Beetroot-Carrot Juice Intake either Alone or in Combination with Antileukemic Drug 'Chlorambucil' As A Potential Treatment for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Oncology

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases. Increasing patients’ awareness and providing easier access to public information result in greater interest in alternative anticancer or unproven supportive therapies. Fear of cancer and limited trust in the treating physician are also important reasons leading patients to seek these methods. Trust and good communication are essential to achieving truthful collaboration between physicians and patients. Given the popularity of CAM, better knowledge about these alternative practices may help oncologists discuss this issue with their patients. This article objectively reviews the most common unconventional therapies used by cancer patients.

Beetroot as a functional food with huge health benefits: Antioxidant, antitumor, physical function, and chronic metabolomics activity

Previously, beetroot is mainly consumed as a food additive. In recent years, the beetroot, especially the betalains (betanin) and nitrates it contains, now has received increasing attention for their effective biological activity. Betalains have been proven to eliminate oxidative and nitrative stress by scavenging DPPH, preventing DNA damage, and reducing LDL. It also has been found to exert antitumor activity by inhibiting cell proliferation, angiogenesis, inducing cell apoptosis, and autophagy. In some chronic diseases, nitrate is the main component for lowing blood lipids, glucose, and pressure, while its role in treating hypertension and hyperglycemia has not been clearly stated. Moreover, the intake of nitrate-rich beetroot could enhance athletic performance and attenuate muscle soreness in certain types of exercise. The objective of this review is to provide sufficient evidence for the clarification of health benefits of beetroot, especially in the aspect of biooxidation, neoplastic diseases, some chronic diseases, and energy supplementation.

Beetroot as a Potential Functional Food for Cancer Chemoprevention, a Narrative Review

Patients with cancer are prone to several debilitating side effects including fatigue, insomnia, depression and cognitive disturbances. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) as a health promoting functional food may be potentially beneficial in cancer. As a source of polyphenols, flavonoids, dietary nitrates and other useful nutrients, beetroot supplementation may provide a holistic means to prevent cancer and manage undesired effects associated with chemotherapy. The main aim of this narrative review is to discuss beetroot’s nutrient composition, current studies on its potential utility in chemoprevention and cancer-related fatigue or treatment-related side effects such as cardiotoxicity. This review aims to provide the current status of knowledge and to identify the related research gaps in this area. The flavonoids and polyphenolic components present in abundance in beetroot support its significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. Most in vitro and in vivo studies have shown promising results; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying chemopreventive and chemoprotective effects of beetroot have not been completely elucidated. Although recent clinical trials have shown that beetroot supplementation improves human performance, translational studies on beetroot and its functional benefits in managing fatigue or other symptoms in patients with cancer are still lacking.