All Boards >> Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research Library

View all threads Posts     Flat     Threaded

Calcium Seems to Protect Against Colorectal Cancer
      06/27/04 02:04 PM
HeatherAdministrator

Reged: 12/09/02
Posts: 7799
Loc: Seattle, WA

Calcium Seems to Protect Against Colorectal Cancer

Supplements effective at reducing polyps that can lead to tumors, study says

By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, June 15 (HealthDayNews) -- Taking calcium supplements helps prevent polyps in the colon, a risk factor for colorectal cancer.

And the supplements seem to offer the most protection against the advanced polyps most strongly associated with invasive colorectal cancer, according to a new study.

"In an earlier publication, we showed a reduction in polyps [with calcium intake]," said Dr. John A. Baron, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, and senior author of the study that appears in the June 16 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

"There was less than a 20 percent reduction, overall," he added. "Now, we find when we look at more advanced [polyps], it is a much more marked reduction, suggesting that calcium might have a more pronounced effect in preventing advanced [polyps]."

For advanced polyps, calcium might reduce the risk of colorectal cancer 35 percent to 45 percent, Baron said.

An estimated 106,370 new cases of colon cancer and 40,570 cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed this year in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, and about 56,730 deaths will result.

Most colon and rectal cancers begin as a polyp, a growth of tissue into the center of the colon or rectum. Removing polyps, also known as adenomas, early may prevent them from becoming cancerous, according to the Cancer Society.

In new the study, Baron's team analyzed data from 913 patients enrolled in the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study. Patients took either a 1,200 milligram supplement of calcium or a placebo, and had a follow-up colonoscopy -- an exam of the colon -- one and four years after they began the calcium therapy.

Compared with those on a placebo, people taking calcium supplements had fewer of all types of polyps. But the protective effect was most pronounced for the kind of advanced lesions that are most strongly associated with colon cancer. The risk for advanced polyps was reduced by about 35 percent, Baron said.

While it's not known exactly how the calcium may help prevent the polyps, researchers speculate that calcium prevents the irritating and cancer-promoting effect of bile acids and other fats in the bowel.

In an accompanying editorial in the journal, Ulrike Peters, now an assistant faculty member at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, but formerly a research fellow at the National Cancer Institute, writes that the beneficial effects of calcium supplements still have not been proven. But the protective role of calcium against colon cancer "looks very promising," she said.

For now, she added, those wanting to reduce their risk of colon cancer should follow the dietary recommendation for calcium -- 1,200 milligrams a day for those over 50 years of age, and 1,000 milligrams for those 19 to 50.

"We cannot really tell if there is a difference right now between [calcium from] supplementation and from food," she said. "That needs further investigation.

Dr. Arthur Schatzkin, lead author of the editorial and chief of the nutritional epidemiology branch of the NCI, agreed. "For a variety of health reasons people should try to make sure they are getting adequate intakes of calcium." Calcium helps with bone strength, for one thing. But he cautioned that "...we haven't proved that calcium prevents colon cancer."

Added Baron: "As always, talk to your doctor. It is really thought that calcium supplements are safe, but don't think you can take something like this and forget everything else. Remember, this is just one aspect of what might be done."

He advised people to get colorectal cancer screening tests, such as colonoscopies and occult blood testing. "Exercise is probably beneficial," he added, in helping to reduce colorectal cancer risk.

More information

To learn more about colorectal cancer, visit the National Cancer Institute.


SOURCES: John A. Baron, M.D., professor of medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, N.H.; Ulrike Peters, Ph.D., formerly research fellow at the National Cancer Institute, now assistant faculty member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle; Arthur Schatzkin, M.D., D.P.H., chief, nutritional epidemiology branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.;

June 16, 2004, Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Copyright © 2004 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.


--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

Print     Remind Me     Notify Moderator    

Entire thread
* Herbs, Probiotics, and Supplements
HeatherAdministrator
07/14/03 01:53 PM
* Western herbal medicines in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis
HeatherAdministrator
11/11/20 02:53 PM
* Medical cannabis: Promising uses supported by medical data
HeatherAdministrator
03/05/19 12:58 PM
* Glutamine supplements improve symptoms of postinfectious IBS-Diarrhea
HeatherAdministrator
08/22/18 02:35 PM
* Review article: the physiological effects and safety of peppermint oil and its efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
01/26/18 12:06 PM
* Vitamin D deficiency in children and adults with IBS
HeatherAdministrator
04/07/17 03:18 PM
* Trial of aloe vera for irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
05/27/15 02:44 PM
* Aloe vera in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
05/27/15 02:39 PM
* Vitamins and IBS
HeatherAdministrator
03/11/14 02:10 PM
* IBS Quick Tip - Aloe, Senna, and Cascara for IBS?
HeatherAdministrator
09/10/13 11:20 AM
* IBS quick tip -taking a fiber supplements and medications
HeatherAdministrator
08/30/13 11:54 AM
* Fennel is an effective herbal drug for menstrual pain
HeatherAdministrator
08/21/13 05:59 PM
* Probiotic treatments relieve irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in recent study
HeatherAdministrator
01/18/13 02:38 PM
* Probiotics for GI Issues and Obesity - Problems May Take Root in Gut Flora
HeatherAdministrator
05/09/12 01:26 PM
* Probiotics May Prevent Antibiotic Diarrhea
HeatherAdministrator
05/09/12 12:38 PM
* Today Show Recommends Peppermint Oil Caps for IBS
HeatherAdministrator
12/02/11 03:58 PM
* Dr. Oz Recommends Peppermint Oil Capsules
HeatherAdministrator
11/23/11 02:32 PM
* Probiotic Pills Better for IBS than Yogurt
HeatherAdministrator
09/30/11 12:06 PM
* How Peppermint Helps to Relieve Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
04/20/11 12:41 PM
* Zinc for acute diarrhea
HeatherAdministrator
02/10/11 10:18 AM
* Effect of ginger on gastric motility and symptoms of functional dyspepsia
HeatherAdministrator
02/10/11 10:16 AM
* Inulin can cause gastrointestinal discomfort
HeatherAdministrator
07/16/10 03:13 PM
* St. John's Wort Not Helpful For Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
01/08/10 02:19 PM
* Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Probiotics in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
02/18/09 02:16 PM
* Probiotic Yogurt Helps Reduce Physical Bloating
HeatherAdministrator
12/16/08 11:40 AM
* Peppermint oil, soluble fiber, and antispasmodics should be first-line treatments
HeatherAdministrator
12/03/08 11:37 AM
* Health Benefits of Probiotic Could Extend Beyond Gastrointestinal System
HeatherAdministrator
08/27/08 12:24 PM
* Acacia establishes prebiotic functionality in healthy human volunteers
HeatherAdministrator
06/19/08 11:54 AM
* Probiotics and prebiotics in irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
06/06/08 09:41 AM
* Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
06/05/08 03:56 PM
* Efficacy of Probiotics in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
05/23/08 11:06 AM
* Probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
01/18/08 12:32 PM
* Bacteria: a new player in gastrointestinal motility disorders-infections, bacterial overgrowth, and probiotics
HeatherAdministrator
11/07/07 02:49 PM
* Probiotic-prebiotic treatment for irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
08/28/07 01:29 PM
* Peppermint oil is effective in treating digestive disorders and other conditions including headaches
HeatherAdministrator
06/06/07 11:20 AM
* Probiotics and irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
05/11/07 02:25 PM
* Bacterial flora in irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
05/11/07 02:19 PM
* Peppermint oil capsules in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
04/28/07 10:36 AM
* Probiotics in women with IBS
HeatherAdministrator
02/04/07 04:17 PM
* Comparison of fennel and the drug mefenamic acid on pain intensity of menstrual cramps
HeatherAdministrator
12/01/06 02:27 PM
* Probiotics Effective for Treating Clostridium Difficile Disease and Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea?
HeatherAdministrator
12/01/06 01:09 PM
* Review of Probiotics for IBD
HeatherAdministrator
07/17/06 02:10 PM
* A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea
HeatherAdministrator
07/17/06 12:01 PM
* Probiotics Help Chronic Constipation
HeatherAdministrator
07/05/06 05:40 PM
* Beneficial Bacteria Protect the Gut from Stress
HeatherAdministrator
05/29/06 02:25 PM
* Dietary fibre supplementation with psyllium or Acacia (gum arabic) reduced faecal incontinence
HeatherAdministrator
05/29/06 02:23 PM
* Probiotics and chronic disease
HeatherAdministrator
05/13/06 03:23 PM
* Peppermint Oil May Be "Drug of First Choice" for IBS
HeatherAdministrator
03/16/06 12:45 PM
* Herbal medicines for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
02/18/06 12:54 PM
* Peppermint possesses antispasmodic properties
HeatherAdministrator
12/21/05 11:16 AM
* Pharmacological Basis for the Medicinal Use of Ginger in Gastrointestinal Disorders
HeatherAdministrator
12/19/05 04:50 PM
* Probiotic relieves irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
11/12/05 01:04 PM
* Melatonin May Reduce the Pain of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
10/28/05 11:53 AM
* A probiotic mixture alleviates symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome patients
HeatherAdministrator
09/22/05 04:26 PM
* Interactions Between Commensal Bacteria and Gut Sensorimotor Function
HeatherAdministrator
08/22/05 04:57 PM
* Prebiotic shown to increase bone mineral density
HeatherAdministrator
06/05/05 05:40 PM
* Fiber's New Role in Type 2 Diabetes
HeatherAdministrator
06/05/05 05:28 PM
* "Good" Bacteria Help Irritable Bowel Syndrome as much as Zelnorm and Lotronex
HeatherAdministrator
04/10/05 06:34 PM
* Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use by Patients With Gastrointestinal Diseases.
HeatherAdministrator
01/23/05 04:56 PM
* New evidence supports camomile tea's health benefits
HeatherAdministrator
01/07/05 05:02 PM
* Effectiveness of a symbiotic preparation in irritable bowel syndrome
HeatherAdministrator
11/08/04 04:44 PM
* Probiotic VSL#3 Could Relieve Some Irritable Bowel Abdominal Bloating
HeatherAdministrator
11/08/04 04:04 PM
* Probiotic Improves Postinfective Gut Dysfunction in Animal Model
HeatherAdministrator
10/11/04 04:30 PM
* Probiotics, dead or alive, can relieve gut disease
HeatherAdministrator
08/30/04 02:38 PM
* Prebiotics for improved gut health
HeatherAdministrator
07/11/04 03:15 PM
* Calcium Seems to Protect Against Colorectal Cancer
HeatherAdministrator
06/27/04 02:04 PM
* Safety of aloe a concern
HeatherAdministrator
05/25/04 03:26 PM
* Aloe, cascara sagrada, and senna laxtives can cause cathartic colon
HeatherAdministrator
05/25/04 03:24 PM
* Gut Check - The bacteria in your intestines are welcome guests
HeatherAdministrator
05/10/04 01:33 PM
* Probiotics and Prebiotics in Gastrointestinal Disorders
HeatherAdministrator
04/27/04 08:53 PM
* Yogurt Prevents Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea
HeatherAdministrator
04/13/04 02:50 PM
* Bacteria Basics - Probiotics for IBS and IBD
HeatherAdministrator
03/30/04 01:56 PM
* Lactobacillus Reduces Irritable Bowel Bloating
HeatherAdministrator
12/01/03 06:06 PM
* Probiotic improves gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with chronic constipation
HeatherAdministrator
12/01/03 06:00 PM
* Aloe plant's IBS healing powers tested
HeatherAdministrator
11/18/03 03:42 PM
* Possible Drug Interactions with: Ginger
HeatherAdministrator
10/13/03 01:19 PM
* Hepatoprotective effect of Fennel essential oil
HeatherAdministrator
10/12/03 04:53 PM
* Fennel for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea
HeatherAdministrator
10/12/03 04:51 PM
* Fennel, intestinal spasms, and infantile colic
HeatherAdministrator
10/12/03 04:48 PM
* Probiotics Significantly Reduce Symptoms of IBS, Ulcerative Colitis
HeatherAdministrator
07/22/03 09:41 PM
* Ginger: history and use for the prevention of nausea, dizziness, and vomiting
HeatherAdministrator
07/22/03 06:52 PM
* Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.
HeatherAdministrator
07/22/03 06:50 PM
* Alteration of intestinal microflora and reduced IBS bloating and pain
HeatherAdministrator
07/18/03 12:01 PM
* Study on the efficacy of Lactobacillus in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
HeatherAdministrator
07/18/03 11:42 AM
* Treatment for constipation-predominant IBS using Padma Lax, a Tibetan herbal formula
HeatherAdministrator
07/15/03 11:24 PM
* Ginger for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
HeatherAdministrator
07/14/03 03:55 PM
* Peppermint-oil capsules in the treatment of IBS: a prospective, randomized trial
HeatherAdministrator
07/14/03 03:51 PM
* Efficacy of Peppermint oil in diarrhea predominant IBS
HeatherAdministrator
08/21/13 05:44 PM
* The effect of enteric-coated, delayed-release peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome.
HeatherAdministrator
08/21/13 05:46 PM
* Peppermint oil capsules for the treatment of IBS in children.
HeatherAdministrator
07/14/03 03:49 PM

Extra information
0 registered and 8 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  Heather 



Permissions
      You cannot post until you login
      You cannot reply until you login
      HTML is enabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Thread views: 1079142

Jump to

| Privacy statement Help for IBS Home

*
UBB.threads™ 6.2


HelpForIBS.com BBB Business Review