Vitamin B₆ and Colorectal Cancer

Vitamin B₆ and its active form, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), have important roles in DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation and can attenuate cell proliferation and oxidative stress. Therefore, a lower risk for colorectal cancer with greater intake of B₆ or higher blood levels of PLP is biologically plausible. Researchers examined this relation in a meta-analysis of nine prospective case-control studies of vitamin B₆ intake and four studies of PLP blood levels (total, 7000 participants).

Risk for colorectal cancer in people who had the highest PLP blood levels was lowered by nearly 50% compared with those who had the lowest levels. Risk in people with the highest B₆ intake was about 10% lower than in those with the lowest intake — a nonsign…