Glass of milk a day cuts bowel cancer risk – study

A big UK examine has discovered additional proof that individuals with extra calcium of their weight-reduction plan – equal to a glass of milk a day – may help scale back their danger of bowel most cancers.

The researchers analysed the diets of greater than half 1,000,000 girls over 16 years and located darkish leafy greens, bread and non-dairy milks containing calcium additionally had a protecting impact.

In addition they discovered extra proof that consuming an excessive amount of alcohol and processed meat has the alternative impact, rising the chance of the illness.

Most cancers charities say having a wholesome, balanced weight-reduction plan, being a wholesome weight and stopping smoking had been one of the best methods to decrease your danger of bowel most cancers.

A latest evaluate discovered dairy merchandise “in all probability” decreased the chance of colorectal (bowel) most cancers.

This study, from Oxford College and Most cancers Analysis UK, suggests that’s all the way down to calcium, from dairy or non-dairy meals.

• an additional 300mg of calcium a day within the weight-reduction plan, or a big glass of milk, lowers your danger by 17%

“It highlights the potential protecting function of dairy, largely as a result of calcium, within the growth of bowel most cancers,” stated lead researcher Dr Keren Papier, from Oxford.

Breakfast cereal, fruit, wholegrains, carbohydrates, fibre and vitamin C additionally confirmed they lowered the chance of the most cancers, however solely barely.

It’s already well-known that eating too much processed meat and red meat probably increases your risk of bowel cancer, as does alcohol.

This examine offers extra proof of that hyperlink:

• consuming a further giant glass of wine a day, or 0.7oz (20g) of alcohol, will increase your danger by 15%
• consuming 1oz extra pink and processed meat a day, corresponding to a slice of ham, will increase your danger by 8%

Quantifying precisely what these percentages imply is hard, as a result of everybody’s danger of bowel most cancers is completely different relying on their life-style, weight-reduction plan, habits and genetics.

Calcium is a vital mineral for strengthening bones and protecting your tooth wholesome, however there may be rising proof it additionally protects towards some cancers.

There may be numerous calcium in milk, yoghurt and cheese. Dairy merchandise are one of many important sources of it within the UK weight-reduction plan (we love our cereals within the morning).

It is usually current in other foods like soya and rice drinks, white bread, nuts, seeds and fruits like dried figs, curly kale and canned sardines, and additionally it is in lactose-free milk.

The examine says calcium could shield towards bowel most cancers “as a result of it is ready to bind to bile acids and free fatty acids within the colon, decreasing their probably carcinogenic results”.

There are about 44,000 circumstances of bowel most cancers yearly within the UK, making it the fourth most typical most cancers.

Though most circumstances are in older individuals, rates of the cancer are rising among younger adults – however there isn’t any clear motive why.

Consultants say poor weight-reduction plan and weight problems could also be among the many elements concerned.

Symptoms of bowel cancer embrace:

• a change in your bowel habits, corresponding to looser poo, pooing extra typically or constipation
• bleeding out of your backside or discovering blood in your poo
• losing a few pounds when you haven’t been attempting to
• unexplained tiredness or breathlessness

Recommendation is to speak to your physician for those who discover any one among them.

This was an observational examine, not a trial, so it can not show categorically that calcium or another meals product protects towards most cancers or makes it extra probably.

Nevertheless, the researchers say the examine is “the most important on weight-reduction plan and bowel most cancers up to now”, which supplies them confidence they’re heading in the right direction. The findings are additionally in step with earlier research’ conclusions.

Greater than 12,000 girls within the examine developed bowel most cancers, and practically 100 meals merchandise and vitamins of their diets had been investigated to evaluate potential hyperlinks.

Vitamin skilled Prof Janet Cade, from the College of Leeds, stated the paper “offers necessary proof exhibiting that general weight-reduction plan can affect danger of colorectal most cancers”.

Prof Andrew Prentice, from the London College of Hygiene & Tropical Medication, wonders whether or not, within the gentle of the examine outcomes, calcium dietary supplements is perhaps protecting though he says “the jury is out on this”.

The take-home message for Prof Tom Sanders, from King’s Faculty London, is that “consuming above the protected limits of alcohol consumption (greater than 14 items per week) will increase [the] danger of colorectal most cancers in girls, however that consuming about half a pint of cows’ milk a day might be protecting”.

Dr Lisa Wilde, from charity Bowel Most cancers UK, says somebody is recognized with bowel most cancers “each 12 minutes” and half of all bowel cancers may very well be prevented with more healthy life.

“For those who do not drink dairy milk there are different methods you will get calcium, for instance from broccoli or tofu, and nonetheless scale back your bowel most cancers danger,” she says.