High Folate and B12 Intake Reduces Breast Cancer Risk

Consumption of folate and vitamin B12 are inversely related to risk of breast cancer according to a population-based case-control study conducted in Mexico (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 15, 3:443-8, 2006). Researchers from the Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica and Boston's Harvard School of Public Health interviewed 475 women aged 23 to 87 years (median 53 years) who had been diagnosed with breast cancer through six hospitals in Mexico City. Researchers interviewed patients to collect data on breast cancer risk factors and gathered data on their normal diet through a food frequency questionnaire. Using a national sampling frame, researchers selected 1,391 control subjects from the general population of Mexico City, aged 18 to 82 years (median 49 years).

When compared with women in the lowest quartile for folate and B12 intake, the odds ratio for breast cancer in women in the highest quartile was 0.64 for folate intake and 0.32 for vitamin B12 intake. Among postmenopausal women in particular, high intake of folate and vitamin B12 were associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. The inverse association of folate and breast cancer was stronger among women who consumed high levels of vitamin B12.

Researchers concluded that high intakes of folate and vitamin B12 were independently associated with decreased breast cancer risk, particularly among postmenopausal women.

Bio-Design Vitamin B12 5000+ provides 5 mg of Vitamin B12 (83,000 times RDI) per sublingual tablet. One of the five milligrams of vitamin B12 is provided as methylcobalamin, a naturally occurring coenzyme form of Vitamin B12 that overcomes a metabolic methylation defect affecting some individuals. Also, methylcobalamin is the specific form of vitamin B12 used by the central nervous system. Folate and vitamin B6 enable Vitamin B12 5000+ to meet the needs of individuals with a homocysteine recycling defect (see below). Folinic acid (tetrahydrofolate) is a natural form of folate, as compared to the synthetic folic acid found in most supplements.

Though the body is able to store a 5-year supply of vitamin B12 it is, none the less, prone to malabsorption. Vegetarians, the elderly, and people with malabsorption syndromes are at risk for Vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency may be a side effect of anti-gout or anticoagulant medications. Deficiency symptoms arise gradually and therefore may go unrecognized. Symptoms associated with B12 deficiency include a tender or sore tongue, chronic fatigue, constipation, drowsiness, depression, irritability, poor digestion, asthma, headaches, tinnitus, and vitiligo.

Hold and dissolve one Vitamin B12 5000+ tablet under the tongue before swallowing, once or twice daily. There are no known toxic effects from taking high levels of Vitamin B12.