VITAMIN B6 MAY HELP PREVENT COLORECTAL CANCER.

Results of a food-frequency questionnaire were taken from the Swedish Mammography Cohort study that included 61,433 women, age 40-76 years with no history of cancer. The findings of this study suggest that vitamin B6 may play a role in the prevention of colorectal cancer, particularly among women who drink alcohol. Moderate doses of vitamin B6 have been shown to suppress colorectal carcinogenesis in mice given injections of a carcinogen. Alcohol consumption may interfere with folate metabolism and affect colorectal cancer risk. Current recommended vitamin B6 daily intake is 1.3 to 1.5 mg in the US. Foods rich in vitamin B6 include some fruits and vegetables, potatoes, fortified cereals, legumes, fish, chicken and red meat. (Medscape Medical News, June 10, 2005)