Metabolism is the set of
life
-sustaining chemical reactions in or organisms including human body.
Enzyme are
proteins
that act as
biological
catalysts
. Catalysts accelerate
chemical reactions
by 106 to 1015 times faster. Without enzyme, metabolism in our body don't happen fast enough and we don't / can't exist.
Vitamins and certain minerals are key components of enzyme.
I think if we follow the government's guideline, we should be able to get enough various vitamins and minerals.
But, Prof. Joanne Stubble, a renounced MIT bio-chemist told to her students in her bio-chemistry lecture that everyone should take vitamin pills which also include certain minerals so we will have good functioning enzyme which enable metabolism happening properly. So, I am taking it.
In terms of vitamin/mineral and its effect to the BCG treatment for bladder cancer. I have found two studies with somewhat conflicting results.
A yr 2000 study ( 65 patients) by Dr. Lamm of the University of Iowa reported increased dose of vitamin A,B,C,E and Zinc may improve the efficacy of BCG immunotherapy but require further research.
A more recent - 2010 study (670 patients) by University of Iowa team including Dr. Michael O'Donnell and Dr. Lamm reported there were no difference to the efficacy of BCG immunotherapy either with megadose vitamins vs recommended daily allowance vitamins.
So, after reviewing above, my conclusion is to take good nutritious food according to the national guideline, then take vitamin supplement to make sure we take enough vitamin and mineral to help chemical reactions (metabolism) happening in our body. but additional (more) supplement will not improve the efficacy of the BCG treatment.
Links related to the above information are posted separately as the forum software seems to limit the number of sites in the text.
best