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dont shoot the messenger, this came from the news on my homepage!!
HIGH VITAMIN C DOSES 'MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK'
12:43am Friday, 15th June 2001
Scientists believe large doses of vitamin C may raise the risk of cancer by triggering a biological process that damages DNA.
The US findings could explain why, contrary to expectations, vitamin C supplements have not been shown to offer any protection against cancer.
Previous research has already indicated that vitamin C can do harm as well as good.
In 1998 a study led by Professor Joseph Lunec at Leicester University showed that a vitamin C dose of 500mg can damage DNA, potentially increasing the risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
The new work by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, shows that vitamin C is capable of inducing the production of DNA-damaging chemical agents called genotoxins.
DNA mutations caused by these compounds have been found in a variety of tumours.
Dr Ian Blair, from the Centre for Cancer Pharmacology at the university, who led the research published in the journal Science, said: "It's possible that vitamin C isn't working in cancer prevention studies because it's causing as much damage as it's preventing, but that's really speculation at this point. What we can say is that vitamin C doesn't work when you expect it to."
Some experts in the past have recommended dietary supplements of vitamin C for treating and preventing cancer.
And many people routinely take vitamin C supplements for general health, often in very high doses of 1,000mg or more. The recommended daily intake in the UK is 60mg.
The US scientists stress there is no suggestion that a healthy intake of vitamin C causes cancer. But Dr Blair said: "Our message is that it's the total diet that's important, not just one antioxidant in isolation."
HIGH VITAMIN C DOSES 'MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK'
12:43am Friday, 15th June 2001
Scientists believe large doses of vitamin C may raise the risk of cancer by triggering a biological process that damages DNA.
The US findings could explain why, contrary to expectations, vitamin C supplements have not been shown to offer any protection against cancer.
Previous research has already indicated that vitamin C can do harm as well as good.
In 1998 a study led by Professor Joseph Lunec at Leicester University showed that a vitamin C dose of 500mg can damage DNA, potentially increasing the risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
The new work by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, shows that vitamin C is capable of inducing the production of DNA-damaging chemical agents called genotoxins.
DNA mutations caused by these compounds have been found in a variety of tumours.
Dr Ian Blair, from the Centre for Cancer Pharmacology at the university, who led the research published in the journal Science, said: "It's possible that vitamin C isn't working in cancer prevention studies because it's causing as much damage as it's preventing, but that's really speculation at this point. What we can say is that vitamin C doesn't work when you expect it to."
Some experts in the past have recommended dietary supplements of vitamin C for treating and preventing cancer.
And many people routinely take vitamin C supplements for general health, often in very high doses of 1,000mg or more. The recommended daily intake in the UK is 60mg.
The US scientists stress there is no suggestion that a healthy intake of vitamin C causes cancer. But Dr Blair said: "Our message is that it's the total diet that's important, not just one antioxidant in isolation."
