Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Herbal medicines and supplements before your operation | CION Cancer Clinics
Some herbal medicines and supplements are paused before surgery, because they can increase bleeding, lower blood sugar or add to the drowsiness of an anaesthetic. Your surgeon and anaesthetist decide which ones and when. This page explains which products they ask about most, how to put together a complete list, including Ayurvedic and home remedies, and why telling them everything keeps the operation safer. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MI
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed ImaduddinConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Oncology) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
4.8★ / 800+Google rating
On this page
- Do you need to stop herbal medicines and supplements before surgery?
- Which supplements and remedies does the team ask about most?
- How do you make a complete list for the anaesthetist?
- What do families believe about supplements before an operation?
- What is the concern with each kind of product?
- What if you want to keep using remedies during cancer treatment?
- Common questions about supplements before surgery
The short answer
Do you need to stop herbal medicines and supplements before surgery?
Some herbal medicines and supplements are paused before surgery, because they can increase bleeding, change blood sugar or react with the anaesthetic. Your surgeon and anaesthetist decide which ones, so the first step is to tell them about everything you take, including home remedies.
Why "natural" still matters
Many plant products have real effects on the body. That is why people take them. Garlic, ginger, turmeric and fish oil can make blood slower to clot. Some Ayurvedic and herbal mixtures lower blood sugar. Others make you drowsy, change your blood pressure or affect how the liver handles the anaesthetic drugs. Under anaesthetic these small effects can add up.
Why the hospital asks about Ayurveda and homeopathy
Nobody asks to judge your choices. Many families in Telangana use Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha or homeopathic medicines alongside hospital treatment. The team simply needs the full picture to plan a safe operation. Some mixtures have no clear label, and a few have been found to contain steroids or metals, which also changes the plan.
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which of your own products to stop, or when. It gives no timings, because they depend on the product, your operation and your other medicines. It also cannot vouch for any supplement's claims about cancer.
Do not stop a prescribed medicine along with your supplements. Ask about each one separately.Commonly used at home
Which supplements and remedies does the team ask about most?
These are the ones anaesthetists raise most often. It is not a complete list, so bring whatever you take, even if it is not here.
Products that may affect bleeding
These can make blood slower to clot, which matters for the wound and for spinal or epidural injections.
Examples
- Garlic tablets and capsules
- Fish oil and omega-3
- Ginkgo, ginger and turmeric capsules
- High-dose vitamin E
Products that may affect sugar
Useful to know about if you have diabetes and will be fasting, since your sugar could drop lower than expected.
Examples
- Bitter gourd (karela) juice or capsules
- Methi (fenugreek) seeds or powder
- Jamun seed powder and diabetes churnas
Products that may affect sleep or mood
These can add to the drowsiness of anaesthetic and pain medicines. St John's wort also changes how the body handles many drugs.
Examples
- Ashwagandha
- Valerian and kava
- St John's wort
Mixtures without a clear label
Powders, pills or tonics bought from a local healer, online or abroad. The team cannot tell what is inside by looking, which is exactly why they want to see the packet.
Protein powders and multivitamins are usually less of a concern, but mention them too.Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistBefore your check
How do you make a complete list for the anaesthetist?
Collect everything in one bag
Go through every shelf and bag at home. Include tablets, capsules, powders, oils, teas, tonics and anything a relative sends from the village. If the patient lives alone, ask them to show you.
Photograph the labels
Take a clear photo of the front and the ingredients list of each one. For unlabelled mixtures, note who gave it and what it was for.
Take the bag to the pre-surgery check
Show the actual products, not only a written list. Say how often each one is taken. Ask for each item to be marked continue or pause.
Ask about restarting
Before you leave hospital, ask which products can be restarted and when. Some may not be advised while wounds heal or while you are on other treatment.
Commonly believed
What do families believe about supplements before an operation?
"It is herbal, so it cannot interfere with anything."
Plants contain active substances, and some of them affect bleeding, sugar or drowsiness. Many hospital medicines were first found in plants. Treat a herbal product like any other medicine when you talk to the team.
"If we tell the doctor about Ayurveda, they will refuse to operate."
That is not how it works. Knowing what you take lets the team plan around it. Hiding it is what creates risk, because a problem during surgery is harder to explain and correct.
"Turmeric milk and garlic in food must be stopped too."
Normal amounts used in cooking are generally not the concern. The question is usually about concentrated capsules, extracts and large daily doses. Ask if you are unsure about something you eat every day.
"Supplements will help me recover faster, so I should take more."
Good food and walking help recovery. Extra supplements have little evidence behind them and may interact with the medicines you will be given.
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Side by side
What is the concern with each kind of product?
Type of product
What the team is thinking about
Garlic, fish oil, ginkgo, vitamin E capsules
Extra bleeding during or after the operation
Karela, methi and diabetes churnas
Sugar dropping too low while you fast
Ashwagandha, valerian, kava
Extra drowsiness with anaesthetic and pain medicines
St John's wort
Changes how the body handles many other drugs
Unlabelled powders and tonics
Unknown contents, sometimes steroids or metals
The bigger picture
What if you want to keep using remedies during cancer treatment?
Many people want to keep using the remedies they trust, and that wish is understandable. The honest answer is to discuss each one with your treating team, rather than stopping or continuing everything on your own.
Surgery is only one part of treatment
Some remedies that are harmless around an operation can interfere with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone tablets or immunotherapy later. A product you restart after surgery may need to be reviewed again when the next treatment begins. Keep your photographed list up to date so it is ready each time.
Where the evidence stands
For most herbal products, studies in people having surgery are small or missing. That does not prove harm, but it means nobody can say they are safe either. Your team is weighing a possible risk against a benefit that is usually unproven.
Who needs extra care
People on blood thinners, people with diabetes on insulin, and anyone with liver or kidney problems are most likely to be affected. If that is you, raise your supplements early.
Who this page does not cover
If you take only prescribed hospital medicines, the pages on blood thinners, diabetes and blood pressure tablets in this section are more useful to you. Children and pregnant women need advice from their own specialist.
Did you know
Anaesthetists often find out about a supplement only when someone bleeds more than expected or wakes slowly. Showing the actual packets at your pre-surgery check takes a few minutes and removes that uncertainty.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about supplements before surgery
How long before surgery should I stop herbal supplements?
There is no single answer, because it depends on the product, how much you take and the operation. Your anaesthetist will tell you which ones to pause and when. If your surgery date is soon, show them your products as early as possible so there is time to plan.
Can I keep taking my multivitamin?
An ordinary multivitamin is often allowed, but some contain high doses of vitamin E or herbal extracts. Show the label at your pre-surgery check. The team may ask you to pause it for a short time or let you continue.
My grandmother takes a homeopathic medicine. Does it matter?
Tell the team about it anyway. Most homeopathic preparations are very dilute, but some products sold under that name contain other ingredients, including alcohol. The team would rather know and decide it is fine than not know at all.
Is turmeric milk safe before an operation?
Turmeric used in normal cooking or a glass of turmeric milk is generally not the concern. High-dose turmeric or curcumin capsules are a different matter because of a possible effect on bleeding. Mention what you take and how much.
What if I already took a supplement I was told to stop?
Tell the team straight away, with the name and when you last took it. It does not always mean a delay. The anaesthetist may simply adjust the plan. Keeping quiet is what makes it harder to manage safely.
Can I use protein powder before and after surgery?
Protein matters for healing, and many people are encouraged to eat well before surgery. Plain protein powders are usually less of a concern than herbal blends. Check the label for added herbs and ask a dietitian or your team whether it suits you.
Will the doctor be angry that we used Ayurveda?
They should not be, and at CION you will not be judged for it. Many families use traditional medicine. Your team's job is to keep the operation safe, and knowing what you take is part of that. Bring the products and describe them honestly.
When can I restart my supplements after surgery?
Ask before you go home. The answer depends on your wound, your bleeding risk, the medicines you are sent home with and what treatment comes next. Some products may be fine soon, others may be wiser to leave until later treatment is finished.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Cancer Research UK — Complementary and alternative therapies
- NICE — Perioperative care in adults (NG180)
- National Cancer Institute — Surgery to treat cancer
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.
Keep reading
Related pages
Which Medicines to Stop Before Cancer SurgeryPrescription medicines your team will reviewEcosprin and Aspirin Before Cancer SurgeryIf you also take a blood thinnerSteroids Around Cancer SurgerySome unlabelled remedies contain steroidsMyths About Cancer SurgeryOther beliefs that shape decisions around surgery
Talk to us
Not sure what to tell your surgical team?
Tell us what operation is planned and what you take. We will help you reach the right specialist. One helpline serves every CION centre.