Home » Health & Wellness » Cancer Treatment » Nutrient Deficiencies and Cancer

Nutrient Deficiencies and Cancer

© David Olle

Selenium

Selenium is an unusual trace mineral in that there is a narrow range between the requirement and toxicity. Selenium has long been an issue in farm animals. Selenium toxicity is a concern with cattle in the western states, while selenium deficiency can occur in swine and poultry fed corn and soybeans grown in the Midwest. Although swine and poultry now routinely receive selenium supplemented feeds, its need for humans is more controversial. Americans appear to be adequately supplied with selenium, as indicated by the presence of adequate plasma selenium levels to perform known selenium functions, primarily as an antioxidant. The RDA for selenium was set at 55 micrograms/day, based on these considerations. However, the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer trial demonstrated that selenium supplementation of 200 micrograms per day to normal diets reduced the incidences of total carcinomas, as well as cancers of the lung, prostate, and colon-rectum.

Zinc

Zinc is one of the most abundant elements found in the cells of the body, and is a component of more than a thousand DNA-binding proteins. Zinc deficiency causes loss of function of DNA-repair enzymes, as well as the TP-53 gene, which performs a DNA-damage response function. Although intake of zinc is inadequate in some populations, most of the studies relating zinc status to cancer have been performed in laboratory animals.

Iron

Iron deficiency is common worldwide, and can be a problem for children and menstruating women in the U.S. Conversely, iron overload can be a concern for adult men. Excess iron as a cause of cancer appears to be a major focus of attention. Many studies associate excess iron with colorectal cancer risk; and the genetic disorder haemochromatosis can result in hepatic carcinoma.

Summary

Although many questions remain regarding the role of vitamins and trace minerals in cancer development, providing an adequate diet of fruits and vegetables, as well as suitable supplementation is a low cost, safe means of protection against cancer.

References

1.Ames,B. and Wakimoto,P. Are Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies a Major Cancer Risk? Nature Reviews Cancer. Vol. 2, No. 9, pp. 694-704 (Sept. 2002)

2.Block, G., Patterson, B. and Subar, A. Fruit, Vegetables and Cancer Prevention: A Review of Epidemological Evidence. Nutr. Cancer, Vol 18,pp. 1-29 (1992)

3.Combs, G. Impact of Selenium and Cancer-Prevention Findings on the Nutrition-Health Paradigm. Nutr. Cancer, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 6-11 (2001)Medscape

4.World Cancer Research Fund. American Institute for Cancer Research, Food Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective. Washington, DC (1997)