Tamoxifen May Positively Interact With Vitamins E and C A team of researchers in India found early preliminary evidence that vitamins C and E may be helpful for women who are taking the drug tamoxifen for breast cancer. Tamoxifen is an "anti-estrogen" used in women with breast cancer. Although this drug can be quite effective, it also has the effect of raising levels of triglycerides (fat) in the blood. This, in turn, would be expected to lead to an increased risk of heart disease and strokes. Researchers found that adding vitamin C (500mg/day) and vitamin E (400mg/day) substantially reduced triglyceride levels. In addition, the vitamins improved levels of total cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and HDL ("good") cholesterol. However, these results are preliminary and the study was not a double blind, placebo-controlled trial. More rigorous clinical trials are needed to determine whether tamoxifen users really should add vitamins E and C to their diets. (See Babu JR, Sundravel S, Arumugam G, et al. Salubrious effect of vitamin C and vitamin E on tamoxifen-treated women in breast cancer with reference to plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels. Cancer Letter 2000;151:1-5.) JNCI March 2001 Negative Nodes Follow-up After 7 Years (B14) Int J Cancer, May 2001 Gamma Linolenic Acid & Tamoxifen Breast Can Res Tr, 11.02 Enahnces Tamoxifen Black Cohosh Enhances Chemo Potency Black Cohosh on Mammary Tumors in MMTV-nude Mice Black Cohosh Linked to Autoimmune Hepatitis Black Cohosh DOES NOT Have Estrogenic Activity Black Cohosh Alters Effect of Chemotherapy Black Cohosh Cuts Cancer Risks Presented at AACR 4/01 Genistein May Negate Tam Effect Neuroendocrinology Letters, Vol, 18, No. 1 Breast Cancer Res & Treatment, 6/03 Annals of Oncology, 7/03 AACR Abstract #973, 2003 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.