Probiotics are organisms that help to maintain a healthy human digestive system, including, possibly, decreasing the incidence of colon cancer. These bacteria are usually found in fermented foods such as yogurt. According to an article in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, more than 1 million cases of colon cancer are reported worldwide, and half a million deaths, every year. While the journal article stresses that more studies are needed to determine a definitive link between probiotics and cancer reduction, some promising studies have shown that some probiotics can prevent or cure mild colorectal cancer in rats.
Bifidobacterium Longum
Bifidobacterium (B.) longum is a type of bacteria that multiplies in the human gut and is considered to have a beneficial relationship with humans. B. longum can be found in dairy foods or nutritional supplements. This bacterium can also be passed to infants through breast milk. According to the Molecular Sciences article, J. Singh and his associates conducted a 40-week study using male rats exposed to carcinogens. When B. longum was fed to rats, this study--published in 1997--showed that colon tumor development and the number of tumors were reduced. B. longum also reduced the size of tumors. According to the article, it is theorized that bifidobacteria bind to carcinogens, which are then removed from the body via feces.
Lactobacillus Casei
I. Wollowski and associates conducted a study in rats using lactobacillus casei, commonly found in fermented milk products, in order to determine the protective effects of this probiotic in the prevention of colon cancer. This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2001. In this study, lactobacillus casei was found to reduce the incidence of cancer lesions in colon cells of rats when administered at a high rate. Other lactobacillus probiotics, including acidophilus, gasseri and confusus, showed the same effectiveness in rats. A human study of 223 patients with advanced cervical cancer showed that L. casei provided protection against the further development of tumors. L. casei was found to activate human macrophages to destroy tumor cells.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics are indigestible food components that help increase the growth of probiotics in the gut. The synergistic relationship between prebiotics and probiotics is known as synbiotic. According to a study conducted by D.L Topping and P.M. Clifton and published in 2001, the probiotic bacteria lactobacillus rhamnos and bifodobacterium lactis, when fed to rats in conjunction with prebiotics in the form of cereal bran, reduced the incidence of cancer in rats more than probiotics alone.
Tags: colon cancer, According article, associates conducted, cancer rats, casei found
