High Protein Diet and DHA Supplementation may be Effective to Recover the Impaired Immune Function in Irradiated Rats

Abstract

Most cancer patients with radiation treatment have a tendency to avoid animal foods and prefer vegetables which may cause accelerated malnutrition with impairment of immune function. These overall conditions could contribute eventual poor prognosis and poor quality of life. The major goal of this study was to determine the effects of high protein diet (HP) and DHA supplementation in minimizing the adverse effects of radiation for cancer treatment. Rats were divided into four groups: normal protein diet (NP) and HP groups and NP + DHA and HP + DHA groups. Each diet group was further divided into treatment groups that received radiation (RT group) and one that did not (non‐RT group). The diet administration supplied from 12th day prior to radiation treatment with irradiation dose of 17.5 Gy. The diets were continued until 10th day after radiation treatment and animals were sacrificed. Radiation treatment significantly decrease the proportion of lymphocyte and increase the proportion of neutrophil and eosinophil. Radiation treatment also caused the significant increase in WBC and decrease in platelets. HP and DHA supplementation resulted the change of lymphocyte and neutrophil proportions into similar to non‐radiated group levels, thereby effective to recover the impaired immune function in irradiated rats.