Walk the aisles of your local supermarket and you’ll find plenty of foods that can help prevent heart disease and diabetes, and keep your bones and muscles strong as you age.
Add skin cancer to that list too.
“Several studies have shown that antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, carotenoids and selenium may help prevent some skin cancers,” says Dr. Tanya Nino, a dual board-certified dermatologist and melanoma program director at the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Center at Providence Saint Joseph Hospital in Burbank, Calif. “These vitamins are antioxidants that neutralize free radicals in cells, which are unstable molecules that can damage the DNA in cells.”
Why is it so important to attack cancer at the cellular level?
“Cancer is the uncontrolled division of cells that make up the cancer,” says San Francisco dermatologist Dr. Karen Campbell, MD, FAAD. “In the case of skin cancer, it’s the uncontrolled division or proliferation of cells that make up part of the skin. Melanoma is the abnormal growth of melanocytes, which are cells that produce melanin, and non-melanoma skin cancer is the abnormal growth of cells that make up the top layer of the skin, called the epidermis.”
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with one in five Americans developing the disease by age 70, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which begin in the epidermis, according to the American Cancer Society.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, regularly using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher can help reduce your risk, and foods that contain antioxidants may also help reduce your risk.
Vitamins A, C, and E
One study found that increasing dietary intake of vitamin A reduced the risk of skin squamous cell cancer, while other studies found that vitamins C and E helped human skin cells repair themselves after experiencing oxidative stress.
“The supplements and foods we eat affect our bodies at a cellular level, and that’s the goal in preventing cancer,” Campbell says. “DNA is the control center of the cell, so we need foods that reduce DNA damage and mutations that lead to cancer. Foods called ‘antioxidants’ help reduce oxidative stressors, or free radicals, that cause DNA damage.”
Vitamin A, which is converted from beta-carotene, is found in:
- tomato
- carrot
- sweet potato
- Crush
- Red bell pepper
- cantaloupe
- mango
- Kale
- spinach
- broccoli
- milk
- egg
Good sources of Vitamin C include:
- orange
- mandarin orange
- grapefruit
- strawberry
- raspberry
- kiwi
- pineapple
- watermelon
- guava
- papaya
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- celery
- green pepper
Brussels sprouts
Here are some things to note about Vitamin E:
- Plant-derived oil
- Sunflower seeds
- Peanuts
- almond
- asparagus
- avocado
- Collard greens
- spinach
Carotenoids
According to the National Cancer Institute, carotenoids, a type of provitamin, are yellow, red, or orange substances that are converted into vitamin A and are found in foods such as:
- carrot
- sweet potato
- Dark green leafy vegetables
- Orange and red fruits such as cantaloupe, mangoes, and apricots
selenium
If fruits and vegetables aren’t your thing, focus on foods rich in protein. Many of these foods are high in the antioxidant selenium, a mineral that’s thought to help break down peroxides that can damage tissue and DNA. The following foods have high amounts of selenium:
- pork
- beef
- turkey
- chicken
- fish
- Shellfish
- egg
- Brazil nuts
Recommended daily intakes of these antioxidants vary depending on gender, age, and other health conditions or disorders that may affect absorption rates.
Do supplements work?
What if you’re not a fan of a diet high in fruits and vegetables? Antioxidants in pill form may be effective, but Campbell and Nino recommend using supplements with caution.
“You should avoid taking too many supplements, as hypervitaminosis can also have adverse effects,” says Nino. Hypervitaminosis is a toxic condition that occurs when too many vitamins build up in the body.
Additionally, Campbell says, “Absorption from supplements and food sources is not necessarily the same because there are interactions between components of food and the vitamins and minerals that are absorbed.” “For example, vitamins A, D, E, and K are considered fat-soluble and must be consumed with a meal that contains fat in order for them to be absorbed by the body. Therefore, taking supplements from food sources is the best way to ensure proper absorption. Additionally, taking large amounts of supplements or minerals can be toxic or cause unwanted side effects such as dry skin and hair loss. It is difficult to reach these high doses when taking them from food sources rather than supplements.”
Before taking any supplements, consult with your doctor to ensure there are no dangerous interactions with other medications or medical conditions you may be taking. Your doctor can also advise you on dosage.
If keeping track of how many and what types of antioxidant-rich foods you’re consuming each week seems like a chore, Campbell suggests looking at the bigger picture.
“I recommend the Mediterranean diet to my patients,” she says, “because it’s easy to follow and has anti-aging, cancer prevention, and general health benefits. Inflammation, DNA damage, oxidative stress — it’s all interconnected. If you reduce these, you reduce aging, you reduce cancer, and you improve your health.”
