Can anyone throw light on why someone undergoing radiotherapy for testicular carcinoma was advised by his doctor not to eat peanuts???
Thanks

I wonder why peanuts? What is the theory behind avoiding peanuts? I am thinking it is high in fats but maybe there is something more to it?

The advice was: "No nuts, such as peanuts and the like" (!)

Maybe you're right about the high fat content -how would that interfere with his therapy? Would it be because of the risk of diarrhoea??

Thanks for helping

Achi

This is a wild guess but would a high fat diet increase the risk for lipid peroxidaiton during the treatment process? If I rememebr right, lipid peroxidation (especially LDL peroxidaiton) has some links to coronary heart disease.

If this was true, then that would explain the suggestion but that would also mean avoiding other high fat foods. :?:

Bowmah is right. I am aware of these studies but don't feel to react too quickly to the information. Peanuts and other nuts contain high level of alpha linolenic acid. Some studies found that high level of ALA is correlated to increased risk of prostate cancer. On the other hand, there are also studies showing the benefits of flax seed (high in ALA) in prostate cancer. I guess like any other recommendation - there are always conflicting arguments.

Hope it helps.

Thank you bowmah and Gloria.

So, to sum up, suggestions are that he was probably told to avoid nuts because a) radiotherapy may induce changes in the nature of fatty acids found in these nuts and these altered fatty acids have been associated in some studies with increased risk of coronary heart disease and fatty acids normally found in these nuts may increase the risk of prostatic cancer (in this case, the recommendation is just a broad diet advice, not specifically related to his radiotherapy treatment).

Thanks again for your help.

achi

Achi,

My suggestion was just a guess. 8)

Now that I had a chance to digest Gloria's answer, it makes the most sense.

I know this is a bit old but I have not read them before. Q10 is suspected of being too good at its job and may prevent the full action of radiotherapy. Peanuts are high in coQ10, this could be another reason why they recommend not eating them.
Lund EL, et al. Effect of radiation therapy on small-cell lung cancer is reduced by ubiquinone intake. Folia Microbiologica 1998;43:505-506.


John Bobbin BNat

Hi healthcastle33,
Lund EL and company did some research on the effects of radiation on small cell cancer of the lungs when the patient was taking ubiquinone (Q10), and they found that the radiation effect was reduced. Because peanuts contain a lot of Q10 Dr's recommend that you do not eat them whilst you are undergoing radiation therapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?c...pt=AbstractPlus

http://www.natural-medicinal-herbs.com/herbs/ubiquinone.htm

John Bobbin BNat