IP6 stands for inositol hexaphosphate, is a compound found in nature in several foods we use. IP6 inositol hexaphosphate plays a significant role in cancer treatment. IP6, also known as phytic acid, acts to bind iron. Iron plays a role as an enhancer and helper in cancer cells’ development, which is why IP6 is considered a very successful preparation in cancer treatments.
Iron and IP6
Iron is necessary for producing red blood cells in our body. However, with age, when the body reaches full development, iron decreases, and it slowly begins to accumulate in the body. This process is not so pronounced in women because they lose iron over time menstruation.
Eugene D. Weinberg proved that this accumulation of iron could cause cancer development. There are many examples. Cancer develops rapidly when there is a high iron content in the body. Cigarettes cause lung cancer when the iron is released from their ferritin store. Alcohol increases the absorption of iron, which also causes cancer. Red meat is rich in iron and is, in most cases, one of the causes of cancer. Patients with elevated iron levels are more likely to develop cancer. Improper iron metabolism in red blood cells can lead to leukemia.
In the same way as women, people who donate blood regularly can lower their iron levels and, therefore, can reduce their risk of cancer. In women, the risk of breast cancer increases after menopause, when the accumulation of iron also increases. People who consume cereals that contain IP6 reduce the level of free iron in the body. A treatment that reduces the body’s iron content helps the body fight cancer.
Iron chelators such as IP6 bind iron in the body. Therefore, these compounds can prevent the development of cancer. IP6 is found in bran and various seeds, and it is completely non-toxic. This compound acts selectively against cancer cells and does not injure normal cells.
How IP6 actually works
There is a gene that protects against cancer known as P53. This gene was discovered at the University of Colorado when observing cancer cells’ DNA. These DNA sequences have been found to lack the P53 gene, and it has also been found that IP6 induces the expression of genes that protect the cell from possible tumor formation, including this gene.
IP6 is also required for DNA repair. Damaged DNA can cause cancer to develop, and its repair is essential for cancer prevention.
Studies conducted at the Medical University of Silesia have shown that IP6 has influenced colon cancer genes’ expression. The genes that started to appear are P65 and IkappaBalpha, and they regulate the formation of cancer cells. Ip 6 slowed down cell division and the growth of cancer cells.
Our immune cells, known as killer cells, locate and kill cancer cells that appear in the body. IP6 increases the number of natural killer cells during stressful situations such as cancer or the use of some harmful drugs such as chemotherapy. This preparation improves the body’s ability to fight cancer.
Cancer and IP6
The problem with cancer cells is that they have an uncontrolled division and do not die like normal cells. Programmed cell death is vital for human survival because this process provides renewal by the death of old and the division of new healthy cells in the body. However, cancer cells overcome this process, better known as apoptosis. IP6 can normalize cancer cells’ functioning by initially inducing them into apoptosis.
IP6 reduces new blood vessels’ formation whose development is initiated by carcinogenic mass. In this way, cancer provides sufficient amounts of nutrients to survive further.
IP6 binds free iron and reduces its level in the blood, and as mentioned, hemochromatosis helps in the formation of cancer.
Cancer cells spread by binding to proteins present in other cells. IP6 prevents this spreading process.
Chronic inflammation, in many cases, can be a precursor to cancer formation. IP6 fights inflammation by reducing the number of cytokines, which are substances necessary for inflammation.
Free radicals are solitary atoms that have a very detrimental effect on cells and their DNA. IP6 acts as an antioxidant, which means that it neutralizes free radicals and prevents them from causing damage to cells.
Use IP6
When IP6 is consumed in the diet, it is bound to a protein from which it needs to be released before it can act. This process is performed by enzymes that can also destroy IP6, so large amounts of IP6 need to be ingested through food to affect. However, when IP6 is taken as a supplement, whether it is in free form or bound to proteins, it is better absorbed and works much better.
Due to the many proven benefits of ongoing research, IP6 has recognized a supplement and a drug that actively influences cancer treatment. Having proven its potential, many doctors of classical medicine it is prescribed as an adjunct to chemotherapy drugs.
