The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine has been surrounded by controversy since it was first commercialized. This could be partly due to the fact that it has had no long term testing, is injected into female children, and there have been serious side effects and even deaths linked to its use. So when I came across a study that shows two vitamins may help prevent the HPV virus from spreading, I wanted to share this exciting research.
A team of scientists led by C. J. Piyathilake at the Department of Nutrition Sciences, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, attempted to determine whether supplementation with folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 would have an effect on the human papilloma virus (HPV) and cervical cancer linked to this virus among women.
They attempted to identify any associations between serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 and high risk HPV infections by evaluating 724 women in a screening study in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.
They found 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 serum folate and serum vitamin B12.
The scientists published their results in The International Journal of Women’s Health, and concluded that: “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…”
Considering the controversy surrounding HPV vaccines and the likelihood that their results with Indian women are applicable to other women, the results suggest that supplementation with folate and vitamin B12 (or a single B-complex vitamin that includes both of folate and B12) may help prevent HPV and cervical cancer.
B-vitamins are essential nutrients that are involved in countless biochemical processes in the body. Without sufficient amounts we become more susceptible to stress, depression, anxiety, or irritability. B-complex vitamins are necessary for adequate energy, learning capacity, growth, immunity, reproduction, pain reduction or proper pain signals, wound healing, memory, and glandular or nervous system functions.
These nutrients 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.