Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Supplementation with 5 mg of folic acid significantly decreased homocysteine (inflammation), insulin levels, and cell damage while significantly improving blood sugar values, and levels of the antioxidant glutathione.
Cervical dysplasia is a condition in which abnormal changes occur in the cells on the surface of the lower part of the uterus, called the cervix. While cervical dysplasia is not cancer, it may lead to cervical cancer if these cellular changes are not addressed (1).
One type of cervical dysplasia is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, which occurs on the surface of the cells of the cervix (2). The major cause of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is chronic infection from Human Papilloma Virus (3). As a result, finding ways to maintain cervical health in women is needed.
Now a new study (4) suggests that folic acid supplementation may be a benefit to cervical health. Previous research suggests that genetic changes in polymorphisms in genes related to folate metabolism may be involved in cervical neoplasia (5). Building on this research, the new study involved 58 women aged 30 to 48 and diagnosed with grade 1 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. They received either 5 milligram per day of folic acid (29 women) or a placebo (29 women) for 6 months. Blood samples and cervical tissues samples were taken before and after the study to assess for changes in cervical cell growth.
After 6 months, the researchers noted significant changes in the blood work of those in the folic acid group. Specifically, there were decreases in inflammation (homocysteine), insulin levels, and a measure of blood sugar control called HOMA-B; and also increases in the antioxidant glutathione and decreases in a measure of cell damage called malondialdehyde:
| Folic Acid | Placebo | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homocysteine (micromoles/Liter) | 15.6% decrease (12.9 to 10.9) | 0.7% increase (12.8 to 12.9) | 0.005 |
| Insulin (microInternational Units/Liter) | 8.9% decrease (18.0 to 16.4) | 18% increase (14.4 to 17.0) | 0.018 |
| HOMA-B | 16% decrease (81.6 to 68.6) | 16.7% increase (66.9 to 78.1) | 0.028 |
| Glutathione (micromoles/Liter) | 12.9% increase (632.7 to 714.2) | 27.9% decrease (794.2 to 573.3) | < 0.001 |
| Malondialdehyde (micromoles/Liter) | 17.3% decrease (5.8 to 4.8) | 1.8% increase (5.6 to 5.7) | 0.04 |
Regarding the biopsy and each woman’s cervical cellular makeup, 83.3% of those in folic acid group had a regression in their cervical cells makeup (indicating an improvement in cervical health) compared to 52% of those in the placebo (p = 0.019). When proposing an explanation for the 52% regression in the placebo group, researchers cited previous studies showing spontaneous regression of cervical dysplasia (6, 7) but that the folic acid most likely played a role in the extra 30% of regression seen in the supplement group.
They went on to conclude that “5 mg daily folate supplementation for 6 months among women with CIN1 resulted in it regression and had beneficial effects on plasma homocysteine, serum insulin, HOMA-B, glutathione, and malondialdehyde levels.”
Source: Asemi Z. Effects of long-term folate supplementation on metabolic status and regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrition 2016 Jun;32(6):681-6. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2015.12.028. Epub 2015 Dec 29
© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
Posted September 22, 2016.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- “Cervical dysplasia” posted on the U.S. Library of Medicine website
- Uuskula A, Raag M, Uppin A, Raud T, Klaar U, Jurisson M, et al. Incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Estonia. J Low Genit Tract Dis 2013;17:129–36.
- Bosch FX, Lorincz A, Munoz N, Meijer CJ, Shah KV. The causal relation between human papillomavirus and cervical cancer. J Clin Pathol 2002;55:244–65.
- Asemi Z. Effects of long-term folate supplementation on metabolic status and regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrition 2016 Jun;32(6):681-6. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2015.12.028. Epub 2015 Dec 29
- Tomita LY, D’Almeida V, Villa LL, Franco EL, Cardoso MA. Polymorphisms in genes involved in folate metabolism modify the association of dietary and circulating folate and vitamin B-6 with cervical neoplasia. J Nutr 2013;143:2007–14.
- Guido R, Schiffman M, Solomon D, Burke L. Postcolposcopy management strategies for women referred with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or human papillomavirus DNA-positive atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance: A two-year prospective study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1401–5.
- Cox JT, Schiffman M, Solomon D. Prospective follow-up suggests similar risk of subsequent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or 3 among women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 or negative colposcopy and directed biopsy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1406–12.
