Folic acid, a group-B Vitamin found in green leafy vegetables and liver, can be used as a cheap and simple way to reduce heart disease and strokes, researchers say. British researchers analyzed previous studies and found that folic acid lowers levels of the amino acid homocysteine in blood.

High levels of homocysteine in blood is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease

A new study suggests B vitamin folic acid may help prevent cancer of the larynx.

WebMD reports researchers in Italy studied folic acid's effects on laryngeal leukoplakia, or precancerous lesions in the larynx

A powerful form of vitamin D may help treat prostate cancer, according to a new study. Researchers say the results suggest that getting a daily dose of the vitamin from milk, the sun, and a multivitamin may also help reduce invasion and spread of the deadly disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be more than 230,000 new cases in American men this year.

But researchers warn against taking large amounts of vitamin D without medical supervision

A recent study at The OregonHealth and Science University has shown that a potentform of Vitamin D may help men dying of prostatecancer extend their lives by upwards of seven months.The study considered men who had advanced tumorsgrowing despite having undergone surgery, radiation orsubsequent drug treatments. In such cases, patientsare given the chemotherapy drug, docetaxel. When the experimental vitamin DN-101 was taken withthe chemotherapy, patients increased their expectancyrates by roughly two years.A two-year survival "is the highest ever seen in arandomized study," said Dr. Bruce Montgomery, aSeattle Cancer Care Alliance prostate cancer expertwho was not involved in the research. "It clearly is abig step forward."Researchers know DN-101 adds at least seven months tothe average survival rate, but they can't yetcalculate the new median life expectancy because halfthe men who took the vitamin for the study are stillalive.The treatment "has a lot of guys I see every daygetting a meaningful chunk of extra time, without anyextra side effect," said Dr. Tomasz Beer, the OHSUCancer Institute scientist who helped develop thedrug.The study folllowed 250 men who were randonly assignedto receive docetaxel alone or along with DN-101. Themedian survival rate of those who took the chemo drugalone was 16.4 months. An additional 7.1 monthsminimum was added to those who combined the chemo andthe vitamin.Beer says the study is big enough to indicate thepills extend life, but it is not big enough to proveDN-101 is market-ready."That will take a study with about 600 men," he added.According to the AP, if DN-101 makes it to market,OHSU stands to profit. The university licensed thedrug to Novacea in 2002, getting payments includingstock in the privately held company and royalties onany sales of the drug