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Tuesday, February 17, 2015. In an article published online on February 3, 2015 in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, researchers from California State University, the University of California, and the CDC in Atlanta report better survival among postmenopausal breast cancer patients with higher plasma levels of the B vitamin folate.
The study included 471 postmenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1994 and 1995. Stored plasma samples collected after diagnosis were analyzed for total folate (which is the sum of all folate vitamers), and the vitamers folic acid, tetrahydrofolic acid (THF), 5-methyl tetrahydrofolic acid, and 5-formylTHF/MeFox. Dietary questionnaires provided information on food intake and supplement use. The women were followed for an average of 6.7 years, during which 85 deaths occurred.
Among women whose plasma total folate levels were among the top 25% of all subjects, there was a 59% lower risk of mortality over follow-up in comparison with those whose levels were among the lowest 25%. Supplemental folic acid and total folate intakes were strongly, positively associated with circulating total folate and all vitamer levels.
"Several studies have shown increased bioavailability of folate from folic acid supplements compared with folate from food," Archana Jaiswal McEligot, of Cal State Fullerton, and colleagues noted.
"Folic acid supplementation compared to dietary folate alone, was not only significantly associated, but also much more highly correlated with circulating total folate concentrations, suggesting that in the absence of folic acid fortification and/or consuming a low folate diet, folic acid supplementation may improve survival after breast cancer diagnosis," they conclude. "However, more studies are needed to elucidate the role of the relationship between dietary folate intakes and folate supplementation with circulating folate vitamers, and their influence on survival after breast cancer diagnosis." |
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