Colon Cancer From Black Tea Consumption? – Naturopathy & naturopathic specialist portal

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A study involving the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem found that certain foods with antioxidants surprisingly appear to promote colon cancer growth. Antioxidants are actually believed to have a positive effect on health, protect against free radicals and thus also against cancer. The groundbreaking new findings were published in the English-language journal “Nature” released.

Why is the colon so susceptible to cancer?

Cancer in the small intestine is fairly rare, whereas colon cancer in the colon, a neighboring, if much smaller, organ is one of the most common causes of cancer death in men and women. The researchers therefore investigated why the colon is particularly susceptible to Krebs is.

Positive effects of cancer mutations?

In her research, she found that cancer mutations are not necessarily bad actors. In fact, in certain microenvironments such as the gut, these mutations can help the body fight cancer that is already present and prevent it from spreading.

Effects of antioxidants on cancer risk

However, once the gut microbiome produces high amounts of metabolites, as they do in certain bacteria and antioxidant-rich foods such as black tea and hot cocoa, the intestinal microbiome becomes a particularly hospitable environment for the growth of cancer.

What influence does the content of bacteria in the intestine have?

According to the researchers, the researchers may also have found the reason why only two percent of intestinal cancers occur in the small intestine and 98 percent in the large intestine. An essential difference between these two organs is the content of intestinal bacteria: there are only a few in the small intestine, but many of these bacteria in the large intestine.

What role does the p53 protein play?

The results indicate the important role that gut microorganisms play in health. In some cases these organisms can have positive effects, in other cases the development of diseases can be supported. For a more precise explanation: TP53 is a gene that occurs in every cell. It produces a protein called p53, which acts as a barrier to the cell and suppresses genetic mutations in the cell. However, if p53 is damaged, it no longer protects the cell. On the contrary, it drives cancer and helps tumors to spread and grow, the researchers report.

How did p53 work in the gut?

In the study, the research group introduced mutated p53 proteins into the Intestine one that should drive cancer. Amazingly, the small intestine responded by converting mutant p53 back to normal p53 and turning it into so-called super suppressors that could better suppress cancer growth than healthy p53 proteins. However, when mutant p53 was introduced into the colon, this effect was not seen. The protein further promoted cancer spread.

Gut flora played an important role in the development of cancer

To test the theory that the intestinal flora was an important factor in why p53 mutated in the small intestine as a tumor blocker, but in the large intestine as a tumor accelerator, the researchers used Antibioticsto kill the intestinal flora of the colon. As a result, mutant p53 no longer promoted cancer.

Foods with antioxidants accelerate cancer?

The intestinal flora produces metabolic products (antioxidants) that are also found in high concentrations in foods such as black tea, hot cocoa, nuts and berries. When mice were fed an antioxidant-rich diet, the intestinal flora accelerated p53’s cancer driver mode. This finding is particularly important for patients with a family history of colorectal cancer, the researchers report.

People with colorectal cancer risk should be aware of this

The team was amazed to see the extent to which microorganisms affect cancer mutations. In some cases, they even completely change their nature. People at increased risk for Colon cancer the researchers advise that perhaps they should have their intestinal flora examined more often and think carefully about whether the foods they eat contain antioxidants or not. (as)