April 18, 2003 – Folic acid could fight bladder cancer and prevent Down syndrome, but it could also be dangerous after heart surgery, different studies show.
The first study, carried out by American researchers, indicates that people whose ability to repair their DNA has been weakened are three times more likely than others to suffer from bladder cancer if they do not consume enough folic acid. Folic acid is crucial for the synthesis and repair of DNA. Smokers would be even more at risk, since smoking is a risk factor for bladder cancer and weakens the body’s ability to repair DNA.
A second study suggests that folic acid, in addition to preventing neural tube defects in the fetus, may also prevent Down syndrome (trisomy 21). An international team of researchers found that in Israel and Ukraine, women with a child with a neural tube defect were five times more likely to have a child with Down’s syndrome as well. The researchers therefore believe that a deficiency in folic acid could be responsible for both problems.
A new study is currently underway, in which pregnant women at risk of having a child with Down’s syndrome will take five milligrams of folic acid daily, or 10 times the recommended dose.
Finally, a third study warns that folic acid, taken in combination with vitamins B1 and B6, could prove to be harmful for some people who have undergone heart surgery.
For example, German researchers have studied 600 patients who had been fitted with a “stent”, a small tube that must prevent an artery from blocking. Sixteen percent of patients who took a high daily dose of folic acid and vitamins for six months after their operation had their tube blocked and needed another operation to clear it, compared with only 11% of patients. patients who were not taking supplements.
Worse, in 35% of people taking supplements, tube installation sooner or later was considered a complete failure, compared to only 27% of other patients.
The researchers note, however, that the daily doses of supplements taken by their patients were very high – 1.2 mg of folic acid, 48 mg of vitamin B6 and 0.06 mg of vitamin B12. In comparison, a multivitamin usually contains only 0.4 mg of folic acid.
Folic acid is found in fruits and vegetables, in fortified foods and as a dietary supplement.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to WebMD Health, April 3, 2003; drkoop.com, April 9, 2003; and HealthScout, April 17, 2003.
