A study published in the Journal of Nutrition (December 2007; 137:2701–2708) examined B-vitamin deficiencies and their relationship to colon cancer in mice. Earlier studies have suggested that low folic acid levels may be a risk factor for colorectal cancer. This study evaluated the effect of low folate when combined with low levels of other B vitamins, including riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.
Over a ten-week period, the researchers assessed several biochemical, immunological, and genetic markers. They found that mild depletion of folic acid, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 significantly increased DNA damage localized to the Apc gene. Folic acid depletion alone did not affect DNA integrity.
