Research findings presented at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting, held this year in San Diego, suggest that supplementing with vitamin D and calcium may reduce colon cancer risk, while consuming too much iron might increase it.

Veronika Fedirko of Emory University presented her team’s discovery that supplementing colorectal adenoma (polyp) patients with 2 grams calcium, 800 international units of vitamin D, or a combination of the two for six months was associated with an increase of Bax, a protein that controls apoptosis (programmed cell death), compared with placebo group levels. By increasing Bax levels in the colon’s mucosa, a greater number of precancerous cells (such as those that are found in polyps) may self-destruct. The trial found that the greatest increase in the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 (an apoptosis inhibitor) occurred in the group that received both calcium and vitamin D. Continue Reading

Colorectal cancer

Interventions that can prevent the development of colorectal cancer include screening for adenomas, removal of polyps by endoscopic polypectomy, excision of the large bowel (in FAP) (Munkholm P 2003; Watson P et al 1998), and regular NSAID use (Reeves MJ et al 1996; Giardiello FM et al 1993), in addition to the following dietary interventions [...] Continue Reading

Events: Second Annual Life Extension Cruise

The second Life Extension Seminar at Sea will be a 7-night cruise on August 29, 2008. This time we will cruise the splendor of the Alaskan wilderness aboard Celebrity’s sumptuous Infinity. You’ll enjoy our Life Extension seminars, one-on-one consultations, a welcome aboard cocktail reception, exceptional personal service, award-winning cuisine, world-famous amenities, accommodations that are the most spacious at sea, and much more.

For reservations or for more information please call Life Extension Vacations at 800-791-4457 or email reservations@levacations.com.

Life Extension Update

• Higher vitamin D levels could prevent 600,000 cases of breast and colorectal cancer annually
• New meta-analyses point to strong colorectal and breast cancer preventive benefit for vitamin D

What’s Hot

• Calcium supplements help reduce colorectal polyp recurrence for up to five years
• Increased calcium from supplements and diet lowers women’s colorectal cancer risk
• Calcium and vitamin D: partners in colon cancer prevention

Life Extension magazine

• Vitamin D: Cancer prevention and other new uses
• Nutritional strategies for conquering colon cancer

If you have questions or comments concerning this issue or past issues
of Life Extension Update, send them to ddye@lifeextension.com or
call 954 202 7716.

For longer life,

Dayna Dye

Editor, Life Extension Update

ddye@lifeextension.com

954 766 8433 extension 7716

www.lef.org