Two Common Vitamin Deficiencies Drive Up Cancer Risk
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. And it’s the second leading cause of cancer death in women.
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in men and women combined.
They’re KILLERS… and reducing our risk for them should be a TOP priority.
Extreme dieting or intense exercise for hours every day would do the trick. But let’s be realistic. Most of us won’t be able to sustain such restrictive lifestyle changes.
That’s what makes some recent research so exciting. Scientists stumbled upon an incredibly easy, natural way to slash your risk for breast and colon cancer that any one of us can stick to.
It turns out two specific nutrients are tied to a reduced risk for these top killers.
Various studies have hinted at the connection between certain nutrient deficiencies and increased cancer risk.
But they’ve generally been the kind that establishes correlation, not causation. In other words, we can see a connection, but we can’t PROVE it.
But the study I want to share with you today is different. It used a method called Mendelian randomization (MR), which incorporates factors that help evaluate causal links between a disease (such as cancer) and risk factors (like nutrient deficiencies).
MR allowed researchers to link TWO SPECIFIC nutrient deficiencies to an increased risk of TWO TOP cancers.
- vitamin B12 deficiency drives up colorectal cancer risk
- magnesium deficiency raises breast cancer risk
These findings are the “gold standard” variety, meaning they’re “robust and reproducible.”
Since breast and colon cancer are so common, this study makes a strong case for having your levels of both nutrients tested.
And, of course, (most importantly) for correcting any deficiencies you have.
It’s easy to naturally raise your levels of these nutrients. Eating more pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, avocados, and cashews will boost magnesium levels. While salmon, eggs, liver, beef, and dairy products are good sources of vitamin B12.
Both nutrients are available as supplements as well.
P.S. SLASH cancer risk in 4 minutes a day!
SOURCE:
Kim, J. Y., et al. (2023). An atlas of associations between 14 micronutrients and 22 cancer outcomes: Mendelian randomization analyses. BMC Medicine. doi: 10. 1186 /s12916 -023 -03018-y
