Breast cancer is a cancerous tumor that occurs inside the breast. It is second to lung cancer as the leading cause of death by cancer among American women. Breast cancer also affects men; however, the risk of developing breast cancer in men is significantly lower than women, notes Stanford Medicine. Women face a 1-in-8 lifetime risk for breast cancer, Columbia University Medical Center reports. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the development of breast cancer, such as age, family history, menstrual cycle and diet. Breast cancer is almost curable, if detected and treated early, and scientific evidence shows that antioxidant vitamins may reduce the incidence of breast cancer.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a generic name for a large number of fat-soluble vitamins. Retinol is the chief and typical vitamin A that is used in a wide variety of forms in medicine and nutrition. More research is needed, but tentative results show that retinol and its metabolites may reduce the growth of breast cancer cells in women, according to a 2000 study published in "Public Health Nutrition" that was conducted by Patricia Moorman, of Yale University School of Medicine, and colleagues. Normally, breast cancer in women is nourished by the female sex hormone estrogen. Retinol, known for its anti-estrogenic effects, inhibits the formation of breast cancer cells by restoring normal estrogen levels in your body.
Vitamin D
There is convincing evidence that boosting of vitamin D intake will stop the growth of breast cancer cells and shrink tumors in culture, according to the University of California, Davis. Nutrition experts have already begun to recommend that adults get 1,000 to 2,000 international units of vitamin D per day. A standard multivitamin normally supplies 400 IU, so you will require an extra vitamin pill or supplement, in addition to a single multivitamin. Consult your doctor to determine the appropriate dosage for you.
B Vitamins
The majority of epidemiological studies on dietary intake of folic acid have found that women with higher levels of folic acid in their blood appear to be less likely to develop breast cancer as compared to women whose levels of folic acid are lower. There is growing evidence that folic acid and vitamin B-6 intake is inversely associated with the risk for breast cancer in women who consume moderate amounts of alcohol, according to Harvard School of Public Health. Generally, higher alcohol intake increases the risk for breast cancer in women with low folate levels.
References
- The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Breast Cancer Basics
- "Public Health Nutrition"; Vitamin Supplement Use and Breast Cancer in a North Carolina Population; Patricia Moorman et al.; 2000
- University of California Davis: Chemopreventive Compounds Induce Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Keep the Multi, Skip the Heavily Fortified Foods
- Stanford Medicine: Breast Cancer in Men
- Columbia University Medical Center: Breast Cancer in Women of Color
