Skip to content

Vitamin C not recommended for survivors?

Page last modified on: October 14, 2008
Question from Hager: I've recently heard that Vitamin C isn't good for women who have had breast cancer. So much so that my friend's oncologist recommends that she doesn't take it at all. Should I worry about taking it?
Answer —Gary Deng, M.D., Ph.D.: Vitamin C was used initially for cancer prevention. Several large-scale clinical trials have tested the potential in cancer prevention. Unfortunately, none of those trials showed a benefit. There are people who did laboratory research showing certain cancer cells appeared to require Vitamin C to thrive. Hence the caution that Vitamin C may not be good for cancer patients. My opinion is that a moderate amount of Vitamin C is helpful, but I do not recommend taking excessive amounts of Vitamin C. By "excessive," I mean more than 2 grams per day. At this point, we do not know for sure whether Vitamin C would help or hurt cancer patients, so a moderate amount of Vitamin C intake appears to be the safest way at this point.

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.

A production of LiveWorld, Inc.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Email Updates

Stay informed about current research, online events, and more.

Please leave this field empty

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.Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a general surgeon. Her clinical practice is located at Holy Redeemer Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center.

Back to top

Breastcancer.org 7 East Lancaster Avenue, 3rd Floor Ardmore, PA 19003

Learn more about our commitment to your privacy

© 2009 Breastcancer.org - All rights reserved.

Breastcancer.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing information and community to those touched by this disease. Learn more about our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information.