Folate may protect women from pancreatic cancer
A study with 51,988 men and 57,187 women aged between 55 and 74 found that folate intakes above 253.3 micrograms a day were associated with significantly reduced risk of pancreatic cancer in women, compared to folate intakes below 179.1 micrograms per day, says research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study adds to an ever growing body of science supporting the potential anti-cancer effects of folate, linked to the vitamin’s role in DNA methylation, synthesis, and repair.
On the other hand, the researchers, led by Brietta Oaks from the University of California, Davis, report no association between folic acid supplements and cancer risk.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
2010, Volume 91, Pages 449-455, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28433
“Folate intake, post–folic acid grain fortification, and pancreatic cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial”
Authors: B.M. Oaks, K.W. Dodd, C.L. Meinhold, L. Jiao, T.R. Church, R. Z Stolzenberg-Solomon
