Smokers who have higher levels of vitamin B6 and certain essential proteins in their blood have a lower risk of getting lung cancer than those deficient in these nutrients.
Smokers who have higher levels of vitamin B6 and certain essential proteins in their blood have a lower risk of getting lung cancer than those deficient in these nutrients. The B vitamins, folic acid and the amino acid methionine are involved in metabolism within cells, help to maintain the integrity of DNA and regulate gene expression: all of which may affect the risk of developing cancer.
Lung cancer is the most common form of the disease in the world and 90 percent of all cases are caused by cigarette smoking. It kills 1.2 million people a year. About 10 to 15 percent of smokers develop lung cancer - although they often die of other smoking-related causes like heart disease, stroke or emphysema. Lung cancer is also known to kill people who never smoked or who gave up years ago.
To investigate the role of nutrients in lowering the risk of lung cancer, researchers studied around 899 lung cancer patients, mostly smokers but also including about 100 who never smoked and 260 who had quit.
It was found that the change in risk of lung cancer linked to B6 and methionine levels was the same for all three groups, although of course the overall risk of getting the disease was much higher in the smokers to start with. For the two nutrients together, the risk reduction was about 60 percent. Thus, high serum levels of vitamin B6 and methionine may reduce the risk of lung cancer and the researchers encourage the intake of diet rich in these nutrients.
Lung cancer is the most common form of the disease in the world and 90 percent of all cases are caused by cigarette smoking. It kills 1.2 million people a year. About 10 to 15 percent of smokers develop lung cancer - although they often die of other smoking-related causes like heart disease, stroke or emphysema. Lung cancer is also known to kill people who never smoked or who gave up years ago.
To investigate the role of nutrients in lowering the risk of lung cancer, researchers studied around 899 lung cancer patients, mostly smokers but also including about 100 who never smoked and 260 who had quit.
It was found that the change in risk of lung cancer linked to B6 and methionine levels was the same for all three groups, although of course the overall risk of getting the disease was much higher in the smokers to start with. For the two nutrients together, the risk reduction was about 60 percent. Thus, high serum levels of vitamin B6 and methionine may reduce the risk of lung cancer and the researchers encourage the intake of diet rich in these nutrients.
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