Milk may lower women's risk of colorectal cancer, study says

Calcium may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in women, a new study suggests.

Based on findings from a British study published in natureWomen need 300 milligrams of the mineral daily to reduce their risk of cancer by 17%. This happens to be the approximate content of a cup of milk.

“Dairy products (including total dairy products, milk and cheese, and evidence for dietary calcium) and calcium supplements may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer,” the University of Oxford and Cancer Research UK wrote in the study.

“This highlights the potential protective role of dairy products in the development of bowel cancer, mainly due to calcium,” lead researcher Dr Keren Papier said, according to the BBC.

Researchers said they came to this conclusion after tracking the diet and health patterns of more than 542,000 women for 16 years.

However, they warn that reducing cancer risk is not as simple as inhaling a pint of stone road, with the researchers finding that “of the dairy-related foods and nutrients examined in this study, all were inversely associated with risk of colorectal Cancer, except cheese and ice cream. ”

The researchers added that “the possible protective effects of calcium” may come from the way it binds to bile acids and free fatty acids in the colon, “thereby reducing their potential carcinogenic effects.”

“We conclude that dairy products contribute to colorectal cancer protection,” the study said. “This is largely or entirely driven by calcium.”

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The study also found that “higher consumption of red and processed meat” was associated with an 8% increased risk of colorectal cancer, noting that “processed meat was associated with a greater association than red meat.”

Researchers also determined that alcohol increases a person's risk of illness by 15%.

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While the study did focus on “milk”, Dr Lisa Wilde from Bowel Cancer UK told the BBC that there are ways to increase your calcium intake even if you avoid animal products.

“If you don't drink milk, there are other ways you can get calcium,” she says. “Broccoli or tofu, for example, may still reduce the risk of bowel cancer.”