the B vitamins?

Marin-  When I first finished treatment I did take a B complex thinking it would help my neuropathic issues after my falls, shoulder replacement and subsequent brachial plexus stretch and the resultant RSD.

I stopped taking the complex however, because I was leary about such a high dose of thiamine.  I still take some Bs but individually.  There is also some controversy about Folate because of all the Folate we are getting in fortified and enriched foods.

From what I've gleaned it says if you take a multi with 400 mcg of folic acid---don't eat any cereal,
energy bar or other food that contains 400mcg in the serving you eat.

Joel Mason, director of vitamins and Carcinogenisis Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center of Aging at Tufts University in Boston says--Colorectal Cancers rose soon after companies started adding folic acid to foods but that still has yet to be proved.

Seems that they have compelling data that getting adequatefolic acid protects against certain cancers but an abundant quantity may accelerate carcinogenisis.

Here is the deal--The Ovarian Cancer Screening trial found a 19% higher risk of BC in postmenopausal women
who were taking at least 400mcg from supplements.

But, in Sweden another study showed a lower risk of BC in women who took the most Folic Acid 380 to 400mcg a day.
But here is the big difference why this is misleading.
Flour is not fortified in Sweden where they are getting much less folic acid. 
So getting more is still much less than we get from our diets!

The thought is that "maybe folic acid only enhances the growth of tumors when you exceed the threshold."

This has left experts unsure of the wisdom of adding folic acid to flour, "especially when some advocates of reducing birth defects want it raised" when colorectal, prostate and breast cancer increase as we age.
We could be harboring precancerous lesions and folic acid may fuel their growth.

And since we are getting all this additional involuntary folic acid we may be benefiting some and harming others.

Also, the article talked about the follow-up of a three year trial that had given a placebo or 1000mcg of folic acid to 1000 people who already had a precancerous polyp (adenoma) removed from their colon or rectum.
"we saw an increased risk of advanced adenomas in people who got folic acid," says co-author John Baron,
a professor of medicine at Dartmouth School of medicine.  And more Folic Acid Takers (10%)than placebo (4%) had at least 3 new adenomas and more folic acid takers (11%) than placebo (6%) were diagnosed with cancer outside the colon or rectum.
 

Linus Pauling institute says this about thiamine:

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Thiamin deficiency has been observed in some cancer patients with rapidly growing tumors. However, research in cell culture and animal models indicates that rapidly dividing cancer cells have a high requirement for thiamin (27). All rapidly dividing cells require nucleic acids at an increased rate, but some cancer cells appear to rely heavily on the TPP-dependent enzyme, transketolase, to provide the ribose-5-phosphate necessary for nucleic acid synthesis. Thiamin supplementation in cancer patients is common to prevent thiamin deficiency, but Boros et al. caution that too much thiamin may actually fuel the growth of some malignant tumors (28), suggesting that thiamin supplementation be reserved for those cancer patients who are actually thiamin deficient. Presently, there is no evidence available from studies in humans to support or refute this theory. However, it would be prudent for individuals with cancer who are considering thiamin supplementation to discuss it with the clinician managing their cancer therapy. 

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also this :

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9568183?dopt=Abstract

Because the B's are water soluable, they flush through your system quickly. They are also fragile and easily compromised in the digestive system. Buying good quality B is really important. When you shop for your B-12, be sure to get the Methylcobalamin form of B-12, it is more easily used by the body. Many brands don't have this form, they use the one cheaper to make, it's Cyn...something. I used to work in vitamins and really researched the B's for myself. I love Jarrow the best for brands and their  B-Right product, which is a B complex is my fav.

As far as Folate, I don't eat packaged foods, or flour, for that matter (gluten-free) and all those products that are fortified are not good for you in my opinion. If you eat a good balanced whole foods diet, you should not need much in the way of vitamins...except those that support our nervous system...because we are living in a stressful world that our bodies were not designed to deal with, in my humble opinion. I'm not a doctor, but my naturapath agrees. I take a B-complex and extra B-6 and B-12.

Now when cancer enters the picture, clearly the body is in trouble, so in our cases, I think some vitamins will be helpful. But the best antioxidents are still straight from food itself. 

I like to save my B12 for when I think I need it.  It too has its bad press.  The theory is it can help an already existing cancer grow.  I guess tumors need vitamins too.  B6 @ 100 mgs so far gets good press until someone finds out I take it, then I'll see headlines.  That helps to keep away that crazy thumb that a lot of the women get.  And it helps with magnesium absorption.

Rosemary-I cut back on the B12 too but now that I am back on Aciphex I may have to supplement because the Proton Pump inhibitors can cause deficiencys.

JerseyMaria--I agree with you about testing.  My PCP has been doing them since I started taking what he thought was a shocking amount of D3.   (Now he's testing all his patients and is thrilled with my levels LOL) Aside from Vit D levels he also checks my Folate, B12, magnesium, calcium. a few others I can't remember.  I think its very important.  

Don't know how often insurance will pay.

Hi Jule,

This is helpful information particularly for my aunt who is currently taking B12 daily. I'll pass this info to her. 

Thanks for sharing.

The only period I had remission for my aggressive bc I was using Bcomplex (long with many other supplements.)   I sorry I don't buy this latest news.  Next year it will change again.  Again most of us do not take enough through our body to change much of anything.  Look at research history on so many other vitamins.  Vit E Or Vit C...my bc surgeon only told me to stay away from vitamin E?  My oncologist just don't take large does of anything.

I give vitamin D three years and it will fall out of favor.

Flalady

I find this topic very interesting. I am currently NED. I've been getting monthly B12 shots from my doctors for about three years. This was before my breast cancer was discovered. My pc told me that I could eat a truck load of B12 or B12 supplements and it would'nt help me, seems my body doesn't make B12. When I first started getting the shots, I had to get one a day for a week then one a week for one month, now I'm down to one shot every month. I never dreamed that there could be a connection between the shots and breast cancer. Now I find myself thinking, what did I do to myself? And more importantly why would my pc and my onc continue to give me the shots?

Thanks for the information.

Susan

Just passed my two year mark.

Jule,

A very good response, if I might say.  We need and want to do what is best for our body and this is very individualized.  It was not my intention to scare off anyone from B-12, but to make note that it may not be the best answer for everyone.  We continually address the issue of "one size does not fit all".

It's encouraging to hear your results.

Best wishes