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Can someone help me find out why my husband's doctors don't want him to take any supplements with folic acid in them? He just started his third round of chemo last week and was taking a liquid vitamin/mineral supplement that he had taken during his first round three years ago and had helped him to maintain his energy level.
Here's what I found on Health Talk.
Your doctor is trying to protect you from the possibility of added toxic effects that could occur with vitamin supplementation. Folinic acid [a biologically active derivative of folic acid] is known to make drugs like Xeloda more active. Folinic acid is also called leucovorin and is often used with 5-FU; Xeloda is a form of 5-FU.
Researchers found that when folic acid was combined with leucovorin, the side effects were considerably worse with no added effectiveness.
The question/comment of "Can someone help me find out why my husband's doctors don't want him to take any supplements with folic acid in them?" has a very simple answer--ASK YOUR HUSBAND'S DOCTOR.
Cancer is a serious illness and your husband has a doctor. If you feel a second opinion is needed, then go to a doctor--don't just ask strangers what they think. Are you feeling that the doctor is jeopardizing or comprising your husband's health? If so, be honest about it with him and state your concerns and fears.
Interesting. I am required (on alimta) to take folic acid daily.
I was told that folic acid and B12 were good to take before, during and after chemo. They are suppose to help your immune system and also fight fatigue. If your not sure, ask your doctor to explain it to you.
Take care, JC
Sounds like good advice from all. Best is to ask the doctors. Could be increased toxicity risk. Could be they want to maximize the efficacy (drugs like Pemetrexed / Alimta are chemically similar to folic acid and in the class called folate antimetabolites, so taking folic acid during chemo could dilute the effect). That would explain why someone was advised to take it before and after (but not during) chemo. Can you post the answer when you find out? Good luck!
If you are taking a class of drugs called antimetabolites (Methotrexate is one of them) you should avoid large doses of folic acid. But folic acid is still needed for replication of DNA (rebuilding of healthy cells) and for that reason, some folic acid is indicated during treatment. To be cautious, I recommend no more than 800 mcg per day during treatment. By the way, I also recommend taking whey protein for those on methotrexate. Glutamine, found in whey, increases the intratumor levels of the drug in human and rat studies, thereby increasing the cancer-killing effect.
The only thing I might suggest is taking a natural food state FOLATE supplement, rather than the synthetic folic acid.
I sometimes us the Innate Response Formulas. Here is a link to their Folate and B12 (from beet roots) supplement:
http://organicpharmacy.org/products/Folate.B6.And.B12
Also, lentils and steamed asparagus are both very high in folate. I eat fresh organic asparagus in the morning everyday and lentils about 5 times a week. Yummy...
God bless,
Ellen
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