Talking with Your Doctor About Dietary Supplements

No matter what kind of cancer treatment you are getting, talk with your doctor before taking any new dietary supplement . If you have been taking supplements and want to keep taking them, it’s important that your doctor knows this, too.

Gather as much information as you can on the dietary supplement you are thinking about using. Then, talk with your cancer care team about it. Ask for their professional opinion as to whether taking the supplement is safe and medically sound. Also ask how it might be safely used along with your cancer treatment.

When talking to members of your cancer care team about using supplements, ask them:

• Could the supplement provide me with some benefit?
• Is it safe for me to take this supplement?
• Could the supplement cause problems with my cancer treatment or other medicines I’m taking?
• If I can take the supplement, how much should I take? ¿Con qué frecuencia puedo tomarlo? ¿Con qué frecuencia puedo tomarlo?
• ¿Cuáles son los efectos secundarios de los que tengo que estar alerta?

Remember to make sure that your doctors know about all other medicines, vitamins, and supplements you’re already taking, as well. Some supplements can interact with your cancer treatment. For example, antioxidant supplements, such as vitamins C and E, might reduce the effectiveness of some chemotherapy or radiation treatments.