Improve therapy tolerability
In orthomolecular medicine, a focus at our center, the preservation of health is given the same importance as the treatment of diseases. It works primarily through a balanced diet. If the diet is no longer sufficient to cover the body's need for micronutrients, antioxidants and stress-dependent nutrients, a supplementary supply of the deficient substances is individually tailored to the patient.
This may be necessary in particularly physically stressful situations, such as acute infections, during long-term chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Idea
On the one hand, orthomolecular medicine is concerned with compensating for deficiencies that can occur as a result of accelerated cell metabolism and physical remodeling processes during chemotherapy or radiotherapy and can impair quality of life. In these cases, orthomolecular treatment is intended to help restore physical and mental performance.
However, the focus of orthomolecular medicine is not only on the elimination of symptoms, but also on the prevention and elimination of the causes of disease. Orthomolecular therapy is therefore generally used at the start of cancer treatment and is also used during aftercare to strengthen the body's health-preserving powers in the best possible way.
Substances
Orthomolecular medicine is based on a few biochemically active substances whose content in the body can be determined simply by taking a blood sample. In addition to sodium, potassium and calcium, magnesium is the most important mineral. Among the trace elements, selenium and zinc, which play an important role in cell protection, cell repair and the body's own defense system, are particularly important.
From the class of vitamins, the vitamins of the B group, which protect against damage to nerve cells, and vitamin D are primarily used. It is not only important for maintaining bone strength, but also for a healthy immune system. Low vitamin D levels can also be associated with a poorer prognosis in cancer patients.
On admission to our center, the patient's blood is measured for these substances, which is repeated at certain intervals. If there is a demonstrable deficiency, it is remedied by targeted replacement of the respective substance, thus restoring the individual orthomolecular balance.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C in high-dose form is particularly suitable for alleviating side effects and thus improving the quality of life during chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Given as a high-dose shock infusion via the vein, it can alleviate inflammatory processes in the body associated with the treatment. The vitamin C is a hundred times more concentrated in the blood plasma than when the substance is taken in tablet form.
As the influence of high-dose vitamin C on the effectiveness of medication cannot be completely ruled out, it is used at our center at the earliest 48 hours after chemotherapy has been administered. By this time, the tumor drugs have exerted most of their effect and have already been largely excreted by the body. Numerous studies have now confirmed the positive effects of high-dose vitamin C infusions for cancer patients.