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American Morning
House Call: Study Shows Folate May Help Prevent Breast Cancer
Aired March 05, 2003 - 07:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: It's time to make a "House Call" this morning to look at some of our top health stories.
So, our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is joining us from CNN Center.
Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Now, we've been talking a lot about vitamins lately, and there's yet another study talking about some of the virtues of vitamins, specifically its relationship to breast cancer.
Vitamin B9 and B6, researchers found in Boston, will actually decrease a woman's chance of getting breast cancer over time.
To back up for a second, we've known a lot about folic acid, which is vitamin B9, and niacin, which is vitamin B6, for quite some time, specifically with its relationship to preventing birth defects. Women have been encouraged to eat these for quite some time. In fact, since 1998, breakfast cereals, which you can see here, have been mandated to actually have these vitamins installed.
Now, there is another story now out of Boston talking about its relationship to breast cancer, specifically reducing the risk of breast cancer by about 27 percent overall if adequate levels, high levels of these vitamins were actually being taken.
Now, specifically women who take alcohol, who have been taking alcohol with some degree of moderation, have an increased risk of breast cancer. These particular vitamins seem to decrease the risk of breast cancer, particularly in those women, and that was sort of an interesting finding as well.
So, overall a 27 percent decrease, but the women who are moderate alcohol drinkers seem to have the most significant benefit from taking these vitamins.
Now, these types of vitamins, B9 and B6, can be found in all sorts of different foods. Specifically orange foods such as oranges and pumpkins will have the vitamin B9 in particular. Vitamin B6 can be found in beef. And of course, if the only green, leafy vegetable you're getting is in between a burger, there are supplements out there as well, which can provide the 400 micrograms necessary -- Paula.
ZAHN: That is an amazing statistic you're sharing with us this morning. How widely believed is this theory?
GUPTA: You know, this is an interesting study. This study has been going on since 1976. They've looked at 712 women who were taking adequate levels -- again 400 micrograms of these vitamins -- and women who weren't. And they found the significant benefit of taking these vitamins in terms of warding off breast cancer.
Again, for a long time they've known the benefits of vitamin B9 and B6, but this breast cancer finding was sort of an unexpected surprising finding.
ZAHN: Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Cancer>
Aired March 5, 2003 - 07:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: It's time to make a "House Call" this morning to look at some of our top health stories.
So, our medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is joining us from CNN Center.
Good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Now, we've been talking a lot about vitamins lately, and there's yet another study talking about some of the virtues of vitamins, specifically its relationship to breast cancer.
Vitamin B9 and B6, researchers found in Boston, will actually decrease a woman's chance of getting breast cancer over time.
To back up for a second, we've known a lot about folic acid, which is vitamin B9, and niacin, which is vitamin B6, for quite some time, specifically with its relationship to preventing birth defects. Women have been encouraged to eat these for quite some time. In fact, since 1998, breakfast cereals, which you can see here, have been mandated to actually have these vitamins installed.
Now, there is another story now out of Boston talking about its relationship to breast cancer, specifically reducing the risk of breast cancer by about 27 percent overall if adequate levels, high levels of these vitamins were actually being taken.
Now, specifically women who take alcohol, who have been taking alcohol with some degree of moderation, have an increased risk of breast cancer. These particular vitamins seem to decrease the risk of breast cancer, particularly in those women, and that was sort of an interesting finding as well.
So, overall a 27 percent decrease, but the women who are moderate alcohol drinkers seem to have the most significant benefit from taking these vitamins.
Now, these types of vitamins, B9 and B6, can be found in all sorts of different foods. Specifically orange foods such as oranges and pumpkins will have the vitamin B9 in particular. Vitamin B6 can be found in beef. And of course, if the only green, leafy vegetable you're getting is in between a burger, there are supplements out there as well, which can provide the 400 micrograms necessary -- Paula.
ZAHN: That is an amazing statistic you're sharing with us this morning. How widely believed is this theory?
GUPTA: You know, this is an interesting study. This study has been going on since 1976. They've looked at 712 women who were taking adequate levels -- again 400 micrograms of these vitamins -- and women who weren't. And they found the significant benefit of taking these vitamins in terms of warding off breast cancer.
Again, for a long time they've known the benefits of vitamin B9 and B6, but this breast cancer finding was sort of an unexpected surprising finding.
ZAHN: Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Cancer>
