed more significant reductions in cancer risk for those with normal BMI (<25).
Vitamin D and Chemotherapy
Note: The dosage for vitamin D in prevention (1,000 to 2,000 IU daily) is very much different from the high dose treatment dosage i.e. 20,000 to 50,000 IU daily. Always consult your doctor first!
2. Vitamin C, E and Selenium
PubMed has indexed more than 3,000 research studies on vitamin C and cancer and more than 5,000 studies on vitamin E and cancer. United States Preventive Services Task Force has recommended the use of Vitamin C and E supplementation for cancer prevention (R).
Prevention
Best Evidence: An umbrella review* (Xu 2022) to assess the existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses for the association between vitamin C intake and multiple health outcomes; showed that vitamin C intake was associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancer with an increment of 50–100 mg per day.
Beneficial associations were also identified for respiratory, neurological, ophthalmologic, musculoskeletal, renal and dental outcomes. A total of 76 meta-analyses (51 papers) of randomised controlled trials and observational studies with 63 unique health outcomes were identified. Harmful associations were found for breast cancer and kidney stones for vitamin C supplement intake.
*Umbrella review: An umbrella review, or a review of reviews, is a systematic review that only considers other systematic reviews as an eligible study type for inclusion.
2022 - Obese women who took vitamin C and B6 at amounts that exceeded the recommended daily intake levels were associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, according to a five-year long South Korean cohort study. 40,432 women without a history of cancer at baseline were included in this study.
A 2017 meta-analysis of 11 studies concluded that patients with lower concentrations of serum vitamin E (the vitamin E level in your blood) had a higher risk for colorectal cancer.
2023 - A systematic review to evaluate the existing literature on the safety and efficacy of vitamin C, E and selenium supplementation in oncology patients. Findings were generally favorable among the studies, and adverse effects of supplementation were limited. The review concluded that antioxidant supplements may provide benefits in reducing incidence or severity of treatment-induced side effects with limited risk for adverse effects.
Treatment
2022 - A systematic review on the effect of vitamins C and E on cancer survival showed improvement of survival and progression rates of cancers by vitamins C and E. However, the authors concluded that more high quality trials with large sample sizes are required to confirm.
Vitamin C is known as an antioxidant, but at high concentrations, vitamin C can kill cancer cells through a pro-oxidant property (Transl Oncol. 2020). This study has also demonstrated that vitamin C treatment with magnesium supplementation provided more effective anticancer therapy than vitamin C treatment alone.
To understand the mechanism of AA's anticancer activity, many research groups have treated colon, prostate, leukemia, lymphoma, brain, and stomach cancer cells and chemically or genetically transformed cancer cells with AA and showed cancer growth inhibition and even cancer cell death through hydrogen peroxide–mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation [R]. In most cases, the pharmacological concentration of vitamin C required for anticancer effects (EC50 value of 1–10 mM) could only be achieved by intravenous administration. Thus, to apply vitamin C as an anticancer therapy, a high intracellular concentration in cancer cells is critically important (R).
According to the Mayo Clinic (2023):
There's still no evidence that vitamin C alone can cure cancer, but researchers are studying whether it might boost the effectiveness of other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, or reduce treatment side effects.
There are still no large, controlled clinical trials that have shown a substantial effect of vitamin C on cancer, but some preliminary studies do suggest there may be a benefit to combining standard treatments with high-dose IV vitamin C."
According to the concluding remarks from a 2020 article from the National Cancer Institute:
Synthetic Ascorbic acid is NOT the same as whole food vitamin C. If you were to compare the two to a car, vitamin C would be the whole car, fully functional, and the engine is an enzyme called tyrosinase, while ascorbic acid is the car frame, with no moving parts.
Whole food vitamin C can also boost your copper level, as vitamin C contains an enzyme called tyrosinase, which has 2 atoms of copper in it. Ascorbic acid is prooxidant, while vitamin C complex is actually an antioxidant. Anything that has copper is going to be antioxidant.
3. Fish Oil (Omega-3 Fatty Acids)
PubMed has indexed more than 3,000 research studies on Omega-3 and cancer. Most people use fish oil supplements to enhance the amount of omega-3’s in their diet.
The analysis was conducted with data from 17 prospective cohort studies examining the associations between blood omega-3 fatty acid levels and risk for all-cause mortality. Over a median of 16 years of follow-up, 15,720 deaths occurred among 42,466 individuals. The researchers found that, after adjustment for relevant risk factors, risk for death from all causes was significantly lower (by 15-18%, at least p < 0.003) in the highest vs the lowest quintile for circulating long chain (20-22 carbon) omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids). Similar relationships were seen for death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes.
The first randomized-controlled trial (DO-HEALTH trial) to investigate the combination of three complementary treatments for the prevention of cancer and suggest that the combination of daily vitamin D3, supplemental marine omega-3s, and a simple home exercise program may be effective in the prevention of invasive cancer among generally healthy and active adults aged 70 and older.
Findings from a 3 year Randomized Controlled Trial with more than 2,000 participants observed a 61% reduction in the risk of invasive cancer among patients who completed a home exercise program and took vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids daily. These results, from the DO-HEALTH trial, were published in Frontiers in Aging 2022.
Many governments recommend eating omega-3 containing fatty fish, two times per week. But that is often not enough. Ideally, people would need to eat fatty fish four times per week, while also supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids, at least 1,000 mg of pure omega-3 (DHA and EPA) per day.
However, fish oil was shown in one study on mice (2015) to possibly reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy, and for that reason ground flax seed is a worthy alternative.
Make sure you buy high-quality omega-3 fatty acid supplements, meaning that the omega-3 fatty acids are pure and have not oxidized much (having low “TOTOX” value).
TOTOX value stands for total oxidation value. The omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from fish oil are highly sensitive to oxidation. This means that they are rapidly affected by contact with oxygen. Oxidised fatty acids are not beneficial to our health. For this reason, a good fish oil supplement has a low TOTOX value. The maximum TOTOX value is set at 26 by the Global Organization for EPA and DHA omega-3.
4. Turmeric (Curcumin)
Curcumin is one of the nutrients with the most evidence-based literature supporting its use against cancer. There are more than 7,000 search results on curcumin and cancer on PubMed and more than 50 clinical trials with curcumin, most of which are still ongoing. The spice turmeric can be extremely helpful when it comes to fighting cancer.
Best Evidence: A review paper published in 2022, analysed 21 human studies. Sixteen out of 21 clinical trials were associated with the effectiveness of curcumin or turmeric on various types of cancer, and the other five clinical trials were related to the evaluation of the efficacy of curcumin or turmeric in relieving the side effects of cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The emerging data from the clinical trials confirm that curcumin has the potential for cancer prevention and intervention.
Interestingly, curcumin appears to be universally useful for just about every type of cancer (Arslan 2022), which is really odd since cancer consists of a wide variety of different molecular pathologies.
In a 2016 study, a team of scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and at Pondicherry University, India, discovered the bioactive ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, can both prevent and cure bowel cancers. The team found the compound triggered cancer cell death by increasing a level of protein labeled GADD45a. Lead author Rajasekaran Baskaran, Ph.D., who has more than 20 years of experience in cancer research, commented:
"Studies on the effect of curcumin on cancer and normal cells will be useful for the ongoing preclinical and clinical investigations on this potential chemo-preventive agent."
Studies show that the curcumin in turmeric may kill cancer cells and slow tumor growth. This preclinical research has taken curcumin from the lab to the clinic.
The benefits of curcumin may include:
- blocking cancer cells from multiplying
- killing colon, breast, prostate, and melanoma cancer cells
- slowing tumor growth
Both curcuminoids and related turmeric products have been sanctioned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe.
Why Whole Turmeric Is Ineffective
Unfortunately, while there's some curcumin in whole turmeric, there's not enough in the regular spice to achieve clinically relevant results. The turmeric root itself contains only about 3% curcumin concentration. Another major limitation of curcumin as a therapeutic agent is that it is poorly absorbed. When taken in its raw form, you're only absorbing about 1% of the available curcumin.
Unfortunately, while there's some curcumin in whole turmeric, there's not enough in the regular spice to achieve clinically relevant results. The turmeric root itself contains only about 3% curcumin concentration. Another major limitation of curcumin as a therapeutic agent is that it is poorly absorbed. When taken in its raw form, you're only absorbing about 1% of the available curcumin.
Because it's not easily absorbed through your gastrointestinal tract, it's more effective to use a high-quality bioavailable curcumin extract, according to a 2013 study. A typical anticancer dose is just under 1 teaspoon of curcumin extract three or four times daily.
However, in the case of colon cancer, this poor absorption into the bloodstream may be an advantage. As there is poor absorption, higher levels of curcumin stay in the intestinal tract for longer periods of time, having an effect on gastrointestinal cancers.
In one study, participants took a 1,080 milligram (mg) dose per day of curcumin for 10 to 30 days between their initial biopsy and surgical removal. The patients taking the supplement experienced a reduction in blood levels of inflammatory agent, improvement in their body weight and an increased number of dying tumor cells.
"Studies on the effect of curcumin on cancer and normal cells will be useful for the ongoing preclinical and clinical investigations on this potential chemo-preventive agent."
New Curcumin Forms
Convenience and efficiency has driven many of the changes in the forms of curcumin in later years. Because it's a fat-loving or lipophilic molecule, many newer preparations now include some sort of oil or fat, which improves its absorbability and bioavailability. Such preparations typically have seven to eight times higher absorption than the raw, unprocessed 95% concentration of dry powder. There are also newer sustained release preparations.
Turmeric and black pepper each have health benefits, due to the compounds curcumin and piperine. As piperine enhances curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2,000%, combining the spices magnifies their effects. (Healthline)
5. Magnesium and Molecular Hydrogen
PubMed has indexed more than 5,000 research studies on magnesium and cancer.
Colorectal Cancer
An analysis of the prospective, Swedish Mammography Cohort (JAMA 2005), evaluated 61,433 women aged 40 to 75 without a history of cancer for a mean follow-up of 14.8 years. The highest quintile of magnesium intake was associated with a significantly lower risk of CRC compared with the lowest quintile. This benefit was observed for both colon and rectal cancers.
A case-control study evaluated 2204 subjects from the Tennessee Colorectal Polyp Study (2007), which demonstrated that increasing total magnesium intake was significantly associated with decreasing risk of CR.. The highest tertile of dietary magnesium intake (>298 mg/day) was significantly associated with reduced risk of CRC in an age-adjusted model.
A study of 140,601 postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative (2015) with an mean follow-up of 13 years demonstrated a significant reduction in CRC risk with the highest quintile of total magnesium intake compared with the lowest quintile of magnesium intake. The benefit was driven by colon cancer, with a trend for rectal cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer
A study of 66,806 subjects aged 50 to 76 at baseline from the Vitamins and Lifestyle cohort (Nature 2015) evaluated magnesium intake and the incidence of pancreatic cancer during a mean follow-up of 6.8 years. Subjects with magnesium intake below the recommended dietary allowance were more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, particularly in those whose intake was less than 75% of the recommended dietary allowance. In this study, a 100 mg/day decrease in magnesium intake resulted in a 24% increase in risk of pancreatic cancer.
Molecular Hydrogen and Cancer
There is little evidence to show that molecular hydrogen can reduce the risk of cancer.
However, in terms of cancer management or treatment, studies involving the effects of H2 on cancer were systematically reviewed. More than 600 articles related to molecular hydrogen and cancer were retrieved from Cochrane, PubMed and Google Scholar, and 27 articles were included for this systematic review (2023).
Based on the authors' analysis, "H2 plays a promising therapeutic role as an independent therapy as well as an adjuvant in combination therapy, resulting in an overall improvement in survivability, quality of life, blood parameters, and tumour reduction."
Although H2 has demonstrated significant anti-cancer effects, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Many studies have shown that H2 therapy can reduce oxidative stress. This, however, contradicts radiation therapy and chemotherapy, in which ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) are required to induce apoptosis and combat cancer.
Related: Best Molecular Hydrogen Tablets
6. Melatonin
PubMed has indexed more than 3,300 research studies on melatonin and cancer.
The Mediterranean Diet (MD) dietary pattern is also rich in antioxidants, such as melatonin. A systematic review published in Antioxidants (Elena 2023) showed high melatonin contents in MD-related foods, such as tomatoes, olive oil, red wine, beer, nuts, and vegetables. The consumption of specific MD foods increases melatonin levels and improves the antioxidant status in plasma.
Melatonin is one of the most important antioxidant molecules. In the human body — aside from having direct antioxidant effects — it also stimulates the synthesis of glutathione and other important antioxidants like superoxide dismutase and catalase.
Many people are not aware that only 5% of your body’s melatonin — which is also a potent anticancer agent — is produced in your pineal gland. The other 95% is produced inside your mitochondria — provided you get sufficient near infrared exposure which is typically from sun on your bare skin. This is why vitamin D is more than likely a biomarker for sun exposure, which is intricately involved in melatonin production. (R)
In addition, melatonin increases the expression of the p53 protein, induces its phosphorylation, inhibiting cell proliferation, promotes apoptosis, reduces the levels of the vascular endothelial growth factor and endothelin-1, fundamental for tumor growth and metastasis formation, reduces inflammatory processes and cell migration (Molecules 2018).
Melatonin - Treatment
2020 - A case series of 14 advanced cancer patients (Trends in Oncology 2020), treated with high dose (1,000 mg/day) of melatonin; achieved a disease control of 54% of the patients:
"Moreover, this preliminary study may also suggest that high dose melatonin has no toxicity in cancer patients with poor clinical status, as well as in healthy subjects."
2005 - A systematic review of 10 randomized controlled trials (J Pineal Res 2005):
7. Green Tea (EGCG)
PubMed has indexed more than 2,000 research studies on EGCG and cancer.
The Minnesota Green Tea Trial (MGTT. 2015) is the largest and longest double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized intervention study that specifically evaluated the effects of oral GTE (green tea extract) containing defined quantities of EGCG on established biomarkers of breast cancer risk.
They randomized and stratified 1075 healthy postmenopausal women at high risk of breast cancer according to their breast tissue density and catechol-O-methyltransferase genotypes and divided them into two groups: 537 placebo and 538 green tea groups. Green tea group participants took 4 capsules that contained 843 mg EGCG, whereas the placebo group took capsules without green tea extracts.
Researchers measured changes in percent mammographic density, circulating endogenous sex hormones, and proteins of the insulin-like growth factor axis. Their results showed that supplementation with green tea extract could modify and reduce mammographic density (MD) and protect against breast cancer, even though it was only significant in younger women (50–55 years) and had no effect in older women (R), an age-dependent effect similar to those of tamoxifen.
However, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) state that studies of green tea and cancer in humans have so far produced inconsistent results.
Several epidemiological studies (2011) have reported that the consumption of green tea may decrease cancer risk. Studies have also confirmed numerous health benefits of green tea including prevention of cancer (R, R) and cardiovascular disease, as well as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiarthritic, antibacterial, and antiviral effects. (R, R, R, R).
If you have cancer, consider drinking up to 3 cups of green tea per day to experience the benefits. Green tea pills are also available, but may be too concentrated.
8. Zinc and Cancer
PubMed has indexed more than 20,000 research studies on zinc and cancer.
The extensive evidence demonstrating the prevalence of zinc deficiency in a wide range of cancer types suggests that zinc deficiency should be considered a relatively widespread feature of multiple cancers. While research regarding the potential clinical utility of testing zinc levels in patients with or at risk of developing cancer is still preliminary, the data suggest that zinc deficiency may be a potential biomarker for identifying patients at risk of developing cancer, predicting outcomes in patients with cancer, and even as a preventive or adjunctive treatment for cancer.
9. Quercetin and Cancer
PubMed has indexed more than 4,000 research studies on quercetin and cancer. The safety and potential usefulness of quercetin for the prevention and treatment of cancer have been documented in both animal experiments and a phase I clinical trial.
2022 - A paper published in August 2022 in Nutrition Research analyzed the pro-apoptotic effect that quercetin has on aging cells. The paper reviewed preclinical and early phase data using quercetin as a senolytic agent and found the data showed it was effective in “preventing or alleviating cancer formation.”
The authors reviewed the importance of cellular aging in the development of cancer cells and the effect that quercetin may have on the suppression of cancer cell proliferation.
Cellular senescence is a dynamic and multi-step process that is associated with alterations in metabolic activity and gene expression. This can compromise tissue regeneration and contribute to aging. On the other hand, by removing senescent cells, age-related dysfunction can be attenuated and potentially extend the lifespan.
According to Mount Sinai, quercetin should be used with caution as it may interact with certain antibiotics by reducing the effectiveness of the drug. It may also enhance the effect of some blood thinners, which can increase your risk of bleeding. In addition to these, it may interact with corticosteroids, digoxin, cyclosporine and fluoroquinolones.
10. Garlic (Allicin) and Onion
PubMed has indexed more than 1,200 research studies on garlic and cancer. Garlic and onions belong to the Allium genus of plants.
2023 - A randomized controlled trial (RCT) on garlic and gastric cancer (GC), published in January 2023, found a significant reduction in the risk of developing GC with increasing dietary intake of allium vegetables, particularly garlic vegetables.
2020 - A meta-analysis of 11 studies, published in January 2020, did find evidence that garlic could reduce the risk of ColoRectal Cancer.
Another study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology (2019) revealed the odds of getting ColoRectal Cancer were 79% lower in those who a diet high in allium vegetables, which include garlic, leeks and onions.
One study of 543,220 participants found that those who ate lots of Allium vegetables, such as garlic, onions, leeks and shallots, had a lower risk of stomach cancer than those who rarely consumed them (Source).
A study of 471 men showed that a higher intake of garlic was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer (Source).
Based on these findings, including 2–5 grams (approximately one clove) of fresh garlic into your diet per day can help you take advantage of its health-promoting properties.
Several clinical studies have found an association between garlic intake and a lower risk of certain types of cancer.
Despite the promising results showing an association between garlic and a reduced risk of cancer, more studies are needed to examine whether other factors play a role.
Garlic is a great choice when it comes to giving your body a little extra protection. To reap the benefits of garlic, you should eat one clove per day, or 300 to 1,000 milligrams (mg) of garlic extract.
The active component in garlic is allicin, a compound that has been shown to kill off cancer cells in multiple test-tube studies (Source, Source, Source).
There is evidence demonstrating garlic can kill cancer cells in vitro. Several studies have analyzed the effects that dietary garlic may have on the development of colorectal cancer.
Several clinical studies have found an association between garlic intake and a lower risk of certain types of cancer.
Key Takeaways
When interpreting scientific studies, let’s remember that cell culture results are trumped by mouse results. Mouse results are trumped by human results. Case studies & small human trial results are trumped by double-blind placebo controlled ones.
While there’s no silver bullet supplement, there are some anti-cancer supplements on the market that may help you keep the disease at bay or stop it from getting worse. Whether you’re living with cancer, a survivor, or just concerned for your health, talk to your doctor to determine the best treatment for you.
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