When you drink milk or eat a slice of cheese, you may be helping fight colorectal cancer, according to a University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas researcher.
Dr. Clifford Simmang, director of colon and rectal surgery at the medical center, said the calcium in these foods may help reduce risk for colon cancer.
Simmang said recent research suggests foods high in calcium, as well as calcium supplements, help prevent polyp formation in the colon, a risk factor for colorectal cancer. The supplements also may protect against the advanced polyps most associated with the invasive form of the disease.
“Results from studies are still coming in, but indications are calcium does help prevent polyp formation,” said Simmang.
To reduce your risk for the disease, Simmang suggests adhering to current daily dietary recommendation for calcium – 1,000 milligrams for people age 19 to 50 and 1,200 milligrams for those over 50. That’s equivalent to between three to four eight-ounce glasses of skim milk a day.
“There really is no best dose to recommend,” said Simmang. “Most people, though, should stay on the high side of the daily recommended dose.”
