To put it plainly, emerging data on colorectal cancer among young adults is alarming. As US Davis Health notes, it is now the number-one and number-two cause of cancer death for men and women under 50, respectively. Moreover, someone born between 1981 and 1996 has twice the risk of colorectal cancer compared to a person born in 1950. Much research attributes this rise to a Western diet high in ultra-processed foods and red meat and low in fruits, vegetables, and fiber. However, a new study suggests that upping your intake of a common vitamin can reduce the risk of colon cancer by up to 17 percent.
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The link between colon cancer and diet:
First, it's important to understand how one's diet may affect their risk of developing colon cancer. A 2023 study published in the journal Nutrients looked at the connection between various health markers and a Western Diet, which they define as one high in "pre-packaged foods, refined grains, red meat, processed meat, high-sugar drinks, candy, sweets, fried foods, conventionally raised animal products, high-fat dairy products, and high-fructose products."
The researchers found that these foods can alter the gut microbiome and intestinal bacteria, triggering harmful inflammation and, in some cases, making the body more susceptible to developing tumors.
Conversely, their research showed that a diet high in fruits, veggies, fiber, and complex carbohydrates (starchy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, to name a few such carbs) "can combat not only metabolic disorders that an individual may be afflicted with, but also cancer and its development in relation to the consumption of typical Western diet foods."
The study also recommends consuming plenty of "micronutrients and antioxidants such as magnesium, potassium, iron, vitamins B6, B12, A, and C, carotenoids, and flavonoids."
However, consuming more calcium could reduce colon cancer risk.
A new study published in Nature Communications found that drinking a daily glass of milk or eating a bowl of yogurt could reduce one's colorectal cancer risk. (Colorectal cancer is an umbrella term for cancers that develop in the colon or rectum.)
To arrive at their findings, the researchers examined the connection between 97 dietary factors and colorectal cancer risk in 542,778 women in the U.K., studying 12,251 incident cases over nearly 17 years.
Consistent with previous research, they found that a higher intake of alcohol, processed meat, and red meat may increase one's colorectal cancer risk. However, dairy products, dairy milk, calcium, whole grains, and foods high in dietary fiber may decrease one's risk.
Specifically, the study suggests that consuming 300 mg per day of calcium, roughly the equivalent of one cup of 1 percent milk, can reduce colorectal cancer risk by 17 percent.
"We have some idea on why calcium has this effect. It’s suggested that calcium might protect against bowel cancer by binding to bile acids and free fatty acids to form a type of a harmless 'soap,' which stops them from damaging the lining of our gut," said Keren Papier, MD, the first author of the study and a senior nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, per Cancer Research UK. (Colorectal cancer is often referred to as "bowel cancer" in the U.K.)
RELATED: 7 Calcium Deficiency Symptoms, According to Doctors.
These are some calcium-rich foods:
If drinking a daily glass of milk doesn't sound appealing, there are many other ways to increase your calcium intake.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for America (DGA), some of the best food sources of calcium are:
- Plain, nonfat or low-fat yogurt: 488 mg/8 oz
- Plain, low-fat kefir: 317 mg/cup
- Collard greens: 268 mg/cup
- Spinach: 245 mg/cup
- Canned sardines: 325 mg/3 oz
- Salmon: 181 mg/3 oz
- Raw tofu fortified prepared with calcium sulfate: 434 mg/half-cup
- 100-percent grapefruit or orange juice, fortified: ~350 mg/cup
However, the new study did not assess the effects of taking a calcium supplement.
"We couldn’t look at the association between taking calcium supplements and bowel cancer risk in this study," Papier noted. "Given the widespread use of calcium supplements, future studies should investigate the role of calcium supplements in the prevention of bowel cancer in diverse populations."
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There's conflicting evidence about non-dairy milk.
The DGA lists soy milk, almond milk, and rice milk as other good sources of calcium, and the study found that non-dairy fortified milk also reduces colorectal cancer risk. However, separate research has linked non-dairy milk to an increase in colorectal cancer.
For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that "dietary emulsifiers promoted colon cancer in a mouse model by altering gut microbes and increasing gut inflammation." And as the New York Post reported, such emulsifiers are often used in non-dairy milk to create a smooth and creamy textures.
If you're concerned about your risk of colon cancer or are thinking about altering your diet in any way, always first speak with your healthcare provider.
