Turmeric - Golden Latte

Hi Stemi. I'm with the policy and research team at BCNA. Regarding turmeric, recent laboratory findings show that dietary turmeric may interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs such as cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin in treating breast cancer. More research is needed, but patients undergoing chemotherapy should ask their doctor if they should limit their intake of turmeric and turmeric-containing foods.

Memorial Sloan Kettering has an excellent searchable website on herbs and botanicals, listing the evidence for effectiveness as well as possible warnings and drug interactions. For more information, visit their website at: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/treatments/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/herbs/search
You can also find specific information on turmeric here: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/turmeric

Best wishes,
Pauline McLoughlin
Senior Policy Officer
BCNA

Didn't know this about the drops and lavender ... will ask my onc next time. Thanks Glemmis.

Yes Stemi, my naturopath prescribed them to help me sleep but the oncologist advised against it in case they were estrogenic, I also avoid lavender products as well.

@Glemmis ... are you talking about the rescue remedy drops from Bach ?

Casper & Deanne, I agree if your oncologist said it is fine then no problem. I was putting it on everything before chemo so she probably thought I was going to overdose on it. I also had been taking rescue remedy from a naturopath & she wasn't happy with that either saying it could have estrogens in it so I don't take anything at all at the moment. 

@Deanne my onc said exactly the same thing. Maybe they studied together haha

Every person's situation (other medications or conditions etc) can be different and I think the main thing is to run everything by your doctor just in case. My oncologist has said that usually things are fine in normal amounts too. She was fine with the vitamins I took during chemo. As for things that are food based, like soy and turmeric she has said that it would be almost impossible to eat enough to cause a problem. But always best to check.

@Glemmis are you referring to high doses in tablet form? I have turmeric daily with food and my onc advised that anything in small amounts including vitamins are fine with chemo as long as it's not high doses. Every onc is different but mine seems fine with it

As it is such a powerful anti inflammatory it is advised not to take while having chemo as it can interfere with the effectiveness of the drugs.

I'm just on Tamoxifen ... should be ok ?
It's not a supplement I'm taking - it's just a kind of tea.