Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer in women, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Less common in the United States because of pap smears, cervical cancer affects the cervix, the lower part of the uterus. Some preliminary research suggests that vitamin B-12 may help to lower the risk of cervical cancer. Consult your physician before taking vitamin B-12 supplements.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is a very slow-developing cancer, beginning as a pre-cancerous condition known as dysplasia. Your physician detects dysplasia by conducting a routine pap smear and it can be treated so that cervical cancer does not develop. Cervical cancer is usually preceded by a sexually transmitted disease, human papilloma virus, often referred to as HPV. Other risk factors that may influence your chances of developing cervical cancer include initiating sexual activity at an early age, multiple sexual partners, weakened immune system and lower socioeconomic status that makes it difficult to afford regular pap smears.
Vitamin B-12 Deficiency
Vitamin B-12 is a group of compounds that are essential for normal nerve function and metabolism, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The water-soluble vitamin can be found in certain animal foods, such as meat, fish and dairy. If you have a deficiency in vitamin B-12, you may experience symptoms such as anemia, fatigue, problems with digestion and weight loss. Neurological symptoms, such as depression, confusion and dementia, can also accompany vitamin B-12 deficiency. Older adults, vegetarians, vegans and people with certain diseases are at most risk for a vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Vitamin B-12 and Cervical Cancer
Research published in "Cancer Causes and Control" suggested that elevated serum homocysteine levels, an indicator of vitamin B-12 deficiency, was predictive of cervical cancer. The large 2001 U.S. study found that women's chances for developing invasive cervical cancer were significantly increased with higher serum homocysteine levels. Another study conducted in 2003 by the Cancer Research Center of the University of Hawaii, and published in "Cancer Causes and Control," suggested that thiamine, riboflavin, folate and vitamin B-12 may play a protective role in cervical cancer.
Dosages and Precautions
According to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, the recommended intake of vitamin B-12 for adults over the age of 14 is 2.4 mcg. If you are deficient in vitamin B-12, you can take supplements. Although vitamin B-12 has a low potential for toxicity, consult your physician before adding a vitamin B-12 supplement to your diet. Vitamin B-12 has the potential to interact with some medications, such as chloramphenicol, proton pump inhibitors, metformin and histamine H2 receptor antagonists.
References
- PubMed Health; Cervical Cancer; December 2010
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Vitamin B-12; March 2011
- National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B-12
- "Cancer Causes and Control"; Elevated Serum Homocysteine Levels and Increased Risk of Invasive Cervical Cancer in US Women; S.J. Weinstein, et al.; May 2001
- "Cancer Causes and Control"; Diet and Premalignant Lesions of the Cervix: Evidence of a Protective Role for Folate, Riboflavin, Thiamin, and Vitamin B12; B.Y. Hernandez, et al.; November 2003
Member Comments