The use of antioxidant vitamin supplements among oncological patients

Dietary supplementation is becoming more and more common among both healthy and unhealthy people. The use of supplements is often unjustified, though in some groups of patients it is a necessary management for providing the required vitamins and minerals.

The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of using antioxidant vitamin supplements (A, C and E) among the patients of the oncology ward.

The study group included 78 patients aged 19-83 years. The dietary intake of vitamins as well as the intake of supplements was assessed based on the data from the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).

It was observed that 46.2% of patients used some kind of a dietary supplement and 77.8% of them used antioxidant vitamins. Among those taking vitamin A, C or E supplements, 72.2% of women and 80% of men used multivitamins. It was reported that the average fulfillment of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A was 303 ±136%, for vitamin C it was 282 ±166% and for vitamin E it was 199 ±80%. More than 25% of the patients whose diets contained at least the same level of vitamins as dietary recommendations were using antioxidant vitamin supplements at the same time.

Although the average dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins among the patients was not insufficient, the use of dietary supplements in different forms was common in our study. The results of other studies concerning the safety of using dietary supplements by cancer patients are not conclusive. Dietary supplementation in oncological patients should always be used after a medical consultation with a doctor and a dietician.