B Vitamins Lower Cancer Risk From Wine

Q. I love a glass of wine with dinner now and again. My doctor has said this is fine and may even reduce my risk of heart disease. What has me concerned, however, is a report that I read about alcohol and breast cancer. Is it true that drinking wine or other alcohol would up my chance of breast cancer?
A. Alcohol in any form may increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. One theory is that alcohol raises levels of estrogen circulating in the blood. Exposure to excess estrogen promotes breast cancer.
Another theory is that alcohol interferes with the action of folic acid. A diet rich in folic acid substantially lowers a woman’s risk of breast cancer, especially among women who consume alcohol. Research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (March 5, 2003) shows that women who drink can reduce their risk almost 89 percent by getting adequate folate and vitamin B6.