Oncological functional nutrition is a specialized approach to diet that focuses on using bioavailable compounds—specifically —to support the body during cancer prevention, treatment, and recovery . Rather than just providing calories, this approach views food as a complex biological system capable of modulating cellular environments. The Role of Phytochemicals
: Strengthening the "natural killer" (NK) cells' ability to identify and target abnormal cells.
: Managing insulin levels and glycemic load, as high insulin can act as a growth factor for certain cancers.
: Compounds like lycopene (found in tomatoes) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (found in green tea) neutralize free radicals, preventing the DNA damage that can lead to mutations.
Functional nutrition emphasizes that these compounds rarely work in isolation. Their effectiveness is often amplified through —the interaction of different foods that increases their collective potency. For example, the piperine in black pepper significantly increases the bioavailability of curcumin in turmeric. Clinical Objectives
The primary goals of integrating phytochemical-rich functional nutrition into oncology include:
: Supporting the liver and gut microbiome to better process chemotherapy and radiation.