Calcium and colorectal cancer
Calcium is as most of us know an important element. It is not only important for the development and maintenance of our bones. It is also important for enzymatic processes in the body, but there´s more ....
Currently, colorectal cancer is on the agenda. The danish Board of Health is promoting a proposal to send a do-it-yourself-cancer test home to all Danes between ages 50 and 74. The test should show whether there is blood in the stool. It may be a sign of bowel cancer, but need not be. If the sample after analysis proves positive, you are invited for a rectal examination. There is disagreement about the usefulness of this approach compared to what the many false-positive home tests will show – and concern about the high cost to the country's health budget.
Every year nearly 4,000 Danes get cancer of the colon or rectum. It strikes most commonly after 40 years of age. Approximately half die from the disease each year. This makes it relevant to deal with this issue.
Researchers have long glanced after a possible link between people's total calcium consumption and the risk of developing cancer. The results have pointed in different directions, but a study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine about possible links between calcium intake and development of various cancers have shown that women who ingest more calcium, reduces their risk of cancer and particularly bowel cancer.
The preventive effect of getting cancer increased up to a dose of 1300 mg daily. Men apparently do not enjoy similar protection from this calcium intake. However, they still benefit from extra vitamin D against the same disorder.
But can we in this context conclude that all women should take a dose of 1,300 mg calcium daily?
No, we can not. It is the total calcium intake that counts - thus including calcium from food and drinking water.
An earlier study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which also showed benefit of calcium supplements on the risk of cancer of the colon therefore concludes that there seems to be no particular advantage in taking more than approx. 700 mg of calcium a day. On the contrary, very high doses seems to increase the risk of developing prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.
Other prevention
Prevention of colorectal cancer is not the area where scientists are most sure on the usefulness of the advice they give, but they believe that about. 5% of colorectal cancer is hereditary in nature. Chronic intestinal inflammation also causes an increased risk. In addition, mean lifestyle factors such as overeating, obesity, a high intake of red meat, high alcohol, low intake of fruit and vegetables, and lack of exercise increase risk of bowel cancer.
Calcium from GoOrganic
GoOrganic have two products that contain calcium. OsForte + and OsForte calcium. There are, respectively. 400 and 600 mg of calcium in a daily dose from these two products. They also contain other beneficial nutrients such as vitamin D, magnesium, etc. preventing the calcium from doing more harm than good in your body. But that's another story.