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Oat Fiber Increases Intestinal Viscosity, Lowers Cholesterol September 2005 Concentrated oat fiber (as OatVantage?) increases intestinal viscosity and reduces cholesterol, according to research presented at the Experimental Biology 2005 Conference in San Diego in April. Greater intestinal viscosity translates to a greater ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.The study, conducted by Daniel D. Gallaher, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota, found concentrated oat fiber has 18 times more soluble fiber than cooked and uncooked oats, toasted oat cereal or cooked oat bran, and higher intestinal viscosity than cooked oats (by 50%), toasted oat cereal (by 70%), uncooked oats (by 83%) and cooked oat bran (by 202%). In the study, concentrated fiber also lowered cholesterol by 29%.

Did You Know? Multis Promote Colon Health June 2004Prolonged multivitamin use promotes a healthy colon, according to a study that looked at the use of multis over a 20-year period. The nutrients in multis, including folic acid, appear to be very helpful when taken regularly for at least 10 years. Researchers examined multivitamin use and its connection to colon health among 145,260 men and women who had participated in studies in 1983 and 1993. They found that long-term regular multivitamin users had healthier colons than those who had not taken multis on a sustained basis.American Journal of Epidemiology 158(7):621-628, 2003

More Omega-3 & Less Omega-6 for Colorectal Protection August 2009 Researchers have determined that increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and decreasing intake of omega-6 could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. The highest dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was associated with a 95% increase in the risk of women developing colorectal cancer, according to results of a study with 73,242 Chinese women participating in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study. The study, published in this month’s issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the importance of balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Previously, the ratio of omega-3 to -6 has been linked to prostate cancer risk. According to Harvey Murff from Vanderbilt University and his co-workers, data on how polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may impact the risk of colorectal cancer have been “inconsistent.” Using data derived from two food frequency questionnaires, Murff and his co-workers investigated if PUFA intake could impact colorectal cancer risk in Chinese women. Their findings suggested that “the dietary total omega-6 to omega-3 PUFA ratio was strongly associated with colorectal cancer risk.” Indeed, increasing ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 were associated with increased risks of colorectal cancer. Compared to women with the lowest ratio, women with the highest ratio of omega-6 to -3 had a relative 95% higher risk. The omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) was also linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Specifically, women with the highest average intakes had an associated risk 40% higher than women with the lowest average intakes. Previously, researchers from other groups have proposed the role of metabolites of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the omega-6 acid arachidonic acid as playing an important role in carcinogenesis. These three fatty acids compete to be converted by cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) into prostaglandins, which can become either pro-inflammatory and increase tumor growth, or anti-inflammatory and reduce growth. Indeed, in a subset of 150 cancer cases and 150 healthy controls, the researchers noted that an increasing omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is linked to increased levels of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). “These results suggest that dietary PUFA and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 PUFA intake may be positively associated with colorectal cancer risk, and this association may be mediated in part through PGE2 production,” concluded Murff and his co-workers.Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 18(8):2283-2291, 2009

Magnesium May Help Prevent Colorectal Cancer July 2005 A recent study conducted with humans shows that dietary magnesium may play a role in the prevention of colorectal cancer. Previously, scientists had seen a link between magnesium and colorectal cancer in animal studies, but data involving humans has been lacking.To back up the belief that a high magnesium intake may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, researchers evaluated the Swedish Mammography Cohort, a group of 61,433 women aged 40 to 75 years who had no previous diagnosis of cancer. The Swedish Mammography Cohort had a 14-year follow-up period.At the end of 14 years 805 incident colorectal cancer cases were diagnosed. Researchers found that women who had lower levels of magnesium had a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, leading them to conclude, “a high magnesium intake may reduce the occurrence of colorectal cancer in women.”Journal of the American Medical Association 293(1):86-89, 2005

Magnesium May Decrease Colon Cancer Risk in Men March 2010Increased intakes of magnesium may reduce a man’s risk of colon cancer by 50%, according to a new observational study from Japan. Intakes of the mineral of at least 327 mg per day were found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 52%, compared to intakes of less than 238 mg per day. No benefits were observed in women. The findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition. Being an epidemiological study, the findings do not prove causality, and additional studies, particularly randomized trials, are needed to confirm the findings, said researchers from Japan’s National Cancer Center in Tokyo. Dietary sources of magnesium include green, leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts, and milk. Earlier dietary surveys show that many adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men). The Japanese researchers recruited 87,117 people with an average age of 57 and followed their histories for about eight years. Dietary intakes were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Average intakes of magnesium for men and women were 284 mg and 279 mg per day. During the course of the study, 689 and 440 cases of colorectal cancer in men and women were documented. Men with the highest average intakes of magnesium (at least 327 mg per day) were associated with a 52% lower risk of colon, but not rectal, cancer compared to men who consumed the lowest average intakes. “Increased intake of magnesium-rich foods is recommended if other studies, including randomized controlled trials, confirm our findings,” the researchers concluded.Journal of Nutrition Published online ahead of print.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin May Block Colon Cancer Cell GrowthNovember 2008Korean researchers have found that carotenoids extracted from algae, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, can help block the growth of human colon cancer cells.Lutein and zeaxanthin, more commonly known for eye health benefits, were not the only xanthophylls present in the Chlorella ellipsoidea (CEE) and Chlorella vulgaris (CVE) algae, but it was suggested they were the most bioactive. Scientists also found the extracts had a more powerful anti-cancer effect when used in combination than in isolation.”These semi-purified extracts of CEE and CVE both inhibited the growth of HCT116 (the colon cancer cells) in a dose-dependent manner,” researches said. “Considerable evidence supports the theory that some carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lycopene, may interfere with cancer-related molecular pathways and change the expression of many proteins involved in apoptosis (cancer cell death).”The researchers obtained the extracts from a range of suppliers. The extracts were washed, freeze-dried and refrigerated before being added to solutions and applied to the colon cancer sample cells. HPLC analysis was used as well as a hemocytometer to give a cancer cell count. The researchers noted that after 24 hours of incubation, dying cancer cells began “to lift from the surface monolayer, forming assorted sizes and spherical shapes.” They said that the dying cells were “more obviously apparent after treatment with CEE and CVE.”Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry Published online ahead of print.

High B-6 Levels May Lower Colon Cancer Risk For Women September 2005 Women with high levels of vitamin B-6 in their diet appear to have less risk of developing colorectal cancer, according to researchers in Sweden. A team led by Dr. Susanna C. Larsson, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm analyzed data from 61,433 women in the population-based Swedish Mammography Cohort.The women were ages 40-76 and cancer-free when they enrolled. Their health histories were followed for an average of nearly 15 years. In the follow-up period, 805 women were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. After taking age and other factors into account, researchers found that the greater the long-term dietary intake of vitamin B-6, the lower the risk of colorectal cancer.Women with the highest levels of B-6 intake were 34% less likely to develop colorectal cancer than those with the lowest levels. The effect was more dramatic among women who consumed two or more alcoholic drinks per week. Here, the difference in colon cancer risk between the highest and lowest intake of vitamin B-6 was 72%.Gastroenterology 128(7):1830-1837, 2005