Vitamin Supports Lung Health

by CP Staff

A recent study evaluated levels of nutrients including vitamin B6 and folic acid to determine if there was an association with the risk of developing lung cancer. The American Cancer Society states that the lifetime risk of developing lung cancer is approximately 1 in 13 for men and 1 in 16 for women. They estimate that for 2010 there will be 222,520 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed and 157,300 deaths from lung cancer, which is about 28 percent of all cancer deaths.

This new study analyzed blood samples obtained from 385,747 of the 519,978 recruited participants, in order to evaluate serum levels of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid and methionine, plus cotinine, the biomarker for nicotine exposure. The subjects were then followed for the development of lung cancer in this population.

The results showed that there were 899 cases of lung cancer in this group. The risk of developing lung cancer was determined in men to be 6.6 per 100,000 people in those that never smoked, 44.9/100,000 in former smokers, and 156.1/100,000 in current smokers. For women, the rates were 7.1/100,000 in those that never smoked, 23.9/100,000 in former smokers, and 100.9/100,000 in current smokers.

The results also showed that the subjects with the highest serum levels of vitamin B6 had a 56 percent decrease in the risk of developing lung cancer compared to the individuals with the lowest vitamin B6 levels, even after controlling for smoking status. Additionally, the subjects with the highest serum levels of methionine had a 48 percent decrease in the risk of developing lung cancer compared to the subjects with the lowest levels. Also, in former and current smokers, the subjects with the highest levels of serum folic acid had a 32 percent decrease in the risk of lung cancer compared to the subjects with the lowest levels of folic acid.

When the researchers combined the data, they found that the subjects with serum levels of vitamin B6 and methionine above the median level had an overall reduction in lung cancer risk by 64 percent in those that had never smoked, 49 percent in former smokers and 58 percent in current smokers, compared to the subjects with serum levels below the median.

The researchers concluded, “Serum levels of vitamin B6 and methionine were inversely associated with risk of lung cancer.”

Reference:

Johansson M, Relton C, Ueland PM, Vollset SE, Midttun Ø, Nygård O, Slimani N, Boffetta P, Jenab M, Clavel-Chapelon F, Boutron-Ruault MC, Fagherazzi G, Kaaks R, Rohrmann S, Boeing H, Weikert C, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Ros MM, van Gils CH, Peeters PH, Agudo A, Barricarte A, Navarro C, Rodríguez L, Sánchez MJ, Larrañaga N, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Allen NE, Crowe F, Gallo V, Norat T, Krogh V, Masala G, Panico S, Sacerdote C, Tumino R, Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D, Rasmuson T, Hallmans G, Riboli E, Vineis P, Brennan P. Serum B vitamin levels and risk of lung cancer. JAMA. 2010 Jun 16;303(23):2377-85.