Daily folic acid intake helps reduce cancer risk

“Eating a plate of dark green vegetables daily could help lower the risk of breast cancer by 20 percent to 40 percent, “ said Sun Chien-an, a professor at Fujen Catholic University's Department of Public Health.

“Eating a bit of pork liver occasionally is also helpful in reducing cancer risk,” he added.

Sun made the comments based on the findings of a research project that he has been conducting over the past 10 years at the request of the Cabinet-level Department of Health (DOH) on the correlation between local people's folic acid intake and the risk of cancer.

Sun said his research team analyzed the findings of the 1992-1996 national nutrition surveys, conducted blood tests on residents in two townships — Hsinchu County's Jhudong and Chiayi County's Putzih — and tracked the changes for more than 10 years.

Moreover, the team factored in information from databanks that recorded the condition of local cancer patients and causes of death, Sun said.

According to the findings of the research project, the incidence of breast cancer among the group of people who took more than 415 micrograms (mg) of folic acid daily was 25 percent lower than among those whose daily intake of folic acid was less than 260 mg.

The research also found that the incidence of breast cancer was 44 percent lower among those who had folic acid concentrations of more than 17.2 nanogram (ng) per 100 milliliters (ml) in their blood than among those who recorded folic acid concentrations of 7.2 ng or less per 100 ml.

A further analysis of the data collected in the study showed that the incidence of various forms of cancer among those whose daily folic acid intake exceeded 415 mg over the past 15 years was only 8 percent, as compared to 9.7 percent among those whose daily intake fell below the daily minimum.

“These findings indicate that foods rich in folic acid can help ward off cancer,” Sun said.

Speaking on the same occasion, Lin Hsueh-jung, director of the DOH's Bureau of Food Safety, said people's daily folic acid intake should increase with age.

“For those younger than 4, the daily intake of folic acid should be no less than 200 mg, and for those aged 13 and over it should be more than 400 mg,” Lin said, adding that the minimum daily intake for pregnant women should be at least 600 mg.

Noting that folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for human cell division and growth, Lin said it is found widely in natural foods, including dark green vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli and cabbage, as well as in whole grains, beans, animal livers and foods containing yeast.

“One can get 400 mg of folic acid by eating 17 small stems of asparagus or 2.25 bowls of broccoli,” Lin said, adding that people who eat out often can get adequate amounts of folic acid from vegetable salads and yeast.

According to the results of national nutrition surveys, the intake of folic acid among local people tends to be less than half of the suggested amount and the deficiency is most serious in the 13-18 age group.

Lin said foreign researchers have also found that adequate folic acid intake can significantly lower the risk of colorectal cancer and can also help prevent many other forms of cancer, including cervical cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer and gastric cancer.

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