Calcium Lowers The Risks Of Colon Cancer
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Women with a higher intake of calcium appear to have a lower risk of cancer overall, and both men and women with high calcium intakes suffer less colorectal cancer and other cancers of the digestive system, according to a study.
The study, which appears in the latest issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, analysed data from nearly 500,000 men and women who participated in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. It was conducted at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland,
Participants reported how much and how often they consumed dairy produce and a wide variety of other foods and whether they took supplements. Their records were then linked with state cancer registries to identify new cases of cancer.
Over an average of seven years of follow-up, 36,965 cancer cases were identified in men and 16,605 in women. Calcium intake was not associated with total cancer in men but was in women - the risk decreased in women with an intake of up to 1.3 grams per day, after which no further risk reduction was observed.