February 26, 2007 – Taking multivitamins during pregnancy is believed to significantly reduce a child’s risk of three common types of childhood cancers.
Researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto looked at seven studies analyzing the impact of daily multivitamin consumption on the health of young children.
According to their observations, multivitamins would provide a protective effect for children. They would reduce:
– the risk of developing neuroblastoma by 47%;
– by 39% the risk of becoming leukemic;
– and 27% the risk of having a brain tumor.
Researchers are unable to precisely identify the components of multivitamins that would cause this anti-cancer effect. However, they suspect folic acid (or vitamin B9) to play an active role.1.
In 2003, researchers at the same hospital compared some rates of cancer cases in Ontario children before and after 1997. In that year, Canada began adding folic acid to flour to prevent heart defects. neural tube. Neuroblastoma cases in young Ontario patients decreased by 60%, but the number of children with leukemia did not change2.
Several studies have found that supplementing with folic acid during pregnancy protects the fetus from neural tube defects. However, according to researchers, only half of pregnant women in the country consume the 400 micrograms of folic acid recommended by Health Canada daily.
Although rare, neuroblastoma is the second most common tumor in children under five, after brain tumors. It is also the deadliest childhood cancer.
The most common cancer in children, however, remains leukemia, which accounts for 25% to 35% of new cases each year.
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
According to Radio-Canada and The Globe & Mail.
1. Goh Y, Bollano E et al. Prenatal multivitamin supplementation and rates of pediatric cancers: a meta-analysis, advance online publication. To consult the summary of the study: .www.nature.com [consulté le 22 février 2007].
2. French AE, Grant R et al. Folic acid food fortification is associated with a decline in neuroblastoma, Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Sep; 74 (3): 288-94.
