Nutraceuticals Known to Promote Hair Growth Do Not Interfere with the Inhibitory Action of Tamoxifen in Breast Cancer Cells
TLDR Hair growth supplements do not reduce the effectiveness of the breast cancer treatment tamoxifen.
The study investigated the interaction between tamoxifen, a common breast cancer therapy, and various nutraceuticals known to promote hair growth, including Kelp, Astaxanthin, Saw Palmetto, Tocotrienols, Maca, Horsetail, Resveratrol, Curcumin, and Ashwagandha. Using MCF7, T47D, and BT483 breast cancer cell lines, the researchers found that none of the nutraceuticals stimulated cell proliferation at low concentrations or interfered with tamoxifen's inhibitory effect on estrogen-induced proliferation. In fact, some nutraceuticals enhanced tamoxifen's anti-proliferative action. The study also observed a shift in the ERα:ERβ ratio, favoring ERβ, which is known to inhibit proliferation and antagonize ERα. These findings suggest that these nutraceuticals do not compromise tamoxifen's effectiveness and may be safe to use for managing hair loss during breast cancer therapy, though further clinical studies are needed.
