Protect Against Cancer With Folic Acid
By Steve P Smith

Inadequate intake of dietary folates and folic acid has been
strongly associated with the elevated levels of blood
homocysteine which have been identified as a key risk factor for
both cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease.   But
folates and folic acid are also very important in protecting
against certain cancers and birth defects and it is these
functions which are considered here.

The term folic acid may be confusing to some, because it is in
fact one of the most important and heavily researched of the B
complex of vitamins and widely used in this form as a dietary
supplement.  In the form of folate compounds the vitamin is also
found naturally in the body as well as in various common foods.

Folic acid is essential for a large number of biochemical
reactions within the body, including the metabolism of energy
from food, but is particularly important in ensuring that the
continual process of cell division within the body proceeds
normally.  This is especially vital during the rapid development
and production of new cells during the first weeks after
conception.  Inadequate intake of folates and/or folic acid in
the early stages of pregnancy has been identified as a cause of
what are known as “neural tube defects” which lead to inadequate
or abnormal development of the foetal brain and spinal cord.  

One of the most dreaded diseases which may result from these
problems is spina bifida, but the incidence of this has been
shown to be reduced by 75% when folic acid supplements of 400
mcg are taken during the first three months of pregnancy.  Folic
acid supplements are recommended because they are much more
easily absorbed, “bioavailable” in the jargon, than folates from
food. 

It would in fact be difficult to obtain sufficient supplies of
this nutrient from ordinary food sources.  Supplementation is
therefore recommended for all women of child bearing age because
the need for this nutrient is at its most critical in the very
early days of a pregnancy, possibly before the mother is even
aware of her condition.          

This is not to say, however, that a diet rich in folates should
not still be followed, because amongst the best and most readily
available sources of folates are leafy green vegetables, and
orange juice which also provide a plentiful supply of valuable
anti-oxidants and are extremely beneficial to general health.  

A single cup of spinach or asparagus, for example, may provide
as much as 130 or more micrograms (mcg) of folate; a small glass
of orange juice perhaps 80 mcg.  Pulses such as beans and
lentils are also good sources, the latter providing around 180
mcg in just half a cup, beans between 80 and 140 mcg according
to type.

Best of all, however, is fortified breakfast cereal, a single
cup of which may yield between 200 and 400 mcg, reflecting the
FDA’s insistence on the addition of folic acid to refined grain
foods, including bread.         

Although this policy is driven mostly by a desire to protect
the unborn, the more general advice to consume at least five
servings of fruit and vegetables a day has also been put forward
as a protector against cancer.  Certainly such a diet would be
rich in folates, and research suggests a strong association
between folate deficiency and an increased incidence of certain
of the more common cancers, including those of the cervix, colon
and rectum, lung, oesophagus and breast.  It is thought that the
association may arise because of the role of folate in DNA
repair within cells, DNA damage being regarded as a principal
cause of cancer. 

However, conventional medicine remains reluctant to accept
folic acid supplementation as a possible weapon in the battle
against cancer, even though one large scale study has reported a
halving of breast cancer risk in women taking more than 600 mcg
daily.  For reasons which are not understood, however, this
protective effect was only observed in the case of those women
who also consumed at least one alcoholic drink per day.  In
general it can be said that the link between folic acid intake
and cancer risk remains a matter of association rather than
clear causation, but orthodox opinion is much less cautious in
recommending a high intake of folates from food.  

But not surprisingly, given the potential benefits, nutritional
therapists are much less cautious in recommending folic acid
supplementation at levels far in excess of the officially
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 400 mcg (0.4 mg) a day;
some suggesting as much as 10 mg (10,000 mcg).  And in fact
there appears little reason for concern over the ingestion of
such apparently large amounts.

Although the US Food and Nutrition Board has recommended that
folic acid intake should be limited to 1,000 mcg (1 mg) per day,
this is not so much because of possible problems with such an
intake of folic acid in itself, but rather because it may cure a
particular type of anaemia which is one of the symptoms of an
underlying deficiency of vitamin B12.  Whilst you might think
that such a cure would be beneficial, the problem is that it may
mask the underlying vitamin B12 deficiency with potentially
serious neurological consequences.

But the solution to the problem would seem straightforward.  It
is simply to ensure that a generous supply of vitamin B12 is
obtained along with any folic acid taken.  And this should not
be difficult if the vitamins are taken as part of a supplement
containing the entire B complex, as is always recommended.  As
with all vitamins supplements, they should for maximum
effectiveness be taken in conjunction with a comprehensive
multi-mineral.

About the Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter
specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest
in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/FolicAcid2.htm

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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