May 26, 2009 12:48 pm US/Eastern
Go! New York: Vitamin B6 Takes On Colon Cancer
Doctors: With The Proper Regimen Of The Supplement You Can Lower The Chances Of Getting Disease
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
We've long known about the nutritional benefits of vitamins, but one in particular may even help to prevent cancer.
CBS 2 HD has learned of new research on a now even more essential vitamin.
For 46-year-old Cindy Martinez, colon cancer just wasn't in the cards.
"He said, 'Yeah, a large mass … It's a large mass and it has to be removed and all indicators point to colon cancer.'
"I was in shock when he said that. I said no you have the wrong file, that's not me."
But Colon Cancer Surgeon Warren Enker said that kind of reaction is typical of patients who learn the potentially devastating news.
"Every patient who hears the diagnosis has themselves dead and buried within weeks to months," Dr. Enker said.
But through early detection and aggressive treatment, Martinez is beating the disease. And to prevent it from coming back she's including plenty of vitamin B6 in her regimen.
A new study from Harvard Medical School shows high levels of vitamin B6 may reduce the risk of getting colon cancer by 58 percent.
"I'm taking a B complex, but I'm going to make sure that it has B6 in it," Martinez said.
"B6 is important for your overall health; it's important for preventing heart disease. It's increasingly important in preventing cancer," Dr. Enker said.
Patients in the study with the highest levels of the nutrient in their blood had the lowest levels of colon cancer.
Vitamin B6 is found in multivitamins and as stand-alone supplements, but foods like beans, nuts, eggs and fish may be even better sources.
"Vitamins do play important roles, but not as pills, not as supplements -- if you get your vitamins from the nutrients, from the foods," Dr. Enker said, "in which they originate naturally, that's when they have an effect."
For Martinez, focusing on vitamins is a small price to pay for her health.
"I have to think positive, and be positive, and be proactive, and making sure that everything's okay and right. Now it is," Martinez said.
While getting enough B6 is important, taking too much of the vitamin can be dangerous -- it's linked with nervous system problems and numbness of the feet and hands.
Get the okay from your health care provider before taking any over-the-counter remedy.
Experts say B complex vitamins can also reduce blood levels of amino acids that contribute to heart disease.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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