Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Folate deficiency causes extensive incorporation of uracil into human DNA, leading to chromosome breaks and increased colon cancer risk.
If you do not consume enough folate-rich foods (leafy greens, legumes), consider a multivitamin or folate supplement. This is especially important if you have a genetic variant (MTHFR) that affects folate processing, as this can increase your risk of DNA damage and colon cancer.
StrongSupportsVERY_HIGH confidence
Folate deficiency causes extensive incorporation of uracil into human DNA (4 million/cell), leading to chromosomal breaks. This mechanism is the likely cause of the increased colon cancer risk associated with low folate intake.
Why this rating
Mechanistic evidence is described as 'compelling' with clear reversal by supplementation.
Source
Micronutrient Deficiencies: A Major Cause of DNA Damage
Bruce N. Ames · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 1999
DOI 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1999.tb08727.x
narrative_reviewCited 174×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Deficiencies in specific micronutrients (folate, B12, B6, C, E, iron, zinc, niacin) cause DNA damage through mechanisms mimicking radiation, including single/double-strand breaks and oxidative lesions, thereby increasing cancer risk.Good
- Inadequate intake of antioxidants (Vitamins C and E) mimics radiation exposure by failing to neutralize oxidative by-products of metabolism, leading to oxidative DNA damage and increased cancer risk.Good
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