Medical Oncologist
Before you start
Telling your team about supplements and home remedies
Tell them about all of it, including what seems too ordinary to mention. Turmeric capsules, ashwagandha, liver tonics, protein powders, immunity syrups and whatever a relative brought from out of town. They are not harmless simply because they are natural, and some are processed by the same liver pathways as chemotherapy drugs.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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The short answer
Do I have to tell my doctor about ayurvedic and herbal remedies?
Yes, all of them, including the ones you think are too ordinary to mention. Turmeric preparations, ashwagandha, liver tonics, protein and vitamin powders, giloy, wheatgrass, immunity syrups and whatever a relative brought from out of town.
They are not harmless simply because they are natural or sold without a prescription. Some are processed by the same liver pathways as chemotherapy drugs, which can leave too much or too little of the drug in your body. Both of those are a problem.
Nobody is going to scold you
Almost every family in India is taking something, and oncologists know this perfectly well. What causes harm is not the taking, it is the not saying. A doctor who knows can work around it; a doctor who does not is treating you with a piece missing.
Bring the actual packet
Names on these products are inconsistent and the contents are often mixed. Handing over the bottle lets someone read the ingredient list rather than guess from a brand name, and mixed preparations are exactly where the surprises are.
If a relative is giving something without your knowledge, ask them to stop and tell the doctor. This happens more often than anyone admits.The full list
What counts as something to declare
- Ayurvedic and siddha preparations
- Churnas, kashayams, tablets, syrups and oils, whether prescribed by a practitioner or bought off a shelf. Include anything given for strength, appetite or immunity.
- Single herbs in concentrated form
- Turmeric capsules, ashwagandha, giloy, tulsi extracts, green tea capsules, wheatgrass. A concentrated capsule is a different thing from the pinch of turmeric in your dal, and it is the capsule that matters.
- Vitamin and mineral supplements
- Especially high-dose ones and anything described as an antioxidant. These are the group most often assumed to be automatically helpful, and they need to be checked rather than assumed.
- Protein and health powders
- Common, generally reasonable, and still worth declaring, since some contain added herbs and some are unsuitable when kidney function is reduced. Bring the tin so the label can be read.
- Homeopathic and unani medicines
- Declare them too. The question is not whether your doctor believes in them; it is what is physically going into your body during a course.
- Anything given by a relative or neighbour
- Powders in an unlabelled packet, oils, "cancer-curing" preparations bought online, juices someone swears by. These are the least predictable of all and the least often mentioned.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhy it matters
What can actually go wrong
Four real mechanisms, none of which depend on a product being fake or badly made.
The drug level shifts
Several herbs speed up or slow down the liver enzymes that break down chemotherapy drugs. Faster clearance means less drug reaching the disease; slower clearance means more staying in your body and heavier side effects.
Why you cannot feel it
- The change is invisible until harm shows
- It is measured in blood, not in how you feel
Bleeding risk rises
Some preparations thin the blood or affect platelets. Platelets already fall during a cycle, so adding something with the same effect can turn a manageable dip into bleeding that needs treating.
The liver takes the load
Several tonics marketed for liver health are themselves hard on it. When your liver figures rise, the team has to work out whether it was the chemotherapy or something else, and that uncertainty costs you delayed cycles.
What it leads to
- Cycles postponed while tests repeat
- A dose reduced that need not have been
Symptoms get confused
Loose motions, sickness, a rash or itching may come from the supplement rather than the treatment. If nobody knows it is there, the chemotherapy gets blamed and reduced unnecessarily.
Saying it
How to raise it without an argument
The situation
What works
You feel judged for taking it
Say "I want to check what is safe to continue"
A relative insists on giving it
Let the doctor say no, rather than refusing alone
You already started it weeks ago
Say so now; earlier disclosure is better than none
An ayurvedic doctor is also treating you
Give each doctor the other's details and prescriptions
You cannot pronounce the name
Hand over the packet, or show a photograph of it
You want to restart after the course
Ask when it is safe; often the answer is yes, later
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you whether a particular product is safe with your particular drugs. That depends on what is actually in it, what you are being given and how your liver and kidneys are working, and it is a question for your oncologist with the packet in hand.
It also cannot tell you that everything must stop. Some things are continued without difficulty, some are paused for the duration and restarted afterwards, and some are best left out. That sorting is the whole point of disclosing the list.
It is not a verdict on traditional medicine
This is about what is in your bloodstream while powerful drugs are being given, not about whether ayurveda has value. Many people return to these preparations after the course, and that is a reasonable thing to plan for with your doctor's knowledge.
What to do next
Collect every bottle, packet and powder in the house into one bag and take it to the planning appointment alongside your prescription medicines. Ask which continue, which pause and which can restart later. And ask your family not to bring anything new without telling you.
Commonly believed
Four reasons people keep quiet, and why they should not
"It is natural, so it cannot interfere with anything."
Natural and inert are different things. Many effective medicines began as plants, and the same chemistry that makes a herb active is what lets it change how a chemotherapy drug is broken down. Being sold without a prescription says nothing about how it behaves.
"The doctor will be angry and may refuse to treat me."
They will not. Almost every family here is taking something, and oncologists ask precisely because they expect it. The worst outcome of telling is being asked to pause one item; the worst outcome of not telling is considerably worse than that.
"Extra antioxidants and immunity boosters will help the treatment work."
Taken in concentrated doses during a course, the effect is uncertain and may not be the one you want. Food is a different matter from a high-dose capsule. Ask before adding anything on the theory that more must be better.
"I only take it occasionally, so it is not worth mentioning."
Occasional is enough to shift a drug level or a platelet count on the wrong week. Mention it with the honest frequency rather than leaving it out. Your doctor can weigh it once they know it exists.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about supplements and home remedies
Is turmeric in food a problem?
Turmeric used normally in cooking is not the issue. Concentrated capsules and high-dose extracts are a different matter and should be declared. The rule of thumb is that anything sold as a dose rather than as food needs mentioning.
Can I continue ayurvedic treatment alongside chemotherapy?
Ask your oncologist with the prescriptions in hand. Some items are continued, some paused for the duration. What matters is that both practitioners know about each other rather than each treating you in the dark.
What about protein powder? I have lost weight.
Often reasonable and sometimes recommended, but bring the tin. Some contain added herbs and some are unsuitable if kidney function is reduced. A dietitian at the hospital can suggest one that suits your situation.
My family keeps bringing new remedies. What do I say?
Let the doctor be the one who says no. Tell relatives that everything has to be cleared by the oncology team first, and ask them to hand new items to you rather than adding them to food or drinks.
I have been taking something for months already. Is it too late?
No. Say so at the next appointment, even mid- course. Knowing about it now changes how your results are interpreted and what is done next. Late disclosure is far better than continued silence.
Will vitamin supplements reduce the effect of chemotherapy?
For some high-dose preparations this is a genuine question without a settled answer, which is exactly why oncologists want to know what you are taking. Bring the bottles and ask specifically about yours.
Can I restart everything once treatment finishes?
Often yes, and it is worth asking at your last cycle rather than assuming. Some people go back to everything, others are advised to leave out one or two items. Get the answer in writing if you can.
Someone is selling a preparation that claims to treat cancer. Should I try it?
Show it to your oncologist before spending anything. Products sold on those claims are often expensive, sometimes harmful, and occasionally contain undeclared ingredients. Families lose a great deal of money to them.
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Sources
- Cancer Research UK — Cancer drugs and other medicines
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Complementary therapies
- National Cancer Institute — Complementary and Alternative Medicine
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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