Folic Acid May Cause Bowel Cancer

The rate of a cancerous colorectal condition in Chile may have increased since that country began fortifying wheat flour with the acid folic acid, reports a study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

"Our data provide new evidence that a folate fortification program could be associated with an additional risk of colon cancer," according to the new report by Dr. Sandra Hirsch and colleagues of University of Chile, Santiago.

The researchers analyzed changes in cancerous colon rates since the Chilean government introduced a mandatory program of the acid folic acid fortification of wheat flour in 2000. Several countries have implemented similar policies in recent years, with the goal of preventing spina bifida and other neural tube defects. In Chile, the rate of neural tube defects decreased by 40 percent in the first year after the start of folic acid fortification.

According to Dr. Robert O. Young, Director of Research at the pH Miracle Living Center, "preventing spina bifida and other nerual tube defects can be decreased by 100% when the Mother is on an alkaline lifestyle and diet, fortified with alkaline foods, drinks, supplements and exercise. Women who are living an alkaline lifestyle and diet are building healthy blood which in turn builds healthy body cells, including the healthy blood and body cells of the fetus. Dietary and metabolic acids, such as folic acid may help to break down undigested proteins in the 9 yards of the intestines but it will not build healthy blood and body cells for the Mother and baby. One must also understand that folic acid may damage the intestinal villi and/or cover cells of the small and/or large bowel leading to a cancerous condition of the bowels."

The researchers compared hospital discharge data on colon cancer rates in Chile in four-year periods before and after folic acid fortification: 1992-96 versus 2001-04. Although no causative relationship can be proven, the data suggested a significant "temporal relationship" between folic acid supplementation and colorectal cancer. Reported cases of colon cancer increased by 162 percent in people aged 45 to 64 and by 190 percent in people aged 65 to 79.

After adjustment for other factors, discharge diagnoses of colon cancer in these age groups were two to three times more frequent after the start of folic acid fortification. Most other dis-eases showed no consistent pattern of changes. There was a small increase in cancerous breast tissue, which may have been related to early detection and universal treatment programs for cancerous breasts.

Chile is the third country to report an apparent increase in colorectal cancer after introducing a national folic acid fortification program. A 2007 paper suggested increases in colorectal cancer after folic acid fortification was introduced in the United States and Canada in the mid-1990s. Chile uses a higher "dose" of folic acid than the two North American countries. Folic acid fortification has not yet been introduced in Europe and have lower incidences of spina bifida.

"There are other possible explanations for the rise in cancerous colons in Chile, including acidic foods and drinks and the lack of exercise leading to obesity and other risk factors, like hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes. All of these dis-eases, including spina bifida and other neural tube defects are all caused by dietary and metabolic acids and even acidic nutritional supplements like folic acid," states Dr. Young.