High folic acid may increase breast cancer risk

Options
cp418
cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
edited June 2014 in Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment

http://www.sciencecodex.com/large_amounts_of_folic_acid_shown_to_promote_growth_of_breast_cancer_in_rats-126474

Large amounts of folic acid shown to promote growth of breast cancer in rats


 

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • abigail48
    abigail48 Member Posts: 1,699
    edited January 2014

    thus commercial bread nogood

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited January 2014

    Abigail, commercial bread is no good, period ;)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited January 2014

    This is where, though, it gets so tricky. We just had some other study about how the fibers in artichokes are good. However, artichoke is also really high in folic acid. In India it is considered medicinal and something you feed to pregnant women. So, again it comes down to, IMO, all things in balance and moderation.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightandwind
    lightandwind Member Posts: 754
    edited January 2014

    Momine, what you just said is true, unless you happen to have a gene called MTHFR, as some women with post menopausal breast cancer do....and then it gets even trickier.

    http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/11/6/R91

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited January 2014

    Light, great! Pass the wine ;)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited January 2014

    Yes - very tricky when you have this gene......  Scared

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightandwind
    lightandwind Member Posts: 754
    edited January 2014

    chianti? or merlot? 

    Here's another one...about drinking wine

    http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Breast-Cancer-Risk-From-Drinking-May-be-Wiped-Out-by-Eating-Greens-Study-Finds_2694

    lot's of conflicting info about folic acid, not sure how to decipher it...anyway, cheers!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightandwind
    lightandwind Member Posts: 754
    edited January 2014

    cp418, were you tested for the gene?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited January 2014

    Yes, tested by my nutritionist as single mutation C677T and she has me on a Methyl Guard supplement.  This is another reason for my interest in diet and supplements for how we can influence our metabolism in either a good/bad direction.  Many available tests are not ordered by our MO or GP without us researching or seeking another clinical professional input. 

    Interesting your link mentions this genetic mutation for post menopause women yet I was dx premenopause.  Wonder if my recurrence risk in higher now....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited January 2014

    I eat greens! Lots of greens, so definitely pass the wine ;) Merlot, Nemea, Cabernet, whatever!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightandwind
    lightandwind Member Posts: 754
    edited January 2014

    Perhaps natural folate has a different effect on bc than the synthetic form "folic acid" mentioned in cp's original post.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited January 2014

    Folic acid is interesting.  There are many studies that show that folic acid reduces the risk to develop many different cancers and other diseases.  But a couple of small recent studies (including this one) suggest that folic acid might increase the growth of cancer in cases where cancer cells are already present.  That's an important distinction - since it suggests that folic acid might prevent a new cancer but might not be advisable for those who currently have cancer.

    The other issue is how much folic acid one takes. This study specifically looked at consumption of significantly more than the recommended daily dosage - and there is a lot of info out there that suggests that too much folic acid is not a good thing.  But it appears that the right amount of folic acid is a good thing, and possibly a very good thing.

    Alcohol consumption reduces the amount of folic acid absorbed by the body. Therefore those who consume alcohol have often been advised to increase their folic acid consumption and this is particularly true for women at risk of breast cancer. In fact a couple of studies have shown that breast cancer risk is actually lower for those who consume moderate amounts of alcohol daily and take folic acid supplements (about 400 mcg to 800 mcg per day) versus those who don't consume alcohol at all.

    When I heard about this study yesterday I reviewed the previous studies and concluded that since I do have my glass of wine with dinner most nights, I remain better off continuing to take my folic acid supplements - just ensuring that I don't take more than 1mg of folic acid a day.  This is the recommendation of Dr. Susan Love, Harvard, Komen and many other sites that discuss breast cancer risk reduction particularly for those who choose to consume alcohol.

    It's important to not react too strongly to one very small and limited research study done on rats.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Fallleaves
    Fallleaves Member Posts: 806
    edited January 2014

    I'm one who is avoiding folic acid supplements and food that is highly supplemented with folic acid. It may be, as Light points out, that the synthetic form works differently than folic acid in it's natural state. I do think vitamins are more effective when consumed as part of a food, due to all the many phytochemicals that are also present that probably affect how your body metabolizes the vitamins. It falls in the vitamin C and E camp for me. I like foods that are high in those vitamins, but due to the negative research won't take the synthetic versions. 

    As for greens high in folic acid wiping out BC risk from drinking wine, I really hope it is true! I would love an excuse to be able to have a nightly glass of wine with dinner (or while making dinner). I'm just really cautious about drinking alcohol still because the studies have been so varied.

    cp418, I've never heard of that mutation. It does seem like most doctors aren't interested in doing the additional tests, even for the cyp2d6 gene that affects tamoxifen metabolism, which seems strange to me.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited January 2014

    I never heard of it either until I attended some diet presentations for breast cancer patients.  The topic of methylation was discussed and this is when I first learned of it's importance.  You can GOOGLE MTHRF mutations and see lots of articles and links.  As an aside - women who have frequent miscarriages may have this mutation as the root of their problem.  Here are a few for quick reference links:

     

    http://doccarnahan.blogspot.com/2013/05/mthfr-gene-mutation-whats-big-deal.html

    http://thyroid.about.com/od/MTHFR-Gene-Mutations-and-Polymorphisms/fl/The-Link-Between-MTHFR-Gene-Mutations-and-Disease-Including-Thyroid-Health.htm

    http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/MTHFR

     


     

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • althea
    althea Member Posts: 1,595
    edited January 2014

    Folic acid is synthetic.  Its dietary equivalent is folate.  Folate is plentiful in green vegetables.  Additionally, there are many brands of supplements that are derived from whole food sources. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories