Drinking milk cuts bowel cancer risk by 17%, study shows
New research has revealed a potential link between increased calcium intake and a reduced risk of bowel cancer.
The study, funded by Cancer Research UK, suggests that consuming an additional 300mg of calcium a day – roughly the amount in a large glass of milk – could lower the risk of developing bowel cancer by 17%.
Researchers from the University of Oxford conducted the largest study to date on diet and bowel cancer, using data from more than 500,000 women over 16 years.
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The study, published in Nature Communications, found that foods rich in calcium, including dairy products like milk and yoghurt, as well as non-dairy sources such as dark leafy greens, were associated with a reduced risk of bowel cancer.
Dr Keren Papier, the lead researcher, explained that calcium may protect against bowel cancer by binding to bile acids and free fatty acids in the colon, preventing them from damaging the gut lining.
“This forms a harmless ‘soap’ that helps sweep these harmful substances out of the gut,” she said.
While the study focused on dietary calcium, Dr Papier noted that further research is needed to understand whether calcium supplements and fortified foods have the same protective effect.
Other cancer risks
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with more than 44,000 new cases diagnosed annually. The study also highlighted other dietary links to bowel cancer, showing that consuming alcohol and processed meats increased the risk.
An additional 20g of alcohol per day, for example, was found to raise bowel cancer risk by 15%.
Sophia Lowes, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, stressed the importance of a healthy, balanced diet in reducing the risk of bowel cancer, alongside maintaining a healthy weight and quitting smoking.