folic acid and breast cancer

Personally, I think it's wise to be sure we get enough of all of the B-complex vitamins.  I believe stress is far more harmful to us than a bit of extra folic acid, and getting adequate B-complex vitamins is very important for our nerves and for balancing the stress hormones.

Not sure why anyone would supplement with high dose folic acid though, unless it's for a specific deficiency.  I actually use a "Homocysteine Modulator" supplement that contains 100% of the recommended amount of Folic Acid (along with B6 & B12), specifically for imbalances in my homocysteine and cholesterol levels caused by chemo & rads, which it's helping.

I'm a firm believer in natural vitamins, and would definitely avoid the cheapy supermarket and drugstore brands, which are often made in test tubes, have fillers, and are not absorbed the same as food-based supplements. 

Here's a link I just pulled up that tells the importance of getting enough Folic Acid -- either in your diet, or with a supplement if you're not sure your diet provides it.    Deanna

Oops!  Forgot to give you the link:   http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=63

sam, it looks like the website is having technical issues due to increased traffic.  Try Goggling folic acid best sources.  When I do that, it's the first one that comes up for me.  Or maybe try just the basic web address:  www.whfoods.com  and then when you're on their site, search folate.  I think it's worth looking for b'cuz the info was really complete.     Deanna

I'm confused about this too. I just asked my oncologist (who is very open-minded and supplement-friendly), and he recommends that his patients avoid supplementing with folic acid. He says there's some evidence that too much can fuel cancer by switching off tumor-supressing genes, and it's better just to get a good amount of folate from dietary sources.

Wish I'd known that sooner! Five years ago I tested positive for an MTHFR mutation which impedes the body's ability to metabolize folic acid, so on the recommendation of my gynocologist I started supplementing with a biologically-active form of folic acid. When I was diagnosed in August, they said my tumor had been growing for about 5 years. I recently read a Swedish study that found an increase in breast cancer risk in women with the MTHFR mutation who ALSO had high levels of folate in their blood. Don't know whether the extra folic acid fueled my cancer or not, but I will never supplement with it again, that's for sure. I hope they do some more studies on the subject.

Sam - maybe you'd want to be checked for an MTHFR mutation before you make your decision regarding supplementation?