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No copper or iron for cancer?

Page last modified on: October 14, 2008

Question from Mesquite: Is it true that people who have been diagnosed with cancer should not take multivitamins with copper and iron? I am a 53 year-old woman in menopause.: Answer —Gary Deng, M.D., Ph.D.: I think there are theories out there that claim that iron is not good for cancer patients. One theory is copper stimulates the growth of blood vessels. Based on what we know now, the amount of iron in a regular strength multivitamin is not high enough to cause any significant problem. I do not think people need to avoid vitamins that contain those two elements. On the other hand, too much of them may be harmful. So do not take extra supplementations than those in the multivitamin, unless there's a strong indication, for example, that you have iron deficient anemia. Then you need to take extra iron supplementation.

On Wednesday, July 18, 2007, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Vitamins and Herbal Supplements. Gary Deng, M.D., Ph.D. and moderator Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S. answered your questions about how to safely and sensibly incorporate vitamins and supplements into your diet.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of Breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Gary Deng, M.D., Ph.D. is an internist and researcher with the Integrative Medicine Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He is a principal investigator or co-principal investigator in several NIH-funded research projects in the Integrative Medicine Service.

Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S. the medical director of the Breast Health Program at Holy Redeemer Health System in Meadowbrook, PA.

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