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Eating three times the recommended daily intake of
folate and vitamin B12 may lower the risk factors for heart disease and
cancer. Folate-rich foods include leafy green vegetables while B12 is
found in meat, chicken, fish, liver and kidneys.
Eating more folate and
B12 actually slows the wear and tear of DNA - genetic material found in
the nucleus in our cells.
The investigators found that people with above-average
damage to their DNA may reduce some of the damage by boosting their intake
of foods with these vitamins.
The researchers believe that between five and 10 percent
of people eating a Western diet do not take enough to optimize DNA repair
and synthesis.
Those with above-average rates of DNA damage have
two to three times the level of cancer risk than those who have low DNA
damage.
The studies found a 25 percent reduction in chromosome
damage amongst the high-damage group, after supplementing their diet for
12 weeks with folate and B12. Those in the low-damage category had no
change.
More information: rosie.schmedding@nap.csiro.au
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