Peter Acs, MD, PhD
Board Certified Hematologist and Oncologist
Our products contain the vital ingredients necessary to help support the body in the areas most needed during chemotherapy: decrease oxidative stress, support a proper immune response, alleviate non-life threatening chemotherapy side effects, help with appetite, nausea and energy. It contains vitamins, electrolytes and a special proprietary blend of probiotics. We use only the highest quality protein, and no added sugar.
This product is a complementary nutritional supplement, and in no way meant to replace chemo-, biological or immunotherapy. At the same time none of the ingredients interfere with efficacy of these treatments.
My background
My name is Dr Peter Acs. I graduated medical school in 1993 and right away started to work in oncology.
Next year I took a position at the NCI where I had the chance to do cutting edge cancer research for 5 years.
After this tenure I obtained a PhD degree in molecular biology and cancer biology. Once completing residency and a heme/onc fellowship at Georgetown University, I joined a private practice in Florida.
I had the privilege of working at Florida Cancer Specialists for several years. FCS is an outstanding company where patient care is the highest priority and the doctors, NPs, PAs provide care that is second to none.
At FCS patients receive world class care that compares to any nationally or internationally recognized cancer center in the country and yet patients remain close to home in a family setting and environment that further contributes to their healing and well-being.
Over the years, as I was treating and observing hundreds of patients, I was becoming more and more frustrated by the lack of an appropriate nutritional supplement for patients receiving chemotherapy, even though this population has the greatest need for such a product.
For that reason, I founded Nutronco, with the vision of creating and producing a nutritional aid that is scientifically designed, based on clinical data and complements nutrition to increase the quality of life and health in patients undergoing chemotherapy, and beyond.
Why is nutrition important when receiving chemotherapy?
50 to 80% of cancer patients have nutritional issues. There are several factors in chemotherapy patients that contribute to nutritional deterioration, muscle wasting and worsening weight loss. These include weakening of the immune system, increasing oxidative stress, widespread metabolic changes, weakness, infection, worsening fatigue and other chemotherapy side effects.
These additional side effects include mucositis, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, muscle wasting, cardiotoxicity, nerve damage, decreased blood counts and liver damage (resultant low serum albumin, fluid retention, and impaired detoxification).
If we are able to improve nutrition, rebuild muscle mass and strength, support the immune system and decrease oxidative stress, we can help prevent this vicious cycle from happening, and that enables us to treat people with chemotherapy more effectively. This is the goal we are determined to achieve.
Ingredients from medical point of view
Our goal is to provide a nutritional supplement to deliver high quality nutrition, while providing additional benefits, including managing symptoms and side effects of chemotherapy treatment.
In our supplement we use a high quality, purified, all natural, lactose-free whey protein isolate providing all essential and nonessential amino acids. There is increasing amount of evidence implying that the ketogenic diet (sugar free) is an effective adjuvant treatment for patient receiving chemotherapy.
Studies have shown that most cancer cells lack the enzymes necessary to metabolize fat or protein and they depend on sugar. Sugar does not cause cancer, but if we restrict carbohydrates, the main source of glucose, it may become more difficult for cancer cells to divide and they may starve to death.
For this reason, our supplement does not contain any added traditional carbohydrates. Besides promoting nutrition, our supplement contains ingredients that may help support and boost the immune system, decrease oxidative stress and may help prevent infections.
Among other compounds, we use L-arginine, zinc, and nucleotides, a combination that along with omega-3 fatty acids are effective in stimulating the immune system.
In addition, we added multiple ingredients that act as adjunctive, complementary treatments to traditional chemotherapy, typically in synergism, without interfering with efficacy (e.g.: selenium, zinc, alpha lipoic acid). L-Carnitine was shown to help gain weight and improve the quality of life in people and also plays a role in ameliorating chemotherapy-related fatigue.
Scientific data indicate that quercetin has anti-inflammatory and chemo-preventive effects. L-glutamine protects liver tissue against damage from chemotherapy, whereas zinc improves appetite and taste, and ginger reduces nausea and vomiting.
While taurine helps support muscle function and cardiovascular health, beta-carotene will help to further increase muscle strength and physical activity. Our supplement also provides electrolytes to maintain homeostasis, helps rehydrate the body and prevent dehydration.
Vitamin D and calcium are very important to strengthen the bones. We fortify our supplement with an array of vitamins that further help with digestive problems, promote immune health and fight nerve damage.
PowerOnco is also unique for another reason: it contains probiotic bacteria.
Probiotics stimulate both specific and nonspecific components of the immune system. There is ample evidence that probiotics can reduce oxidative stress and strengthen homeostasis thus reducing side effects associated with chemotherapy. Probiotics can help with diarrhea and other digestive problems as well as help strengthen the immune system and prevent diseases.
Our supplement fills an empty space in patient care that has never been addressed in such a comprehensive way before.
Nutritional pyramid
People with different diseases have specific nutritional needs. This is especially true for people receiving chemotherapy. As an original concept we created a novel food pyramid specifically tailored for these people. This pyramid is a visual summary of the important aspects of nutritional support for this population.
Each block represents a specific area that the ingredients in the supplement will target. Essentially, the pyramid shows not what patients should eat, but the specific nutritional needs for each condition. The strong foundation is a good quality protein based diet on which other ingredients build, with indications covering oxidative stress, immune support, organ protection, energy, appetite, nausea, vitamins, electrolytes and probiotics.
The combination of ingredients addressing these issues will provide an unprecedented powerful support for people on chemotherapy.
Neuropathy product
One of the most common, most debilitating and most persistent side effects of chemotherapy is neuropathy. Neuropathy is due to nerve damage brought about by certain chemotherapy drugs.
It may present as tingling, numbness, or sensation of pins and needles that may vary in severity but significantly interferes with daily activity. Furthermore, it may persist or even worsen for years. There are several vitamins and other compounds that may help prevent, treat, diminish or alleviate this complication.
Over the years I treated hundreds of patients successfully, but there is a problem: For successful therapy patients need to take several different vitamins and other pills twice daily. The cost of these pills are high and it is hard to adhere to the regimen.
At Nutronco we have formulated a supplement that combines all the necessary vitamins and key compounds into one gentle and effective nutritional dose.
Thus, the patients are able to take only one pill, instead of several, at a much lower cost. We use this approach of “All in One” in several products to further improve quality of life for those patients undergoing chemotherapy and beyond.
