Calcium Supplements, Low-Fat Dairy Products May Lower Colon Cancer Risk.
NEW YORK- New research indicates that
consuming calcium through supplements or a diet high in low-fat dairy
products may reduce the incidence of colon cancer. The study was embargoed
until June 20 and appeared in the latest issue of Nutrition and Cancer
(41, 1&2:150-5, 2001). Researchers from Columbia University and the Strang
Cancer Prevention Center, both located here, reported that both dietary
programs had significant benefits in decreasing the risk of colon cancer in
at-risk individuals.
During the eight-month crossover study,
researchers followed 40 adults (24 men and 16 women) with a mean age of 61
years and a history of colorectal benign polyps; disqualification from the
study included having a history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel
disease or lactose intolerance. Twenty subjects were randomly assigned to
begin with the calcium-supplemented diet (calcium carbonate at 877 mg/d plus
an addition 644 mg of dietary calcium) and the other 20 to the
dairy-supplemented diet (an average of 1,300 mg of calcium per day). After
four months, the subjects switched regimens.
Nutritional intake was assessed through
24-hour food records and three-day food diaries at baseline, four months and
eight months.
In studying subjects who were on the two
diets, researchers reported a marked reduction in colorectal cell
proliferation rates, which was indicated by a reduced number of
crypt-labeled epithelial cells. However, the researchers, led by Peter Holt,
M.D., did not detect any significant benefits of supplements or dairy
products on apoptosis (programmed cell death). |
