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# Vitamin C protects against head and neck cancers
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/vitamin_c_head_and_neck_cancers_0907151056/
- Published: 2015-09-07T11:55:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:06:06.000Z
- Description: Pooled data from ten case-control studies, covering 5,959 cases and 12,248 controls, linked the highest quintile of vitamin C intake from food to 46 percent lower risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer and 48 percent lower laryngeal cancer risk. Whether supplements do the same is unknown.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Vitamins, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Monday Sept 7, 2-15 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study recently published in International Journal of Cancer suggests that taking natural vitamin C supplements may help lower risk of head and neck cancer.

The study actually found a link between high vitamin C intake from natural sources, not vitamin c supplements, and lower risk of the cancer of the oral cavity/pharynx and larynx. It remains unknown whether taking vitamin C supplements may render the same protective effect against the cancers.

The study was based on pooled data from ten case-control studies with 5,959 cases and 12,248 controls participating in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology consortium.

Specifically, intake of vitamin C in the highest quintile, compared with that in the lowest quintile was found associated with 46% reduced risk of oral and pharyngeal cancers. High vitamin C intake was also correlated with 48% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer.

The inverse associaiton between vitamin C intake and risk of oral pharyngeal cancers were consistent among all studies regardless of age, sex, educaiton, body mass index, tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking status. (David Liu)

*Valeria Edefonti, Mia Hashibe, Maria Parpine, Federica Turati, Diego Serraino, Keitaro Matsuo, Andrew F. Olshan, Jose P. Zevallos, Deborah M. Winn, Kirsten Moysich, Zuo-Feng Zhang, Hal Morgenstern, Fabio Levi, Karl Kelsey, Michael McClean, Cristina Bosetti, Carlotta Galeone4, Stimson Schantz, Guo-Pei Yu, Paolo Boffetta, Yuan-Chin Amy Lee20, Shu-Chun Chuang, Carlo La Vecchia and Adriano Decarli, Natural vitamin C intake and the risk of head and neck cancer: A pooled analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium, International Journal of Cancer, Volume 137, Issue 2, pages 448–462, 15 July 2015*