Do you often find yourself reaching for processed foods due to their convenience and longer shelf life?
A recent study from Georgia State University reveals a potential downside to these popular choices.
It turns out, emulsifiers — additives used in many processed foods to improve texture and extend shelf life — may increase the risk of colorectal cancer by altering gut bacteria and promoting inflammation.
What is Colorectal Cancer?
Colorectal cancer, ranking as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, is a significant health concern.
Recent research suggests that the gut microbiota, the billions of microorganisms that live in our intestines, play a role in this type of cancer.
Gut Health and Disease
The gut microbiota also plays a crucial part in driving inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Notably, IBD is known to promote colon tumorigenesis, leading to “colitis-associated cancer.”
Furthermore, low-grade inflammation, a condition more common than IBD and often associated with altered gut microbiota, is found in many cases of colorectal cancer.
Recent findings suggest that dietary emulsifiers might be partially responsible for this connection.
The Study and Its Findings
The team of researchers hypothesized that emulsifiers might alter the gut microbiota in a way that promotes colorectal cancer.
To test this, they conducted experiments on mice, feeding them two very commonly used emulsifiers at doses representing the average consumption in most processed foods.
What they found was quite concerning. The consumption of emulsifiers drastically changed the species composition of the gut microbiota, making it more pro-inflammatory and promoting the induction and development of cancer.
These changes in the microbiome due to emulsifiers were found to drive alterations in the homeostasis of intestinal epithelial cells, which are believed to govern tumor development.
The Takeaway and Future Research
In a nutshell, these findings suggest that altering the gut microbiome through the intake of emulsifiers could cause low-grade gut inflammation and promote colon cancer.
This research shines a new light on the potential dangers of processed foods and their impact on our gut health and overall well-being.
The research team is now investigating which specific members of the microbiota are triggering this detrimental effect and the exact mechanism through which the altered microbiota promotes cancer.
This pivotal study, led by Emilie Viennois et al, was published in the journal Cancer Research.
As our understanding of gut health continues to grow, it’s important to stay informed and make dietary choices that support a healthy microbiome.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies that whole grain foods could help increase longevity, and vitamin D supplements strongly reduce cancer death.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that vitamin D level in your blood may predict colon cancer risk, and vitamin D supplements strongly reduce cancer death.
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