The human papilloma virus has been linked to cervical cancer among women, and C. J. Piyathilake of the Department of Nutrition Sciences of The University of Alabama, led a team of scientists who evaluated 724 women in a screening study in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India, in order to determine whether supplementation with folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 would have an effect on the virus or the diseases it causes.
The results were published in The International Journal of Women’s Health, showing that women with the highest concentrations of serum folate and vitamin B12 had the lowest risk of being positive for high risk HPV compared to those with lower levels of these vitamins. The team concluded ‘These results demonstrated that improving folate and vitamin B12 status in Indian women may have a beneficial impact on the prevention of cervical cancer. Micronutrient based interventions for control of high-risk HPV infections may represent feasible alternatives to vaccine based approaches to HPV disease prevention’.
So what’s so great about B vitamins? Your body uses these essential nutrients in countless biochemical processes, and without enough B vitamins in your body you are more susceptible to stress, depression, anxiety, or irritability. Family wellness depends on B-complex vitamins, as they give you and your family sufficient levels of energy, learning capacity, growth, immunity, reproduction, pain reduction or proper pain signals, wound healing, memory, and glandular or nervous system functions. You can add these nutrients easily into your family’s diet, as B vitamins are found in brown rice, root vegetables, pumpkin seeds, citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe, kale, green vegetables, and beans. A typical supplementary dose is between 50 to 100 mcg of folate and B-12, but you should consult your doctor for further information.