Folic acid and B vitamins are thought to have an important role in cancer prevention, but a study published in JAMA found that these supplements had no significant effects on overall cancer risk.
More than 5000 women health professionals, aged 42 or older, enrolled in a RCT designed to evaluate the effects of folic acid and B vitamins on cancer risk in women with high risk cardiovascular disease. They were randomly assigned to receive a daily combination of folic acid and B vitamin or a placebo for 7.3 years.
Researchers found that the supplement group had similar risk of developing cancer or death and there was a significant reduced risk of cancer in women aged 65 or older at study entry. The authors said "if the findings is real and substantiated, the results may have public health signficance because the incidence rates of cancer are high in elderly perosns...."
Source: Effect of Combined Folic Acid, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 on Cancer Risk in Women. JAMA, 2008; 300 (17): 2012-2021 ( f/t via Athens)
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