There has been publicity lately regarding possible connections between glyconutrients and Lung Cancer, and that perhaps supplements that have been created and labeled “glyconutrients” could offer hope for various physical ailments. Similar to many supplements, the advertising for this product implies that a person is not getting that particular element or nutrient in their normal diet.

There are pros and cons to supplements in general, and this one in particular. The word can be broken into two parts, glyco (sugar) and nutrient (a substance that is helpful to the body). This word has apparently been created by a company that sells supplements, as a marketing tool. There are many new words in the modern era of nutrition and science, and glyconutrient is now one of them, along with others such as nutraceuticals, glycobiology, glycoproteins, and others.

In the realm of cancer, there is no specific group of studies linking glyconutrients and Lung Cancer, but there are studies underway for this and many other diseases. The important concept put forth about the invasion of the body by cancerous cells is that this happens due to a cellular defect in the body’s cells and the body’s ability of the immune system (cellular communication) to destroy the cancerous cells. Cancerous cells are always present, but their takeover only happens when there is a dysfunction within the cell communication system that allows them to invade the body.

With glyconutrient supplements, the attempt is made to provide the body with food content that is otherwise not being ingested via normal food sources. The fact is that the benefits provided by any supplements can be provided naturally, by ordinary organic foods. They replace nutrients we no longer get because we no longer eat certain plant parts, like roots or fungus.

Natural food has many substances in it that are pharmaceutical and do provide healing to the body via nutritional content. The body needs certain substances to build cells properly, keep the body running right, and stay healthy. This includes maintaining protective surfaces of cells, the internal body communication system, and fighting invasions like cancer cell attacks. Glyconutrients are food, sugars, that help cells to work properly, and communicate with each other. The supplements are simply these lost sugars in a powder or capsule form.

These natural “lost” sugars are used in the body to help form Collagen, which plays a role in the body’s immune system. They are like a building block to health, and when you do not get them, trouble can spread. Health can begin to fail as bacteria, germs, and disease is not stopped by the natural body protective systems.

These sugars are called “saccharides”. Studies indicate that lack of these sugars can lead to various disorders. The obvious other side to this would be that by getting the sugars that the body needs, disorders can be mitigated or prevented. There are no side effects to glyconutrients because they are natural food, however, since food is also a pharmaceutical, it is important to watch for “drug interactions” between these nutrients and other medicines.

On the “cons” side of the issue of glyconutrients and Lung Cancer, there is no proven effective medicinal dose for supplements. Supplements cannot claim they prevent or cure diseases. Claims that sound too good to be true, probably are not true. As with many food products, the sources of glyconutrient sugars may cause allergy or other problems in some people. They may interact with other supplements and result in problems. Lack of scientific research means caution should be used if a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding. Supplements may contain added ingredients that can interfere with blood thinners or other medicines, and should be used carefully.