Blood cancer is one of the most common cancers, but it's also one of the most preventable. According to Cancer Research UK, around 54% of bowel cancer cases are preventable. So how can you reduce your risk of bowel cancer? It turns out you need to consume 300mg of calcium a day.
ContentHow to reduce your risk of bowel cancer: new researchWhy is calcium so effective in reducing your risk of bowel cancer?What does this research mean for us?
A new study from the University of Oxford and Cancer Research UK has found a surprising link between calcium intake and the risk of bowel cancer. WomanEL is eager to share their findings with you.
How to reduce the risk of bowel cancer: new research
Experts have previously said that it is beneficial to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables, and to give up bacon and sausages (poor diet is considered one of the main risk factors for developing bowel cancer). But a new study has shown that there is another way to reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer: more calcium.
A study conducted by the University of Oxford and Cancer Research UK showed that adding an extra 300 mg of calcium to your diet every day can reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer by 17%.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, used data from more than 500,000 women to examine the link between diet and bowel cancer risk. The researchers looked at 97 dietary items and their risk of bowel cancer over an average of 16 years, making it the most comprehensive study to date in the field.
Despite a recent review that suggested dairy products “probably” reduced the risk of bowel cancer, this study found that this effect was largely due to the high calcium content in dairy products.
A reduced risk of cancer was observed both in those who consumed a lot of milk and yogurt, and in those who preferred dark leafy vegetables (which are also rich in calcium).
But why does this happen?
Why is calcium so effective in reducing the risk of colon cancer?
More research is needed to determine exactly why calcium has such a protective effect against colon cancer. But the scientists involved in the study have their own theory.
“We have some ideas about why calcium has this effect,” says Dr. Karen Papier. It is thought that calcium may protect against colon cancer by binding to bile acids and free fatty acids, forming a kind of harmless “soap” that prevents them from damaging the intestinal lining.”
What does this study mean for us?
Changing your lifestyle may not be easy, but it's worth the effort, Source: freepik.com
These new findings don't mean you need to start taking calcium supplements right away, though the study authors suggested that future studies should examine the effects of supplements. However, increasing your calcium intake may be beneficial.
The study suggests that consuming an extra 300mg of calcium a day is key to reaping its anti-cancer benefits, which is equivalent to about 200g of cooked kale or a 250ml glass of milk. If you eat cheese, yoghurt, fortified plant-based milk, fortified bread and cereals, you are likely already getting enough calcium every day. Most of the women in the study were confident they were getting more than the recommended 700mg.
It is worth noting that one of the other important findings of the study was that drinking an extra large glass of wine a day, or 20g of alcohol, increased the risk of bowel cancer by 15%. So it is not enough to simply consume more calcium. Bad habits can negate the positive effects.
Dr Lisa Wild says there are important lessons to be learned from this study. “This study shows that dairy consumption is associated with a reduced risk of bowel cancer,” she said. “If you don't drink dairy, there are other ways to get calcium, such as from broccoli or tofu, and at the same time reduce your risk of bowel cancer.”
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