Folic acid and cancer

Folic acid is known for decreasing the number of birth defects — now there’s evidence it may also cut down on some childhood cancers.

Much of our food has been fortified with folic acid since the late 1990’s.

It’s been shown to reduce the prevalence of neural tube defects by nearly a third.

Now, researchers at the University of Minnesota have found evidence that it may have also reduced rates of some rare childhood cancers, including a form of kidney cancer, and tumours of the central nervous system.

But scientists say more research is needed to show a cause and effect relationship between the supplement and those lowered cancer rates.