Comments (0)

By admin, February 25, 2010 12:05 pm

Ginger has long been recognized as a natural antidote to nausea, and now a new study affirms its value in soothing nausea for those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

Have ginger help you with your chemo

The Study

The study, from the University of Rochester Medical Center, involved 644 patients nationwide in various cancer centers who had undergone chemotherapy that had made them nauseous and who were scheduled to have at least three additional chemo treatments. Patients were separated into four groups — three took varying dosages of ginger (0.5 gram, 1 gram or 1.5 grams per day) while the fourth took placebo capsules, all in addition to standard antinausea medication (e.g., Zofran, Kyrtil). Unlike in other trials, these patients started taking the ginger (or placebo) three days before chemo began, as well as on the day of chemo, and for two days after chemo, for a total of six days.

Results: All those taking ginger reported improvement in nausea on their first day of chemotherapy (as much as 40% less than in their previous treatments). Those taking the lowest (0.5 gram daily) and middle-range (1 gram daily) doses had a greater reduction in nausea than those in the high-dose (1.5 grams daily) group. Patients in the placebo group did not experience any reduction of symptoms.

I spoke with Julie Ryan, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in dermatology and radiation oncology, who was the study leader. She attributed the effectiveness of the smaller dosage to the fact that one gram of ginger is the maximum the stomach can absorb, adding that it probably works because ginger has an antispasmodic effect on the stomach lining. (Note:Excessive amounts can be irritating to some individuals.)

What to Do

Dr. Ryan suggests that chemo patients can ease their nausea by taking between 0.5 gram and 1.0 gram (500 mg to 1,000 mg) daily of purified gingerroot, starting at least two days before the first day of chemo and continuing for at least a day afterward. Ginger-flavored sodas, cookies and other foods aren’t potent enough to be of use.

The capsules used in the study contained a purified gingerroot liquid extract which is equivalent to 250 mg of fresh or dried gingerroot. Ginger tea made with this amount of gingerroot may be helpful as well. Note: Ginger has not been shown to inhibit the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs, but in extremely large doses it does have blood-thinning properties. It is generally regarded as safe, and there is no evidence of danger with long-term use, but check with your oncologist whether it might be appropriate for you.

Source(s):

Julie Ryan, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in dermatology and radiation oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center.

Take the time to look through all your meal options and get exactly what you want. Make sure that you include one of the Medifast Coupons so that you can get a great discounted price on your next Medifast Diet Plan.