Supplementing Vitamin C and Vitamin E May Accelerate Tumor Growth and Spread

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Supplementing Vitamin C and Vitamin E May Accelerate Tumor Growth and Spread

Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin, and early research has shown that it offers various benefits to human health, including supporting the immune system, providing antioxidant effects, and promoting cardiovascular health. As an antioxidant, vitamin C is often included in dietary supplements to counteract free radicals and reduce oxidative stress on cells and tissues.

However, it’s important to note that excessive doses of vitamin C can be detrimental to one’s health.

Recently, researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, China’s Zhengzhou University, and Peking University published a study in the “Journal of Clinical Investigation” (JCI) titled “Antioxidants stimulate BACH1-dependent tumor angiogenesis.”

This research reveals that supplementing antioxidants like vitamin C and E may increase the formation of blood vessels within lung cancer tumors, possibly accelerating tumor growth and spread.

Supplementing Vitamin C and Vitamin E May Accelerate Tumor Growth and Spread

Previous studies conducted by the researchers showed that antioxidants like vitamin C and E can stabilize the BACH1 protein, thereby speeding up the growth and spread of lung cancer. This protein becomes activated when the levels of free radicals in the body decrease, which occurs when additional antioxidants are introduced through diet or when spontaneous mutations activate endogenous antioxidants within tumor cells.

In their study, researchers analyzed mice with lung cancer and mice implanted with human cancer cells. They added vitamin C, vitamin E, and N-acetylcysteine to the mice’s drinking water and food. The study found that as the dosage of supplements increased, the levels of antioxidants in the mice’s bodies rose, resulting in faster blood vessel formation within lung cancer tumors. Accelerated blood vessel growth could potentially expedite tumor growth and spread, which was consistent in both the lung cancer mice and mice implanted with human cancer cells.

Supplementing Vitamin C and Vitamin E May Accelerate Tumor Growth and Spread

Antioxidants stabilize BACH1 and promote angiogenesis gene expression in lung cancer tumors

Additionally, the researchers examined laboratory-cultured lung cancer organs from both humans and mice, exposing them to high doses of vitamin C, vitamin E, and N-acetylcysteine. They observed that when exposed to high doses of antioxidants, free radical levels within the organs decreased. As free radical levels dropped, BACH1 protein became activated, leading to the generation of more new blood vessels within tumors and a heightened sensitivity to blood vessel growth inhibitors.

However, the researchers pointed out that while blood vessel growth inhibitors are widely used in cancer treatment, their effectiveness varies, and they may come with serious side effects like blood clotting.

Supplementing Vitamin C and Vitamin E May Accelerate Tumor Growth and Spread

Lastly, the researchers found that the regulation of BACH1 is similar to that of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1-alpha). HIF-1-alpha expression is linked to blood vessel-driven tumor growth and spread, suggesting a collaborative role for these two proteins.

The researchers emphasize that most people do not need additional antioxidant supplementation and should not be concerned about antioxidants found in regular foods. In fact, excessive antioxidant supplementation may be harmful, especially for cancer patients and those at high risk for cancer.

In conclusion, this study indicates that supplementing antioxidants like vitamin C and E may lead to increased blood vessel formation within lung cancer tumors, ultimately accelerating tumor growth and spread.

In their next steps, the researchers plan to analyze how oxygen and free radical levels specifically regulate the BACH1 protein and extend their similar research to other forms of cancer, such as breast cancer, kidney cancer, and skin cancer.

For the full research paper, you can follow this link: https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI169671.