Vitamin B12 kills cancer cells

The Mayo Cancer Clinic has developed a new way to locate cancer using a special form of Vitamin B12. Douglas Collins, M.D., a Mayo Clinic radiologist, working with a biochemist from the University of Minnesota, found a way to attach a radioactive molecule to Vitamin B12. The radioactive B12, when injected into the human body, shows brightly on conventional gamma imaging scans.

This new testing method may make it easier to locate hard-to-find cancers. It works because cancerous cells absorb great quantities of Vitamin B12, while healthy body tissues only absorb small amounts. (In fact, research has shown that tumour cells will grow extra B12 receptors to make sure they get the B12 they need.) Scans detect and show the radioactive molecule attached to the vitamin, allowing physicians to locate areas of radioactive B12 concentration. The areas of concentration indicate the location of cancer.

In a separate project, the Abramson Cancer Centre of the University of Pennsylvania have been working on using vitamin B12 as a 'shuttle' in order to target cancer tumours with a lethal compound. In the knowledge that tumour cells selectively take up large amounts of vitamin B12 and produce significantly more of the B12 receptor than normal cells, vitamin B12 was modified to include a toxic compound which is picked up by the receptor and brought inside the tumour, killing the cancer cells. The internal environment of a cancer cell is acidic (as opposed to the alkaline environment of a normal cell). The toxic compound is released only in an acidic environment.

Now – all this is very interesting – but what is more interesting is the fact that cancer therapies such as Gerson and the Bristol Cancer Centre have, for many years, included vitamin B12 in their cancer treatment. It may seem strange to treat cancer by supplying the very vitamin for which cancer cells develop extra receptors. Strange that is – until you consider the fact that nature has provided vitamin B12 with it’s own toxic compound – cyanide!

The acidic environment unique to the cancer cell greatly facilitates the release of the cyanide ion contained in vitamin B12. In normal cells cyanide is detoxified by the enzyme rhodanese in the mitochondria (the cell membrane) forming thiocyanate (vitamin B12). However, cancer cells lack this important enzyme possessed by normal cells. The cancer cell, therefore, not only facilitates the release of the cyanide ion, but it is unable to detoxify the cyanide ion by converting it to thiocyanate – and so the cancer cell is destroyed.

Given that our immune systems need to destroy cancer cells on a daily basis, we should all ensue that we get sufficient vitamin B12 in our diets. Good food sources are brewer's yeast, organ meats, meat, cheese, fish, milk, milk products and eggs. Vegetarians and vegans in particular may be at risk of deficiency and should take a good, well balanced vitamin B complex supplement containing vitamin B12 - along with all the other B vitamins. (Do check the label to ensure that it is the cyanocobalamin form of B12)

Note: no single food or supplement should ever be thought of a cure but rather as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. For more health information see the Food For Thought web site.