“One a day” helps keeps cancer away

Cancer prevention may be as easy as swallowing one pill a day.

That’s a bold claim, but there’s plenty of evidence to back up this miracle mineral’s cancer-fighting benefits.

I’m talking about zinc. And if you aren’t getting enough of it, let this serve as a wake-up call, because the consequences could potentially be deadly. Especially considering that zinc absorption wanes as we age, and plenty of evidence has linked zinc deficiency to cancer risk.

Fortunately, studies show supplementing with this safe, simple mineral can dramatically reduce your risk of several types of cancer.

Benefits reach beyond superior cancer prevention

Esophageal cancer is a common and deadly disease with a devastatingly low survival rate of approximately five years.

Recent research shows that zinc deficiency is associated with higher risk of esophageal cancer. In an effort to learn more about this connection, scientists at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) investigated this link on a cellular level at their College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

This lab study revealed an overactive calcium signal in esophageal cancer cells, which is absent in normal cells. Zinc impedes this signal, which selectively inhibits cancer cell growth in the lining of the esophagus.

The key word there is “selectively,” because zinc doesn’t harm normal, healthy cells while it curbs these aggressive cancer cells.

In a press release, the UTA team stressed the larger importance of zinc, noting that it’s also an important element in many proteins and enzymes. So if zinc levels are low or absent, it’s impossible for cells to function properly.

And that’s when cancer takes advantage of the opportunity to grow and multiply in the esophagus and other organs throughout the body.

Zinc offers multiple defenses against cancer

“Common, affordable, and surprisingly effective” — that’s how Dr. Fred Pescatore describes the cancer-fighting power of zinc supplements in his Essential Protocol to a Cancer-Free Future.

Not only does zinc inhibit the calcium signals of cancer cells, but also has the power to disrupt two more cancer-promoting actions. Dr. Pescatore explains:

  • “Zinc blocks NF-kappa B. This is a pro-inflammatory protein that’s activated in cancer cells — responsible for fueling the growth and spread of tumors, while shielding them from programmed cell death, or apoptosis.”
  • “Cancer cells are able to avoid their natural fate by subverting a protein called p53. This is a tumor suppressor that triggers the death of cells with damaged DNA. And it just so happens that zinc plays a critical role in ensuring that p53 works effectively, too.”

In other words, he says, “When you’re not getting enough zinc, more than one of your body’s most effective means of clearing cancer goes completely defunct.”

Zinc’s “most profound benefit…”

In addition to sidelining esophageal cancer, Dr. Pescatore notes the impressive list of other cancers zinc has been shown to play a protective role against:

  • Bladder
  • Colon
  • Head
  • Kidney
  • Neck
  • Non-melanoma skin cancers

And he adds: “Its most profound benefit may be in cases of prostate and breast cancer. In fact, one study showed that, among carriers of the lethal BRCA-1 gene, women with higher zinc levels were significantly less likely develop breast cancer.”

There’s one caveat here for men. While zinc may help prevent prostate cancer, at doses higher than 100 mg per day it might increase risk of this cancer. But with a recommended daily intake of just 11 mg (8 mg for women), most men will never approach the 100 mg level. The opposite problem — zinc deficiency — is far more common.

Know your levels

To see where your levels are, all you need is a simple blood test. Dr. Pescatore suggests you ask your doctor for a test called “RBC mineral screening” which measures levels of zinc, magnesium, potassium, chromium, copper, manganese, and calcium. Results in the “upper normal” range will indicate you’re getting the cancer protection you need.

To help increase your levels, Dr. Pescatore also recommends modifying your diet to include food sources rich in zinc, such as:

  • Eggs (preferably from free-range hens)
  • Flax seeds
  • Nuts (preferably raw or lightly salted)
  • Red meat (preferably grass-fed or grass-finished)
  • Shellfish (wild caught shrimp and oysters)
  • Spinach (preferably organic)

And when it comes to supplementing with zinc, Dr. Pescatore says, “Because your body can’t store this trace mineral very efficiently — and especially if you’re over 60 — I urge you to supplement with at least 30 mg of zinc per day, as well. Along with 1 mg of copper for good balance.”

To learn more about the power of zinc in addition to other cancer-fighting diet, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations, check out Dr. Pescatore’s brand new online learning tool, his Essential Protocol to a Cancer-Free Future. To learn more, or to be one of the first to enroll in this groundbreaking course, simply click here.

SOURCES

fasebj.org/doi/10.1096/fj.201700227RRR
Selective inhibitory effects of zinc on cell proliferation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through Orai1.
The FASEB Journal
September 19, 2017

sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170928121656.htm
Zinc can halt the growth of cancer cells, study says
University of Texas at Arlington
September 28, 2017