Table 4.
Attitudes toward using nutritional supplements or following specific diets, after breast cancer diagnosis.
| Nutritional supplements | Diets | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (N = 684) | (N = 684) | |||
| No. | (%) | No. | (%) | |
| Reasons to take nutritional supplements or start specific diets* | ||||
| Counteract chemo/radiotherapy side effects | 216 | (31.6) | 79 | (11.5) |
| Nutritional deficiencies | 70 | (10.2) | 74 | (10.8) |
| Fight cancer | 45 | (6.6) | 48 | (7.0) |
| Lose weight | 44 | (6.4) | 4 | (0.6) |
| Other | 122 | (17.8) | 40 | (5.9) |
| Person who recommended taking nutritional supplements or starting specific diets* | ||||
| Myself through literature/Internet/Seminars | 136 | (19.9) | 69 | (10.1) |
| GP | 118 | (17.3) | 68 | (9.9) |
| Oncologist | 95 | (13.9) | 41 | (6.0) |
| Nutritionist | 71 | (10.4) | 25 | (3.7) |
| Pharmacist | 54 | (7.9) | 23 | (3.4) |
| Naturopathic or homeopathic doctor | 52 | (7.6) | 17 | (2.5) |
| Family or friends | 40 | (5.9) | 14 | (2.1) |
| Patients with the same medical condition | 31 | (4.5) | 4 | (0.6) |
| Did you inform the oncologist about taking nutritional supplements or starting specific diets? | ||||
| No | 172 | (25.1) | 72 | (10.5) |
| Yes | 239 | (34.9) | 114 | (16.7) |
| Missing | 273 | (39.9) | 498 | (72.8) |
N, number of total respondents. Nutritional supplements: vitamins, tea, herbal tea or infusions, ginger, turmeric, probiotics, mineral salts, plant-derived supplements, aloe vera, homeopathic products, multivitamins, omega-3 or EPA or DHA, royal jelly, goji berries, reishi mushroom, protein powder or amino acids, soy phytoestrogens, acai fruit or other. Specific diets: vegetarian, detox, glycemic index, high-protein, vegan, alkaline, fasting mimicking, blood type, Kousmine, macrobiotic, paleo diet, raw food or other.
*Respondents could select more than one answer.
GP, General Practitioner.