Vegetables containing Vitamin B can slash risk of mouth cancer
Vegetables containing Vitamin B can slash risk of mouth cancer Women who consume high volumes of folic acid found in Vitamin B from vegetables and some fruits are less likely to suffer from mouth cancer. 87,000 nurses were followed
Vegetables containing Vitamin B can slash risk of mouth cancer
Women
who consume high volumes of folic acid found in Vitamin B from vegetables and
some fruits are less likely to suffer from mouth cancer.
87,000 nurses were
followed for 30 years from 1976 by researchers from the Columbia University
Medical Centre and Harvard School of Public Health. Women who drank a high
volume of alcohol and had low folic acid intake were three times more likely to
develop mouth cancer than those who drank high volumes of alcohol but had high
volumes of folic acid in their diet.
Alcohol is one of the major risk factors
for mouth cancer and those who drink to excess are four times more likely to be
diagnosed. This is the first time that folic acid intake has been shown to
affect the risk of the disease. Alcohol leads to a reduction in folic acid
metabolism by creating acetaldehyde which leads to a reduction of folic acid in
the body.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel
Carter, said: “Rates of mouth cancer in women have been increasing for many
years as a result of changed social habits with more women smoking and drinking.
This new research could offer a method to reduce this by looking at the folic
acid intake and increasing fruit and vegetables containing folic acid in the
diet.
“In the past studies have tended to focus on males, as they are twice
as likely to suffer from the disease. Whilst this study focuses on women we know
that men also benefit from the protective value of increased fruit and
vegetables”.
Folic acid or vitamin B9 is essential to an individual’s health
by helping to make and maintain new cells. Pregnant women are advised to
supplement their intake of folic acid, to ensure a healthy development of the
baby.
Folic acid is found in vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, beans,
peas and lentils and is added to bread. Fruit juices, broccoli and brussel
sprouts contain smaller amounts.
An unhealthy diet has been linked with
around a third of mouth cancer cases. Recent research has also shown that an
increase in food such as eggs and fish that contain Omega 3, and nuts, seeds and
brown rice, which are high in fibre, can help decrease the risks.
Mouth
cancer survival is poor with only around half of cases surviving for 5 years and
this is due to late presentation. The Mouth Cancer Action Month Campaign run by
the Foundation aims to increase awareness and reverse this trend with the theme
‘If in doubt get checked out’.
Early warning signs to look out for include a
mouth ulcer that has not healed within three weeks, red or white patches in the
mouth and any unusual swelling or lumps in the mouth. These are all signs that
you should get your dentist or doctor to check you out as soon as possible.
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