Low folate linked to colon cancer

Women who consumed more folate had a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, colon cancer and rectal cancer, according to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. A hospital-based case-control study examined 596 men and women with colorectal cancer and 509 controls, aged 30 to 79 years. Subjects who consumed 180 mg of folate or less daily were more than twice as likely to have cancer compared to people who ate 270 mg/d. Women who consumed more than 300 mg/d of folate were 64 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer compared to women whose intake was 200 mg/d or less. However, researchers found no influence of folate intake on men’s colorectal cancer risk.