How Mistletoe Can Improve Your Quality of Life

Mistletoe therapy is an alternative cancer treatment. It has improved cancer patients’ quality of life and treatment outcomes.

It stimulates the bone marrow to increase beneficial granulocytes, lymphocytes, and natural killer cells that help fight tumors. It also decreases the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

Reduces Symptoms

The cancer-fighting properties of mistletoe boost immune activity and help to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. It has been shown to improve a patient’s quality of life in several studies.

The plant grows as a semi-parasite on host trees such as apple, birch, oak, pine, hawthorn, and willow. Various injection methods are used. The extract is processed according to the mistletoe type, and the preparation name is usually derived from the host tree. The extract is often injected subcutaneously but can also be intravenously or directly into a tumor or body cavity.

Studies have shown that a mistletoe infusion stimulates the production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin. This helps to prevent inflammatory responses and decrease the toxicity of conventional cancer treatments, making the treatment more effective.

It has also been shown that mistletoe therapy re-establishes the circadian rhythm of body temperature, significantly increasing core body temperature by about 0.6° C. This can help to alleviate a chronically low body temperature that many cancer patients experience and it helps to stop the shivering associated with chemotherapy-related cold and flu symptoms. The increased core temperature also helps to counteract the poor circulation and slower metabolic rate experienced by many cancer patients, which leads to their often-observed shivering.

Boosts Immune System

Mistletoe therapy strengthens the immune system to support the body’s defenses against cancer and other illnesses. It can also improve common side effects of cancer treatment, such as pain and fatigue.

Mistletoe contains many biologically active substances, including lectins, flavonoids, viscotoxins, oligo- and polysaccharides, alkaloids, membrane lipids, and other bioactive compounds. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins on the cell surface that recognize specific antigens (such as cancer cells) and initiate immunological reactions. Mistletoe has been shown to activate white blood cells such as granulocytes, natural killer cells, and macrophages. It increases the cytotoxic activity of these cells and enhances the activation and proliferation of B-lymphocytes in the bone marrow and lymph nodes.

Clinical studies have shown that mistletoe positively impacts the quality of life and symptom management in people with different cancer types. Some studies have even reported improved survival. 

In addition to treating cancer, mistletoe can treat other conditions such as inflammation, autoimmune disorders, depression, neurodegeneration, and other neurological problems. It can also lessen the side effects of chemotherapy and other medical treatments, such as radiation and surgery. More research is needed to explore mistletoe use in these conditions, but initial studies suggest that it may improve the quality of life of individuals with neurological disorders.

Reduces Side Effects

Mistletoe therapy is often used to reduce the side effects of medication and other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation. It can help improve the quality of life for cancer patients, including less pain and anxiety, increased appetite, better sleep, and reduced fatigue.

Mistletoe therapy can also boost the body’s natural ability to regulate its temperature, which is essential for cancer patients with weakened immune systems. This is why many patients experience a rise in body temperature after receiving a mistletoe injection. A high fever should be monitored closely; if it persists, it should be considered an adverse reaction to the treatment.

The watery extracts of the white berried mistletoe (Viscum album) contain a wide range of ingredients. Anthroposophical pharmacology considers the specific properties of different host trees and their seasonal changes when producing these mistletoe preparations. After a special manufacturing process, mistletoe extracts can be administered subcutaneously, intravenously, or, in some cases, directly into the tumor or body cavities (e.g., the chest cavity, abdominal cavity, or urinary bladder).

Clinical studies show that mistletoe can have direct anti-cancer action and destroy cancer cells in addition to its immunological effects. This effect is mediated by the lectins and viscotoxins of the mistletoe plant, which are capable of binding to the surface of cancer cells and inducing cell death.

Increases Quality of Life

Mistletoe therapy stimulates the bone marrow, increasing the number of beneficial granulocytes and natural killer cells. These cells attack and destroy cancerous cells and prevent their spread, which helps improve patient’s quality of life.

A recent cohort study analyzed mistletoe’s effect on cancer patients’ quality of life.

While the results from the study were promising, more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant with several active ingredients that, in preclinical studies, appear to kill cancer cells and stimulate an immune response.

There are many different preparations of mistletoe, with each one containing a different composition of active substances. These preparations are injected into the subcutaneous tissue or administered intravenously. Generally, a physician will prescribe a combination of different types to ensure that the body receives all the benefits each can provide.

*This is a collaboration post