Study links daily milk intake to reduced bowel cancer risk

A new study has found that consuming a glass of milk daily could lower the risk of bowel cancer.

The research, the most extensive study into diet and bowel cancer to date, linked an additional 300mg of calcium per day — roughly the amount in half a pint of milk — with a 17 percent reduction in bowel cancer risk.

The protective effects of calcium were also observed in non-dairy sources such as fortified soy milk, researchers found.

The study, funded by Cancer Research UK, analysed dietary data from over 540,000 women over a period of nearly 17 years.

The researchers examined the impact of 97 foods, drinks, and nutrients on bowel cancer risk.

While the research focused on postmenopausal women, scientists believe the benefits of calcium are likely to extend to men and younger individuals.

The study found also found evidence that drinking an extra 20gram of alcohol a day, was linked to a 15 percent higher risk of bowel cancer, while eating 30gram more red and processed meat was linked to an eight percent increase in the disease.

Keren Papier, the study’s lead author and senior nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, said the findings provide robust evidence that calcium, particularly from dairy products, may help protect against bowel cancer.

“Calcium was found to have a similar effect in both dairy and non-dairy sources, suggesting that it was the main factor responsible for cutting risk,” she said.

“We think that calcium may protect against colorectal cancer by attaching to bile acids and free fatty acids in the colon, which helps reduce their cancer-causing potential.”

PREVENTIVE MEASURES 

Bowel cancer is one of the UK’s most prevalent diseases, with Cancer Research UK highlighting the importance of a healthy, balanced diet in lowering the risk.

“Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, alongside keeping a healthy weight and stopping smoking, is one of the best ways to lower your risk of bowel cancer,” the research agency said.

”This includes cutting down on alcohol and red and processed meat, and eating lots of fruit, vegetables, and wholegrains. Dairy products like milk can also be part of a diet which reduces bowel cancer risk.

“We look forward to further research, including into the effects of specific ingredients like calcium, to ensure fewer people are impacted by this devastating disease.”