Study finds cancer and vitamin link
Study finds cancer and vitamin link
2008-05-02Newsfeed
A recent study has found that some cancer sufferers do not benefit from superfoods because a protein that is associated with the disease can inhibit the body's ingestion of superfood vitamins, a recent study has reported.
A recent study has found that some cancer sufferers do not benefit from superfoods because a protein that is associated with the disease can inhibit the body's ingestion of superfood vitamins, a recent study has reported.
The eight-strong team of scientists involved in the research found that the vitamin folate that resides in superfoods such as broccoli and asparagus is inhibited by the gene MDM2, which is known to cause cancer.
Dr Mark Boyd, who is based at the University of Liverpool and a lead author in the project, said: "The discovery is significant because it sheds new light on the connection between MDM2 and the way that different types of cancer develop.
"If you can understand what has gone wrong you can start to think about ways to fix it."
He added that cancer can be caused by the MDM2 gene when it produces too much MDM2 protein and to understand the connection between the gene and superfood folate was "incredibly influential" on cells and "important" in the fight against cancer.
Copyright © The Press Association 2008
