High doses of vitamin B supplements can cause lung cancer in men

PanARMENIAN.Net - Men who consumed high doses of vitamin B supplements have a significantly higher risk of getting lung cancer, a study published Tuesday, August 22 said, according to The International Business Times.

Researchers from Ohio State University and the National Taiwan University studied more than 77,000 people aged between 50 and 76 in the U.S. and found that men who took high dosages of vitamins B6 and B12 faced 30 percent to 40 percent increased risk of lung cancer.

For men who were smokers, the risk was even higher, quadrupling over next in case of excessive intake of vitamin B12 and increasing three times when excessive doses of B6 was consumed.

However, similar increased cancer risk was not seen in women or with the vitamin B9, said the study.

The participants were recruited from the state of Washington between 2000 and 2002 and were made to answer questions about their vitamin use over the previous 10 years. Researchers used statistical techniques to adjust for many factors including personal smoking history, alcohol consumption, and personal history of cancer or chronic lung disease. Results revealed that just over 800 of the study volunteers developed lung cancer over an average follow-up of six years.

While the supplements might help those with anemia or celiac disease and prevent them from feeling tired, large doses may prove to be very useful for an average healthy person.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), high intakes of vitamin B6 can cause severe and progressive sensory neuropathy characterized by loss of control of bodily movements. Other symptoms of too much vitamin B6 include extreme sensitivity to sunlight, nausea, painful, unsightly skin patches and heartburn. Vitamin B12, on the other hand, has a low potential for toxicity.