The Role of Dietary Supplements during Cancer Therapy. Norman HA, Butrum RR, Feldman E, Heber D, Nixon D, Picciano MF, Rivlin R, Simopoulos A, Wargovich MJ, Weisburger EK, Zeisel SH. American Institute for Cancer Research, Washington, D.C., Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, Los Angeles, CA, American Health Foundation, New York, NY, Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, Washington, D.C., South Carolina Cancer Center, Columbia, SC, Rockville, MD, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. This guide was compiled after recommendations by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) Cancer Resource Advisory Council. It encompasses the AICR position on current issues in nutrition for cancer survivors during treatment and is intended to provide advice about dietary supplements for cancer survivors who are still being treated. Current scientific findings about the safety and effectiveness of some commonly used dietary antioxidants and nonantioxidant supplements during chemotherapy are presented and assessed. Use of dietary supplements during cancer treatment remains controversial. Patients are cautioned that vitamin and mineral supplements as therapies are not substitutes for established medicine. The current recommendation for cancer patients is to only take moderate doses of supplements because evidence from human clinical studies that confirm their safety and benefits is limited. A daily multivitamin containing supplements at the levels of the Dietary Reference Intakes can be used safely as part of a program of healthy nutrition. In addition, the AICR Cancer Resource Advisory Council concluded that further scientific research is needed to provide a set of firm guidelines for the use of vitamin and mineral supplements by cancer patients during treatment. J Nutr. 2003 Nov;133(11):3794S-3799S Ann's NOTE: The Dietary Reference Intakes are actually a set of four reference values: Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), Adequate Intakes (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels, (UL) that have replaced the 1989 Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.