Thanks in large part to a collaborative effort by major television networks, media members and prominent celebrities, it's probable that most of us will be hearing a lot more about colon cancer in the coming weeks.
And it's about time.
Unbeknownst to many Americans, colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in America, behind only lung cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute:
• An estimated 150,000 Americans are predicted to be diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer in 2008, and 50,000 are predicted to die from the disease.
• Regular screenings for colon cancer are important. If caught early, the 5-year survival rate for colon cancer is among the highest of all cancers.
• Dietary and lifestyle factors play particularly major roles in the development of colon cancer.
And not surprisingly, the dietary and lifestyle recommendations often made for colon cancer prevention are pretty straightforward – they echo the stock recommendations we’ve been receiving from health authorities for decades:
• Find ways to reduce stress
• Exercise
• Eat a low-fat, high fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables
In fact, we’ve all heard this advice so many times, that there’s a tendency to let it go in one ear and out the other. So, perhaps we owe it to ourselves to take a deeper look at exactly how the foods we eat can affect the health of our intestines - and in particular, it may help us to question our assumptions about dietary fiber.
Fiber – More Than Just “Roughage”
Most of us simply think of fiber as “nature’s broom,” that indigestible part of plant food that “sweeps” our insides and keeps us regular. But we now know that certain types of fiber have much more intricate and fascinating effects than just this. When we look a little closer at the research, we find that certain types of fiber may be particularly protective of the delicate tissue of the intestines, while other types of fiber may not be.
This may be why, historically, scientific studies have produced oddly conflicting results when looking at the role of fiber in preventing colon cancer.
All Fiber is Not Created Equal
But as scientists have recently begun examining the effects of different types of fibers, their findings are helping to put the big picture of fiber into clearer focus. The researchers who conducted the following study, for example, found clear evidence that only fibers which increase the production butyrate in the colon are protective against pre-cancerous changes:
Quote from the above study:
. . .only RS and FOS produced large amounts of butyrate, with a trophic effect in the large intestine. No difference in mucosal proliferation between the diets was noted at this time. In the subsequent experiment one month later, fewer aberrant crypt foci were present in rats fed high butyrate producing diets . . . A stable butyrate producing colonic ecosystem related to selected fibres appears to be less conducive to colon carcinogenesis.
We’ve written previously in The Integrated Supplements Newsletter, and blog about how soluble fibers (more correctly defined as fermentable fibers), are unique in being able to support the growth of good bacteria in the intestines. These good bacteria, which feed on soluble fiber, produce substances called short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as a byproduct of their metabolism. It’s these SCFAs (especially butyric acid, or, butyrate) which are now thought to exert protective effects upon the cells of the colon.
The researchers who conducted the above study fed rats three different types of dietary fiber:
• Wheat Bran (mostly insoluble, non-fermentable fiber)
• Resistant Starch (RS, a fermentable fiber)
• FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides, a fermentable fiber)
They found that only resistant starch (RS) and FOS – two fibers able to increase the production of the SCFA, butyrate, by colonic bacteria, prevented the production of aberrant crypt foci in rats injected with the known colon cancer-promoter, azoxymethane. In this study, wheat bran had no protective effect.
Note: aberrant crypt foci are clusters of abnormal tube-like glands in the lining of the colon. Their formation precedes the formation of colon polyps, and they are the earliest noticeable pre-cancerous change in the intestines.
So, while our bowl of raisin bran or fiber cereal in the morning may be helping to keep us regular, it’s probable that these fiber sources alone may not be offering us the full protective benefits which dietary fiber has to offer.
Note: Some fruits and vegetables, like bananas and onions respectively, are known to contain sources of fiber like those shown in the above study to increase butyrate production. Cereal fibers, although they comprise a major percentage of fiber consumption in this country, may not be quite as protective as we’ve been led to believe:
Study Link - Fruit, vegetables, dietary fiber, and risk of colorectal cancer.
Quote from the above study:
Individuals who consume very low amounts of fruit and vegetables have the greatest risk of colorectal cancer. Relatively high consumption of cereal fiber does not appear to lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
How Does Butyrate Work?
Butyrate is known to inhibit an enzyme involved in the regulation of genes known as Histone Deacetylase (HDAC). When this enzyme is inhibited by butyrate, tumor-suppressor genes are activated, and this may account for the potential protective effect of butyrate, and certain types of dietary fiber.
So, indirectly, fiber affects the health of our intestinal cells right down to the genetic and molecular level. And to think, it wasn’t all that long ago when scientists themselves thought of dietary fiber simply as the “roughage” we needed to keep us regular.
The Picture Becomes Clearer
While the causes of colon cancer are complex and multi-faceted, research like this makes the picture at least a little clearer. If you’re like the vast majority of Americans and you don’t consume sufficient fiber on a daily basis, or if you rely on cereal grains for the majority of your fiber intake, you may want to rectify this situation immediately - paying particular attention to take in sources of fiber which support the healthy intestinal bacteria, and the production of butyrate. Probiotic supplements, or cultured foods like yogurt are likely to be valuable as well.
Eating a varied diet of fiber-rich foods is, of course, important; but, even with the best diet, it can certainly be difficult to take in the recommended 25 to 35 grams of fiber we need each day. Making this task a little easier is why we created Fiber Balance™, an all natural blend of 5 types of fiber including inulin, FOS, and resistant starch – fiber sources which are all known to support the growth of the good bacteria, and to increase butyrate levels in the colon.
We often recommend that people mix Fiber Balance™ right into yogurt – with the combination of yogurt’s probiotic cultures and the butyrate-producing fibers in Fiber Balance™, you could hardly imagine a more potent one-two punch for supporting gastrointestinal health.
And the combination tastes so good, that you’ll probably have a hard time believing that this little snack is really on the cutting edge of scientific nutrition.
About Us: At Integrated Supplements, our goal is to bring you the wellness information and products you need to live your life to the fullest. We are dedicated to producing the highest quality, all natural nutritional supplements; and to educating the world on the health promoting power of proper nutrition. You can find out more by visiting: www.IntegratedSupplements.com
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. No Integrated Supplements product is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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