Overview
Fermented wheat germ extract is used for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), sunburn, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific research to support any use.
How does it work ?
Uses & Effectiveness ?
Insufficient Evidence for
- Damage to the immune system caused by cancer drug treatment. Early research shows that taking a specific fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) as a drink twice per day while undergoing chemotherapy helps prevent fever and white blood cell count reduction in children compared to undergoing chemotherapy alone.
- Colon cancer, rectal cancer. Early research shows that taking a specific fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) once or twice per day for at least 6 months while undergoing chemotherapy helps reduce the risk of death and prevents cancer from becoming worse or spreading compared to chemotherapy alone.
- The most serious type of skin cancer (melanoma). Early research shows that taking a specific fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) as a drink once per day for 12 months along with dacarbazine chemotherapy increases survival compared to dacarbazine chemotherapy alone in patients with a type of skin cancer called melanoma.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Early research shows that taking a specific fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) as a drink twice per day for 12 months along with steroids or other medicines used for RA helps reduce morning stiffness and decrease the need for steroids in people with RA.
- An autoimmune disease that causes widespread swelling (systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE).
- Sunburn.
- Other conditions.
Side Effects
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if fermented wheat germ extract is safe or what the side effects might be when applied to the skin.
Special Precautions and Warnings
Children:Fermented wheat germ extract is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth. Doses of 6 grams/m2 twice per day have been used safely for 29 months.
Organ transplant recipients:Fermented wheat germ extract might increase the immune system. This might increase the risk of organ transplant rejection. If you have received an organ transplant, don't use fermented wheat germ extract until more is known.
Interactions ?
Medications that decrease the immune system (Immunosuppressants) interacts with FERMENTED WHEAT GERM EXTRACT
Fermented wheat germ extract seems to increase the immune system. By increasing the immune system, fermented wheat germ extract might decrease the effectiveness of medications that decrease the immune system.
Some medications that decrease immune system activity include azathioprine (Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, Orthoclone OKT3), mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids), and others.
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
Dosing
Balint G, Apathy A, Gaal M, et al. Effect of Avemar--a fermented wheat germ extract--on rheumatoid arthritis. Preliminary data. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2006;24(3):325-328. View abstract.
Boros LG, Lapis K, Szende B, et al. Wheat germ extract decreases glucose uptake and RNA ribose formation but increases fatty acid synthesis in MIA pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. Pancreas 2001;23(2):141-147. View abstract.
Comin-Anduix B, Boros LG, Marin S, et al. Fermented wheat germ extract inhibits glycolysis/pentose cycle enzymes and induces apoptosis through poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation in Jurkat T-cell leukemia tumor cells. J Biol Chem 2002;277(48):46408-46414. View abstract.
Demidov LV, Manziuk LV, Kharkevitch GY, Pirogova NA, Artamonova EV. Adjuvant fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) nutraceutical improves survival of high-risk skin melanoma patients: a randomized, pilot, phase II clinical study with a 7-year follow-up. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2008;23(4):477-482. View abstract.
Ehrenfeld M, Blank M, Shoenfeld Y, Hidvegi M. AVEMAR (a new benzoquinone-containing natural product) administration interferes with the Th2 response in experimental SLE and promotes amelioration of the disease. Lupus 2001;10(9):622-627. View abstract.
Garami M, Schuler D, Babosa M, et al. Fermented wheat germ extract reduces chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in pediatric cancer patients. J Pediat Hematol Oncol 2004;26(10):631-635. View abstract.
Gidali J, Hidvégi M, Fehér I, et al. The effect of Avemar treatment on the regeneration of leukocytes, thrombocytes and reticulocytes in sublethally irradiated or cyclophosphamide treated mice. First Congress of the Hungarian Society of Clinical Oncology, Budapest, Hungary, November 10-11, 2000.
Heimbach JT, Sebestyen G, Semjen G, Kennepohl E. Safety studies regarding a standardized extract of fermented wheat germ. Int J Toxicol 2007;26(3):253-259. View abstract.
Hidvegi M, Raso E, Tomoskozi Farkas R, Lapis K, Szende B. Effect of MSC on the immune response of mice. Immunopharmacology 1999;41(3):183-186. View abstract.
Jakab F, Mayer A, Hoffmann A, Hidvegi M. First clinical data of a natural immunomodulator in colorectal cancer. Hepatogastroenterology 2000;47(32):393-395. View abstract.
Jakab F, Shoenfeld Y, Balogh A, et al. A medical nutriment has supportive value in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Br J Cancer 2003;89(3):465-469. View abstract.
Lin Y, Rudrum M, van der Wielen RP, et al. Wheat germ policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in subjects with normal to mildly elevated cholesterol concentrations. Metabolism 2004;53:1309-14. View abstract.
Minamiyama Y, Takemura S, Yoshikawa T, Okada S. Fermented grain products, production, properties and benefits to health. Pathophysiology 2003;9(4):221-227. View abstract.
Mueller T, Voigt W. Fermented wheat germ extract--nutritional supplement or anticancer drug? Nutr J 2011;10:89. View abstract.
Patel S. Fermented wheat germ extract: a dietary supplement with anticancer efficacy. Nutr Ther Metab 2014;32(2):61-67.
Saiko P, Ozsvar-Kozma M, Madlener S, et al. Avemar, a nontoxic fermented wheat germ extract, induces apoptosis and inhibits ribonucleotide reductase in human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells. Cancer Lett 2007;250(2):323-328. View abstract.
Sukkar SG, Rossi E. Oxidative stress and nutritional prevention in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Autoimmun Rev 2004;3(3):199-206. View abstract.
Vucskits, AV, Hullar, I, Bersenyi, A, Andrasofszky, E, Kulcsar, M, Szabo, J. Effect of fulvic and humic acids on performance, immune response and thyroid function in rats. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2010;94(6):721-728. View abstract.
Balint G, Apathy A, Gaal M, et al. Effect of Avemar--a fermented wheat germ extract--on rheumatoid arthritis. Preliminary data. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2006;24(3):325-328. View abstract.
Boros LG, Lapis K, Szende B, et al. Wheat germ extract decreases glucose uptake and RNA ribose formation but increases fatty acid synthesis in MIA pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. Pancreas 2001;23(2):141-147. View abstract.
Comin-Anduix B, Boros LG, Marin S, et al. Fermented wheat germ extract inhibits glycolysis/pentose cycle enzymes and induces apoptosis through poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activation in Jurkat T-cell leukemia tumor cells. J Biol Chem 2002;277(48):46408-46414. View abstract.
Demidov LV, Manziuk LV, Kharkevitch GY, Pirogova NA, Artamonova EV. Adjuvant fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) nutraceutical improves survival of high-risk skin melanoma patients: a randomized, pilot, phase II clinical study with a 7-year follow-up. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2008;23(4):477-482. View abstract.
Ehrenfeld M, Blank M, Shoenfeld Y, Hidvegi M. AVEMAR (a new benzoquinone-containing natural product) administration interferes with the Th2 response in experimental SLE and promotes amelioration of the disease. Lupus 2001;10(9):622-627. View abstract.
Garami M, Schuler D, Babosa M, et al. Fermented wheat germ extract reduces chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in pediatric cancer patients. J Pediat Hematol Oncol 2004;26(10):631-635. View abstract.
Gidali J, Hidvégi M, Fehér I, et al. The effect of Avemar treatment on the regeneration of leukocytes, thrombocytes and reticulocytes in sublethally irradiated or cyclophosphamide treated mice. First Congress of the Hungarian Society of Clinical Oncology, Budapest, Hungary, November 10-11, 2000.
Heimbach JT, Sebestyen G, Semjen G, Kennepohl E. Safety studies regarding a standardized extract of fermented wheat germ. Int J Toxicol 2007;26(3):253-259. View abstract.
Hidvegi M, Raso E, Tomoskozi Farkas R, Lapis K, Szende B. Effect of MSC on the immune response of mice. Immunopharmacology 1999;41(3):183-186. View abstract.
Jakab F, Mayer A, Hoffmann A, Hidvegi M. First clinical data of a natural immunomodulator in colorectal cancer. Hepatogastroenterology 2000;47(32):393-395. View abstract.
Jakab F, Shoenfeld Y, Balogh A, et al. A medical nutriment has supportive value in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Br J Cancer 2003;89(3):465-469. View abstract.
Lin Y, Rudrum M, van der Wielen RP, et al. Wheat germ policosanol failed to lower plasma cholesterol in subjects with normal to mildly elevated cholesterol concentrations. Metabolism 2004;53:1309-14. View abstract.
Minamiyama Y, Takemura S, Yoshikawa T, Okada S. Fermented grain products, production, properties and benefits to health. Pathophysiology 2003;9(4):221-227. View abstract.
Mueller T, Voigt W. Fermented wheat germ extract--nutritional supplement or anticancer drug? Nutr J 2011;10:89. View abstract.
Patel S. Fermented wheat germ extract: a dietary supplement with anticancer efficacy. Nutr Ther Metab 2014;32(2):61-67.
Saiko P, Ozsvar-Kozma M, Madlener S, et al. Avemar, a nontoxic fermented wheat germ extract, induces apoptosis and inhibits ribonucleotide reductase in human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells. Cancer Lett 2007;250(2):323-328. View abstract.
Sukkar SG, Rossi E. Oxidative stress and nutritional prevention in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Autoimmun Rev 2004;3(3):199-206. View abstract.
Vucskits, AV, Hullar, I, Bersenyi, A, Andrasofszky, E, Kulcsar, M, Szabo, J. Effect of fulvic and humic acids on performance, immune response and thyroid function in rats. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2010;94(6):721-728. View abstract.
Select a condition to view a list of vitamins
CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.
This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.