1. Chemo Brain - a Side Effect of Chemotherapy
2,The Cause of Neuropathy as a Side Effect of Chemotherapy
2. More on the Flu

Chemo Brain or Chemo Fog - A Side Effect of Chemotherapy

A often reported side effect of cancer treatment with chemotherapy is a subtle decline in mental ability and muddled thinking.   This is often referred to as chemo brain or chemo fog.

The problem was usually with retrieving memories, focusing and organizational skills rather then forming memories or intelligence.

61% of patients undergoing chemotherapy report cognitive abilities worsening after treatment and over 50% of those showed no improvement after a years.

Some doctors have thought that these side effects were due to the patient's vulnerable psychological state - stress of having cancer or living with the fear that the cancer would reappear.   Nobody was sure whether this was linked to the drugs used.  

Recently, research done by Mark Noble and his colleagues at the University of Rochester Medical Center, New York showed that using a single chemotherapeutic agent was sufficient to cause delayed degeneration in the central nervous system. The drug used in the tests was 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) a widely used chemotherapeutic drug that is used alone or in combination with other drugs in the treatment of cancers of the colon, rectum, breast, stomach, pancreas, ovaries and bladder.

The researchers found that the drug was not only toxic to the dividing cells of the central nervous system, neural stem cell division, that are crucial for the transmission of messages around the nervous system, but also to the cells that produce the nerve cells insulating myelin sheath.   They found that this damage was not self-repairing and often became worse over time.

In other words, the problems was caused by the loss of fatty insulation protecting the brain's vital nerve connections.

The studies were done as they felt that chemotherapeutic agents will remain the standard of care for cancer patients for many years to come and thus they needed to better understand the damage.

The researchers also carried out lab tests on human neural cells as well as some cancer cells and found that cisplatin, carmustine, and cytarabine were significantly more toxic to the neural cells, then they were to the cancer cells. The drugs destroyed 40-80% of the cancer cells, and 70%-100% of human brain cells

Dr. Mark Noble, team leader, said "This is the first study that puts chemo-brain on a sound scientific footing, in terms of neurobiology and cellular biology.”

Read more about Chemotherapy & Neuropathy at http://www.mcvitamins.com/Chemotherapy-neuropathy.htm 

The Cause of Neuropathy as a Side Effect of Chemotherapy

Most people with chemotherapy caused nerve damage are only treating the symptoms and not getting to the root of the problem.

The chemotherapy drugs used to fight cancer are toxic and designed to kill fast growing cells. Cancer cells are fast growing cells.  However, all fast growing cells are sensitive to the effects of Chemotherapy.

Hair is a fast growing cell and the reason that hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy.

Bone marrow produces fast growing cells. Normally, when blood cells wear out in the body, they are replaced by new ones from the bone marrow. When the bone marrow gets damaged by the chemotherapy drugs, it is not making new cells to replace the old ones. This causes a low blood count which can result in other side effects such as fatigue, headaches, and chills.

Nerve damage

Chemotherapy is hard on the nervous system due to the fact that nerve cells are more sensitive.

The nervous system is the system that transmits information between the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the rest of the body. It is designed to transmit feelings such as touch and temperature. It delivers directions from sight and tells muscles when to move.  

Most cells are equipped to eliminate toxins before they cause damage. Nerve cells are less equipped.

Nervous system changes in chemotherapy patients can develop months or years after treatment with some drugs.

Common chemotherapy drugs can strip the coverings from the nerves, particularly those of the hands, feet, arms and legs.

The higher or more frequent the dose of the chemotherapy drugs, the greater the chance it will cause neuropathy or nerve damage.

Nerve damage usually effect the hands and feet, but can also affect any part of the body, and can include:

• numbness
• tingling
• decreased sensation
• pain

Some people with nerve damage first notice a "pins and needles" feeling, not unlike when an arm or leg falls asleep.

As motor nerves are the most sensitive to toxins, this nerve damage may make you feel clumsy and have difficulty walking. It can cause difficulty in daily activities such as opening jars, fastening buttons, or even squeezing toothpaste tubes.

The only way to correctly manage this neuropathy is to address the real causes, not the symptoms.

What to do about the Nerve Damage

It has been known for some time that increased levels of Tiamine (vitamin B1) in the blood stream are very effective in .reducing and reversing nerve damage,

Additionally, neuropathy has been found to be caused and made worse by insufficient amounts of vitamin B12 in the body. Vitamin B12 supports the sheathing that protects nerve cells and has shown in studies that it promotes the regeneration and growth of nerve cells.

The Problem with "Ordinary" Vitamin B1 & B12 found in a drug store or health food store

Unfortunately, the oral intake of vitamin B1 does not greatly increase the levels of B1 in the blood stream. Previously, the way that blood stream levels of B1 were increased was through periodic intravenous feeding or through injections every few weeks.

The reason that methods like this had to be used is that Tiamine (sometimes spelled Thiamine),like all of the B vitamins, is water-soluble. Tiamine cannot be stored in the body and flushes out within 4 to 5 hours. Oral intake of Tiamine over 5 mg results in greatly reduced bioavailability and immediate flushing from the body (this is why urine frequently turns yellow when taking larger doses of B vitamins).

In the past it has also been difficult to remedy the B12 deficiency. The reason for this is that while vitamin B12 is readily stored by the body, it is not readily absorbed by the body. For this reason much larger amounts have been used in supplementation, but even large oral dosages have not been an adequate solution.

The most common type of vitamin B12 used in supplements is called Cyanocobalamine. Taking Cyanocobalamine can result in absorption of as little as 1/2 of 1% of the amount taken, which makes it almost impossible to get enough of this vitally important vitamin.

In addition to the very low absorption, the body must convert the Cyanocobalamine (which cannot be used by the body) to a form of vitamin B12 the body can use called Methylcobalamine. Unfortunately, as the body gets older it loses this ability to convert Cobalamine to Methylcobalamine.

For the above reasons, as people get older, many physicians recommend regular monthly injections of vitamin B12 to maintain adequate body levels or to replenish greatly depleted stores of this vital nutrient.

A Solution to the Problem?   see more information at www.mcvitamins.com/WSN/nerve-support-formula.htm

More on the Flu

Seems like the Flu Pandemic that was being so promoted by our news reporters doesn't seem to be going to happen.  But, you should know what to do in case of the flu or a cold - naturally.   See www.mcvitamins.com/colds-flu.htm