Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Mark Welfare, Dr Alison Spiers, Wendy Bal, Yvonne Duckworth, Eileen Gibney, Dr Liz Williams, Professor John Mathers
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Epidemiologic data suggest that increasing folate intake may protect against colorectal cancer. Riboflavin may interact with folate to modulate the effect. A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled intervention study (the FAB2 Study) was carried out in healthy controls and patients with colorectal polyps (adenomatous and hyperplastic) to examine effects of folic acid and riboflavin supplements on biomarkers of nutrient status and on putative biomarkers of colorectal cancer risk (DNA methylation and DNA damage; to be reported elsewhere). Ninety-eight healthy controls and 106 patients with colorectal polyps were stratified for the thermolabile variant of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, MTHFR C677T, and were randomized to receive 400 μg of folic acid, 1,200 μg of folic acid, or 400 μg of folic acid plus 5 mg of riboflavin or placebo for 6 to 8 weeks. Blood samples and colon biopsy samples were collected for the measurement of biomarkers of folate and riboflavin status. Supplementation with folic acid elicited a significant increase in mucosal 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate, and a marked increase in RBC and plasma, with a dose-response. Measures of riboflavin status improved in response to riboflavin supplementation. Riboflavin supplement enhanced the response to low-dose folate in people carrying at least one T allele and having polyps. The magnitude of the response in mucosal folate was positively related to the increase in plasma 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate but was not different between the healthy group and polyp patients. Colorectal mucosal folate concentration responds to folic acid supplementation to an extent comparable to that seen in plasma, but with a suggestion of an upper limit. Copyright © 2007 American Association for Cancer Research.
Author(s): Powers HJ, Hill MH, Welfare M, Spiers A, Bal W, Russell J, Duckworth Y, Gibney E, Williams EA, Mathers JC
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention
Year: 2007
Volume: 16
Issue: 10
Pages: 2128-2135
ISSN (print): 1055-9965
ISSN (electronic): 1538-7755
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0208
DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0208
PubMed id: 17932361
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric