LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Colon / Colorectal Cancer

Dietary fibre and colorectal adenoma – (05-20-03)

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Dietary fibre and colorectal adenoma

Research came out a little over a year ago that stated that fiber did not protect against colon cancer. These findings were pretty well publicized in local news. Unfortunately, the study did not take into account the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber and the interaction between soluble fiber and probiotics. Health intestinal flora digests the soluble fiber to produce short chain fatty acids such as butyrate which are the preferred fuel source for cells of the colon. While this study still does not differentiate these other factors, it is nice to see a protective association. Strangely, this finding got no press at all that I heard.

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Smoking, folate and MTHFR status in colon cancer – (07-30-01)

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Smoking, folate and MTHFR status in colon cancer

This is a wonderful article that should open the eyes to many patients out there trying things based on something they read in a magazine. This study evaluated the effect of genotype of MTHFR gene and folate status on colon cancer risk. Surprisingly, both low and high folate status can be a risk factor, depending upon the genotype of the patient. This is a perfect example of how the advancement of genetics can play a role in our health and longevity. We should not use genetic information as an exuse to change our genes through technology, but rather, use genetic information to tell us best how to adjust our environment for optimal longevity and health.

Article Abstract

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Trans-Fatty Acids and Colon Cancer – (12-27-01)

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Trans-Fatty Acids and Colon Cancer

If you are reading this at home, run to the cabinet and check the labels of all processed foods and snack foods. Notice the ubiquitous presence of hydrogenated oils? Physicians in the know have been telling patients to avoid these for years. I personally equate them with a milder form of rat poison. Next to refined carbs, hydrogenated oils (containing trans fatty acids) are probably the next greatest scourge to Western civilization.

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Vitamin D Receptor As an Intestinal Bile Acid Sensor – (05-23-02)

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Vitamin D Receptor As an Intestinal Bile Acid Sensor

This article suggests a mechanism for the observed effects of Vit D lowering risk of colon cancer. Vit D upregulates production of an enzyme system needing to detoxify lithocholic acid, a bile acid with hepatoxic and carcinogenic properties. I just hope the milk people don’t get ahold of this one…we’ll never hear the end of it…

Science — Abstracts: Makishima et al. 296 (5571): 1313

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Resveratrol Enhances Differentiation Induced by Butyrate – (07-08-02)

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Resveratrol Enhances Differentiation Induced by Butyrate

This study on colon cancer cells shows an additive effect of resveratrol (found in red wine and peanuts) and butyrate (a short chain fatty acid formed by bacteria acting on soluble fiber in the gut). With studies like this, we start to see why certain traditional diets have the health -promoting effects they have. The Mediterranean diet has already show to be beneficial via increased absorption of lycopene (fat soluble carotenoid) with olive oil intake. This research study mechanism would find lower rates of colon cancer in patients combining wine intake with whole grains.

Nutrition.org — Abstracts: Wolter and Stein 132 (7): 2082

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Protective role of probiotics and prebiotics in colon cancer – (02-05-01)

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Protective role of probiotics and prebiotics in colon cancer

Fiber has been shown to be protective against colon cancer, but a recent study shed some doubt on this belief. However, it is commonly believed that this protective effect comes from the action of probiotics on soluble fiber, producing butyrate. I would love to see the bacterial environment of the GI tracts of the patients used in the study that showed no benefit from fiber, and re-evaluate the data.

AJCN — Abstracts: Wollowski et al. 73 (2): 451S

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Olive Oil Has Protective Effect on Colorectal Cancer – (10-23-00)

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Olive Oil Has Protective Effect on Colorectal Cancer

The Mediterranean diet, in which olive oil is the principle contributor to dietary fat (about 30%) has been shown to reduce the risks of heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. This further supports this dietary pattern as being one of the healthiest on the planet. What is interesting in this study was that fish increased the risk of colon cancer. It would be interesting to compare types of fish to risks, as many types of fish have become contaminated with heavy metals.

J Epidemiol Community Health 2000;54:756-760 Olive oil, perhaps through its influence on secondary bile acid patterns in the colon, appears to protect against the development of colorectal cancer, according to research from Oxford University, in the UK. Meat and fish consumption, on the other hand, are positively associated with bowel cancer. “The model of meat, fish and olive oil accounted for 76% of the variation in colorectal cancer incidence between countries,” the investigators write. Vegetable consumption lost significance in the model once olive oil was included. The authors suggest that meat increases deoxycholic acid in the colon and rectum, inhibiting diamine oxidase, which is thought to have a role in colonic mucosal proliferation. Olive oil may reduce deoxycholic acid, increasing the availability of diamine oxidase and protecting against “mucosal turnover, polyp formation, and the adenoma/carcinoma sequence.”

Fiber Down-Regulates Colonic TNF alpha and Nitric Oxide Production – (11-07-02)

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Fiber Down-Regulates Colonic TNF alpha and Nitric Oxide Production

While this is a rat study, it does show the potential for fiber to have an anti-inflammatory effect via the production of short chain fatty acids (which require presence of beneficial bacteria for the conversion). TNF alpha was one of the regulators that was studied. Remember that the hot new drug for Crohn’s and RA is a TNF-alpha blockade. It is very feasible that soluble fiber could show a similar benefit to this drug without the side effects and possibly additional benefits such as lowering colon cancer risk.

Nutrition.org — Abstracts: Rodríguez-Cabezas et al. 132 (11): 3263

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