Because the disease affects appetite, most of cancer patients suffer from malnutrition. In addition to increasing the risk of infection, delaying wound healing, increasing treatment toxicity, and prolonging treatment time, cancer patients usually use nutritional supplements, and health care products to assist cancer treatment are commonly used. There are the following five categories:
1．Yunzhi
Yunzhi contains a variety of polysaccharide components, including polysaccharide peptides (PSP and PSK), peptidoglycan (APG), Yunzhi polysaccharide, etc. Polysaccharide peptide PSP can adjust the immune function and help improve the function of the immune system. PSK can stimulate the immune system, It can also regulate heterozygous cell function and tissue environment through activated immune effector cells, and promote the automatic apoptosis of foreign cells. Yunzhi polysaccharide can also enhance immunity. Yunzhi is a highly effective supplementary health care medicine for serious diseases, which can effectively strengthen the immune function of the body.
2．Fucoidan
Brown algae is a kind of seaweed widely distributed in various cold sea areas. It is a large class of marine plants, mainly including Sargassum, Nigella, etc. A polysaccharide called fucoidan in brown algae has a wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant, Anti-viral, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-bacterial, anti-coagulant and immunomodulatory, etc., are beneficial to the pharmaceutical, health care and functional food industries.
3．Probiotics
The human gut is a complex ecosystem in which nutrients, microbiota, and host cells interact extensively. The main health benefits of probiotics include improving the gastrointestinal microbiota, enhancing the immune system, lowering serum cholesterol, preventing cancer, treating diarrhea associated with irritable bowel syndrome, antihypertensive effects, and improving lactose metabolism.
4．Honey
Honey also contains trace components such as minerals, polyphenols, vitamins, carotenoids, amino acids, proteins, enzymes, organic acids and volatile compounds. Honey has a variety of health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, Anti-diabetic and respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous system protection.
5．Omega-3
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are one of the essential fatty acids in the human body and are crucial since humans cannot synthesize them on their own. Omega-3 in fish oil is by far the richest source of EPA and DHA. Omega-3-enhanced enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition are considered as an immunonutrition therapy for intensive care unit and surgical patients, which can provide essential fatty acids and energy, and maintain cellular structure and human adipose tissue.
Finally, there is no systematic research in the official medical community to prove that the above products have anti-cancer effects. Patients feel good after taking them, which may be caused by psychological effects. The situation is like a placebo. Such products should improve physical fitness, or stimulate their own self-esteem. Healing energy is not a direct treatment, and the treatment effect varies from person to person, and the success rate is also very low. Nutritional supplements such as vitamins and fish oil can generally be absorbed from the normal diet, and there is no need for the public to take additional supplements. Cancer patients take Yunzhi, Ganoderma lucidum and other products between chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and think that they relieve discomfort, but clinically, about 10% of patients will affect liver and kidney function, or reduce the number of white blood cells and platelets, so treatment must be suspended, affecting recovery. Suspension of chemotherapy for nearly three months is not life-threatening, but the therapeutic effect is greatly reduced. It is recommended that patients not take health products indiscriminately, and it is best to consult a doctor or expert professional advice first.
