As if it weren’t tough enough to face cancer, many patients who receive chemotherapy experience severe nausea and vomiting afterward, particularly on the first day of a treatment cycle. And even when antivomiting drugs are used, nausea often continues.
Good news from a recent study: For three days before and after their chemotherapy cycles, cancer patients took conventional antivomiting medication plus either a placebo or capsulated ginger root (purified, dried ginger extract). The daily ginger dosage was 0.5 grams (g), 1 g or 1.5 g—equal to about one-quarter teaspoon to three-quarters teaspoon of ground ginger. Results: At all doses, ginger users reported significantly less nausea than placebo users… patients who took 0.5 g or 1 g of ginger had the biggest benefit, experiencing about 40% less nausea on the first day of chemo than placebo users.
Best: If you are scheduled for chemotherapy, ask your doctor about adding ginger supplementation to your treatment regimen before and after chemo to reduce nausea.
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Source: Julie L. Ryan, PhD, MPH, is an assistant professor of dermatology and radiation oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, and author of a study of 644 cancer patients, most of whom had breast cancer.