A study published in the The Journal of the American Medical Association examined the impact of folic acid intake on colon cancer risk in about 1,000 people. Half of the study participants took a placebo and the other half took a daily supplement containing one milligram of folic acid. The researchers followed the participants' progress over a 10-year period and performed colonoscopies to check for colon polyps and/or cancer.
Results of the Folic Acid Study
The idea behind the study was to determine if folic acid could help prevent polyps (colon cancer precursors), as other studies have indicated. Ultimately, the researchers found that folic acid offered no benefit. Data collected from the study actually suggested that high doses of folic acid might contribute to polyp formation, but more research is needed to determine the validity of that finding.
Limitations of the Folic Acid Study
The study wasn't designed to determine if folic acid may contribute to polyp formation. The researchers reached that conclusion by performing "exploratory analysis," which looks for patterns in data. So, it's important to view that result with skepticism.
Also, it's important to note that the amount of folic acid used in this study was more than twice the recommended daily allowance. I don't personally view this study as a reason to stop taking multivitamins or eating folate-rich foods like eggs, beans, oranges, strawberries, and asparagus. I do see it though, as another reason to use caution when adding high doses of individual vitamins and minerals to your diet.
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Source: Cole, B. and Baron, J. "Folic Acid for the Prevention of Colorectal Adenomas." The Journal of the American Medical Association 297.21 (6 Jun. 2007): 2351-2359. Accessed 9 Jun. 2007 [http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/21/2351?ct=ct].
