Minerals help protect against cancer

The Facts:

* Over 4,000 middle-aged men in France were studied over an 18-year period to see how blood levels of copper, zinc and magnesium affect the risk of developing cancer or cardiovascular disease.

* High blood levels of copper markedly increased the risk of death by any cause, and the risk of death as a result of cancer or cardiovascular disease. When low zinc levels were also seen this increased the risk of death even further.

* High magnesium levels reduced the risk of death by cancer or cardiovascular disease and when combined with low zinc levels this reduction was more noticeable.

Shaun’s comment: This was an enormous study in an excellent journal, and so its findings are important. Although the mechanism of action was not examined in this study, the message was clear: magnesium reduced the risk of death or cancer in middle-aged men. Many supplements are available and so if you are going to take a supplement, you may want to either take magnesium or a product that contains several supplements including magnesium.

Study Reference:

http://www.epidem.com/pt/re/epidemiology/abstract.00001648-200605000-00017.htm

Vitamin B6 intake, alcohol consumption, and colorectal cancer

The Facts:

* The role of vitamin B6 in preventing colorectal cancer was investigated in a Swedish study involving over 60,000 women.

* Women who consumed low levels of vitamin B6 had a 30% higher chance of developing colorectal cancer than those who consumed large quantities.

* Women who consumed moderate to large amounts of alcohol who also had low vitamin B6 consumption were at even higher risk of developing this type of cancer.

Shaun’s comment: The third most common cancer in Western countries affects the bowel, and it usually arises from mushroom-like growths called polyps. This huge study found this cancer was more common in people who had low levels of vitamin B6. Levels of this vitamin tend to be lower in people who drink excess alcohol, and in this research, it was found that women who drank a lot of alcohol did in fact have a higher risk for this cancer.

Study Reference:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2005.03.005