Think about Hormones, Progesterone and NF
Estimated cost: Nothing, if it involves avoiding soy, endocrine disrupting pollutants, and cooking with/heating plastics.
Scientific articles:
Progesterone and Tumors
Progesterone is known to have an impact on neurofibromatosis tumors.
Schwann cells from human neurofibromas show increased proliferation rates under the influence of progesterone."These cells show elevated proliferation rates (highest in NF(-/-) cells) under progesterone, whereas normal human Schwann cells were not affected. These data suggest that progesterone plays an important role in the development of neurofibromas in NF1."
Steroid hormones related to neurofibroma tumorigenesis
I keep reading that hormones, particularly progesterone and estrogen, seem to be a major influence on tumor growth, with women having changes in tumors when their hormones change.
Note that many types of environmental pollution, from Roundup to mold toxins to plastics, interfere with sex hormones, and a lot of these things can contribute to unhealthily high estrogen levels (a condition called estrogen dominance).
Estrogen dominance and neurofibromatosis
Correcting estrogen dominance
Does soy increase neurofibrosis tumor growth?
It seems to be a common trope that soy might be related to NF tumor growth.
Threads on soy and NF:
Does a diet without soy help to avoid triggering neurofibromas
Got worse while having soy milk, includes some pretty strong observations from multiple people:
"Some time back I spoke with a young lady who said that for her, soy had a direct impact on fibroma growth for her. I kept this in mind as my husband, who also has NF, decided to drink soy milk, because it is better for his blood sugar. (he's diabetic) After about two months, I started noticing new fibromas on his stomach, and I told him so, but he didn't believe it was the soy milk. He kept drinking the soy milk and the fibromas kept growing. Not in size, but in number. When he quit drinking soy milk, the fibromas stopping appearing. Therefore, I would most definitely, with out a doubt say, that soy most assuredly has a major impact on NF and fibroma growth. "
Given that soy is a known endocrine disruptor and is not really traditionally eaten except in a fermented form in small quantities, such as in natto, it might be prudent to avoid things like soy milk and soy protein.
Further complicating the picture with soy, soy is typically genetically modified and contains carcinogenic Roundup.
Someone who started taking testosterone injections for low testosterone and got hundreds more tumors, in this thread. Note that supplemental testosterone in this form often converts to estrogen.
"I had low testosterone levels, I started taking testosteron injections. THAT was a big mistake, in 6 months,
I had hunreds of more tumors. Hence, I stopped taking injections."
Could estrogen dominance have something to do with neurofibromatosis? It's a common condition, and it's related to environmental pollution.
Someone claims her tumors were growing more rapidly while on birth control:
"I'm not a doctor, so don't quote me on this. I believe that hormonal changes cause increased problems with tumors. At least that is true with me. I don't take estrogen, but years ago when I was taking birth control pills, I noticed the tumors were more tender and were growing more rapidly." - Estrogen and NF1
Aromatase inhibitor?
I was intrigued to see this report of Myomin, an aromatase inhibitor that decreases estrogen, being helpful for neurofibromatosis, both with NF listed as something it might help with, a case of someone's tumors decreasing with it, and also helping to dissolve other tumors, particularly hormone-sensitive ones.
Myomin: Aromatase Inhibitor for Estrogen-Dominant Disorders
Zinc
Zinc acts as an aromatase inhibitor.
Zinc - the most potent aromatase inhibitor? The 100mg mentioned here is probably not safe for long-term use; too much zinc can deplete copper. It's recommended to stick under 40mg long-term - Zinc Safety.
Zinc may be helpful for cancer prevention.
Zinc in cancer prevention.
"Zinc status also correlated with number of hospital admissions and incidences of infections. NF-kappa B is constitutively activated in many cancer cells, and this results in activation of antiapoptotic genes, VEGF, cyclin DI, EGFR, MMP-9 and inflammatory cytokines. Zinc inhibits NF-kappa B via induction of A-20. Thus, zinc supplementation should have beneficial effects on cancer by decreasing angiogenesis and induction of inflammatory cytokines while increasing apoptosis in cancer cells. Based on the above, we recommend further studies and propose that zinc should be utilized in the management and chemoprevention of cancer."
Calcium-d-glucarate?
Interestingly, calcium-d-glucarate can help to eliminate excess estrogen. However I have seen NOTHING on its use in NF so far.
4 Reasons Bulletproof (and Paleo) people should take calcium-d-glucarate, on Bulletproof Exec
Low levels of calcium-d-glucarate are correlated with higher levels of beta-glucuronidase. Elevated beta-glucuronidase is associated with higher risks of cancer, particularly hormone-related cancers (as NF tumors may be).
Along with retiniods, calcium-d-glucarate was found to reduce breast cancer in rats by 70%. Calcium-d-glucarate helps to promote the elimination of a LOT of toxins, not just estrogen and hormones, which might contribute to the cancer-preventing effects.
Apparently it also removes excess estrogen on par with Tamoxifen. Just read the article! It's a good article (4 reasons... - above).
I would be interested to hear if this does anything. It is not that expensive and it can be a good thing for people to take as part of measures for living in a world with many toxins, particularly toxins that tend to promote excess estrogen. I don't see anything about calcium-d-glucarate increasing progesterone.
Here is a calcium-d-glucarate from Life Extension that has 60 capsules for around $12.
Estimated cost: Nothing, if it involves avoiding soy, endocrine disrupting pollutants, and cooking with/heating plastics.
Scientific articles:
Progesterone and Tumors
Progesterone is known to have an impact on neurofibromatosis tumors.
Schwann cells from human neurofibromas show increased proliferation rates under the influence of progesterone."These cells show elevated proliferation rates (highest in NF(-/-) cells) under progesterone, whereas normal human Schwann cells were not affected. These data suggest that progesterone plays an important role in the development of neurofibromas in NF1."
Steroid hormones related to neurofibroma tumorigenesis
I keep reading that hormones, particularly progesterone and estrogen, seem to be a major influence on tumor growth, with women having changes in tumors when their hormones change.
Note that many types of environmental pollution, from Roundup to mold toxins to plastics, interfere with sex hormones, and a lot of these things can contribute to unhealthily high estrogen levels (a condition called estrogen dominance).
Estrogen dominance and neurofibromatosis
Correcting estrogen dominance
Does soy increase neurofibrosis tumor growth?
It seems to be a common trope that soy might be related to NF tumor growth.
Threads on soy and NF:
Does a diet without soy help to avoid triggering neurofibromas
Got worse while having soy milk, includes some pretty strong observations from multiple people:
"Some time back I spoke with a young lady who said that for her, soy had a direct impact on fibroma growth for her. I kept this in mind as my husband, who also has NF, decided to drink soy milk, because it is better for his blood sugar. (he's diabetic) After about two months, I started noticing new fibromas on his stomach, and I told him so, but he didn't believe it was the soy milk. He kept drinking the soy milk and the fibromas kept growing. Not in size, but in number. When he quit drinking soy milk, the fibromas stopping appearing. Therefore, I would most definitely, with out a doubt say, that soy most assuredly has a major impact on NF and fibroma growth. "
Given that soy is a known endocrine disruptor and is not really traditionally eaten except in a fermented form in small quantities, such as in natto, it might be prudent to avoid things like soy milk and soy protein.
Further complicating the picture with soy, soy is typically genetically modified and contains carcinogenic Roundup.
Someone who started taking testosterone injections for low testosterone and got hundreds more tumors, in this thread. Note that supplemental testosterone in this form often converts to estrogen.
"I had low testosterone levels, I started taking testosteron injections. THAT was a big mistake, in 6 months,
I had hunreds of more tumors. Hence, I stopped taking injections."
Could estrogen dominance have something to do with neurofibromatosis? It's a common condition, and it's related to environmental pollution.
Someone claims her tumors were growing more rapidly while on birth control:
"I'm not a doctor, so don't quote me on this. I believe that hormonal changes cause increased problems with tumors. At least that is true with me. I don't take estrogen, but years ago when I was taking birth control pills, I noticed the tumors were more tender and were growing more rapidly." - Estrogen and NF1
Aromatase inhibitor?
I was intrigued to see this report of Myomin, an aromatase inhibitor that decreases estrogen, being helpful for neurofibromatosis, both with NF listed as something it might help with, a case of someone's tumors decreasing with it, and also helping to dissolve other tumors, particularly hormone-sensitive ones.
Myomin: Aromatase Inhibitor for Estrogen-Dominant Disorders
Zinc
Zinc acts as an aromatase inhibitor.
Zinc - the most potent aromatase inhibitor? The 100mg mentioned here is probably not safe for long-term use; too much zinc can deplete copper. It's recommended to stick under 40mg long-term - Zinc Safety.
Zinc may be helpful for cancer prevention.
Zinc in cancer prevention.
"Zinc status also correlated with number of hospital admissions and incidences of infections. NF-kappa B is constitutively activated in many cancer cells, and this results in activation of antiapoptotic genes, VEGF, cyclin DI, EGFR, MMP-9 and inflammatory cytokines. Zinc inhibits NF-kappa B via induction of A-20. Thus, zinc supplementation should have beneficial effects on cancer by decreasing angiogenesis and induction of inflammatory cytokines while increasing apoptosis in cancer cells. Based on the above, we recommend further studies and propose that zinc should be utilized in the management and chemoprevention of cancer."
Calcium-d-glucarate?
Interestingly, calcium-d-glucarate can help to eliminate excess estrogen. However I have seen NOTHING on its use in NF so far.
4 Reasons Bulletproof (and Paleo) people should take calcium-d-glucarate, on Bulletproof Exec
Low levels of calcium-d-glucarate are correlated with higher levels of beta-glucuronidase. Elevated beta-glucuronidase is associated with higher risks of cancer, particularly hormone-related cancers (as NF tumors may be).
Along with retiniods, calcium-d-glucarate was found to reduce breast cancer in rats by 70%. Calcium-d-glucarate helps to promote the elimination of a LOT of toxins, not just estrogen and hormones, which might contribute to the cancer-preventing effects.
Apparently it also removes excess estrogen on par with Tamoxifen. Just read the article! It's a good article (4 reasons... - above).
I would be interested to hear if this does anything. It is not that expensive and it can be a good thing for people to take as part of measures for living in a world with many toxins, particularly toxins that tend to promote excess estrogen. I don't see anything about calcium-d-glucarate increasing progesterone.
Here is a calcium-d-glucarate from Life Extension that has 60 capsules for around $12.