When it comes to cancer prevention, it's wise to steer clear of most supplements and instead focus on food. Numerous studies have suggested that many dietary supplements do not decrease cancer risk. Some supplements, in fact, actually may increase risk, raising concerns that supplements cause more harm than good for many people.

The latest study on this topic adds to these concerns with the finding that folic acid and vitamin B₁₂ dietary supplements increase the risk of being diagnosed with cancer, of dying from cancer, and of dying from any cause.

By the Numbers

The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial in which nearly 7,000 adults in Norway were randomly selected to take one of the following:

• 0.8 mg of folic acid + 0.4 mg of vitamin B₁₂ + 40 mg vitamin B₆ per day
• 0.8 mg of folic acid + 0.4 mg of vitamin B₁₂ per day
• 40 mg vitamin B₆ per day
• placebo (no vitamins)

Double-blind means that neither the researchers nor the study participants knew who was taking which vitamins or the placebo. Randomized means that people were selected at random for each vitamin (or placebo) group. This type of study is considered "the gold standard" of research designs, because it is most likely to show results accurately, without errors that can happen with other study designs.

Study participants were followed for a median (similar to average) of approximately six and a half years (39 months of active study participation plus 38 months of post-study observation). The study showed that compared with people not receiving folic acid and vitamin B₁₂, those who took these vitamins had:

• 21% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer (any type)
• 38% higher risk of dying of cancer (any type)
• 18% higher risk of dying of any cause

Taking vitamin B₆ did not have any measurable effects (good or bad) on the health of the study participants.

Take Home Message

It is likely that most of the negative health effects shown in this study are related to folic acid, more than to vitamin B ₁₂. Health experts have suspected for some time that folic acid may be a "double-edged" sword.

If people get plenty of folic acid early in life, including in the womb (in utero, during pregnancy) and through childhood, this appears to protect against later developing cancer. If, however, people get too much (excess) folic acid during adulthood, this seems to increase the overall risk of cancer, and of colon cancer in particular.

Also of note: This study showed harm from folic acid supplements in a country that does not fortify its food supply with folic acid. The United States does fortify the food supply with folic acid. This means that we already get a supplemental form of this nutrient in our diets in high amounts. This also means that the harms of taking additional folic acid supplements are more likely to occur in people who are living in the US.

The bottom line is that we should get our folic acid from foods naturally high in this nutrient, not from pills. No studies have ever shown that getting plenty of folic acid from food increases cancer risk. Plus, studies do show that eating folic acid-rich foods likely decreases cancer risk. The same is definitely not true of folic acid supplements.

Taking folic acid as a dietary supplement is not a good idea, unless advised to do so by your doctor, for a specific medical reason, such as pregnancy. Eating foods that are naturally rich in folic acid (not foods that are fortified) is a good idea for everyone, because these are the same foods that appear to reduce cancer risk when part of a healthy diet.

Healthy Eats

The best, natural food sources of folic acid include:

• black-eyed peas (beans)
• pinto beans
• chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• spinach
• okra
• black beans, navy beans, and other beans
• asparagus
• collard greens
• kale
• chard
• other green leafy vegetables
• broccoli
• artichokes

For people with cancer, a decrease in quality of life is one of the most difficult aspects of the disease to manage. Many struggle with fatigue and feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. For people seeking non-medical ways of coping with cancer side effects, Qigong may offer relief.

Qigong ("chee-kung") is a Chinese meditative practice which uses slow graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques to promote feeling calm, peaceful, and more content. The latest research on Qigong shows that when cancer patients regularly practice Qigong, it improves their overall quality of life, lessens fatigue, and helps decrease inflammation in the body.

Qigong is gentle and can be practiced by most people, and so offers a unique way to better manage cancer treatment side effects, and possibly even establish healthy coping habits for the long-term. If you want to learn more about Qigong, ask your cancer treatment center for information on this form of meditation. You can also learn about Qigong from the Qigong Association of America and Qigong USA.

A newly published study highlights how combining existing cancer treatment medications in new ways can improve survival for those with advanced colorectal cancer. The chemotherapy combined two medications, capecitabine and irinotecan, in a treatment referred to as XELIRI.

Researchers studied XELIRI treatment in 53 patients, more than half (55%) of whom were 65 years of age or older. The overall response rate (ORR) to XELIRI in this group was 32% and the disease control rate was estimated to be 66%. The median (similar to "average") survival in the group was 19.2 months, showing that even in people with metastatic (advanced) colorectal cancer, the right treatments can extend life in a meaningful way.

Very serious side effects, which are known as grade 4 toxicity, occurred in only 1 patient. Overall, this study supports that XELIRI, which is a combination of two chemotherapy medications - capecitabine and irinotecan - is a promising first-line treatment of advanced colon cancer.

If you or a loved one is facing a diagnosis of advanced colon cancer, talk to your doctor about all of the treatment options available to you. With good medical care and the support of your loved ones, you can make the right choices for your own cancer care.

The American Institute for Cancer Research recently released new numbers on how obesity is linked to the number of cancer cases in the US each year. Not surprisingly, the numbers aren't good.

When it comes to colon cancer, it is estimated that at least 13,200 cases each year are due to obesity. In other words, studies suggest that nearly 10%, or one-tenth, of all colon cancer cases never would occur each year if obesity were not a problem in the US.

Other health experts believe this estimate is even on the low side. Another study on this topic suggests that about 30% of all colon cancer cases in the United States are due to people having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 22.5 kilograms per meter squared (kg/m2).

If you care about reducing colon cancer cases in this country, then you should develop a passion for how you can help lower the rates of overweight and obesity too. There are many things you can do to personally tackle overweight and obesity in your life.

In addition to this, make a note to check back to the About.com Colon Cancer website. In the coming weeks, I'll be posting more information on how to make healthy, fat-fighting, colon-cancer-risk-reducing habits a part of your everyday routine.