Calcium provides a healing touch to Colorectal Cancer. According to researchers, consumption of supplemental Calcium lowers the re-appearance of colon polyps. Their assumption tells us that combining with Carcinogens; it is Calcium (recommended amount 1800 mg/day) which helps in preventing unusual cell growth.

There is however, a close relationship between Calcium intake and the risk of Colorectal Cancer.

On the basis of combined data from 10 "COHORT" studies in 5 countries, observational studies indicate that higher intake of milk and Calcium supplements are associated with a reduced risk of Colorectal Cancer.

For various groups of milk consumption, the comparative risk of Colorectal Cancer is as follows -

0.94 units for 70 - 174 gm/day

0.88 units for 175 - 249 gm/day

0.85 units for > or = 250 gm/day

The comparative studies on dietary Calcium intake of total Calcium (dietary and supplemental Calcium) reveal an interesting outcome -

0.86 units for dietary Calcium intake

0.78 units for total Calcium

These are not mere "statistical data points" they tell us the importance of milk consumption. The more we drink milk, lesser are the chances of our getting affected by Colorectal Cancer. Calcium from milk creates a protective shield in our life, taking us far away from Colorectal Cancer.

Disadvantages of consuming Calcium Carbonate in supplement form for healing Colorectal Cancer -

Traditionally, Calcium Carbonate with its maximum Calcium content (40%) was considered to be the best supplement form of Calcium. Moreover, people preferred Calcium Carbonate more because of its easy availability and cheaper price. But the bodily absorption of Calcium Carbonate has been proved to be poor. It cannot act independently within our stomach in the absence of stomach acid with vitamin D hence, has to be compulsorily taken with meals. Other Calcium forms such as Calcium gluconate, citrate, malate, acetate however, are found to have more superior solubility than Calcium Carbonate, in spite of having less Calcium contents. This has been further proved in researches which tell us that regular intake of Calcium Carbonate in supplemental form for a period of long seven years proved ineffective in healing / curing Colorectal Cancer among post menopausal women.

Sources:

1. University of Maryland Medical Center http://www.umm.edu/altmed/Conssupplements/Calciumcs.html

2. Queensland Cancer Fund qldcf@qldcancer.com.au

3. Calcium May Help Prevent Colon Polyps. Environmental Nutrition 22 no. 2 (February 1999): 1.

4. Dairy foods, calcium and colorectal cancer: a pooled analysis of 10 cohort studies, J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004 Jul 7; 96 (13): 1015 - 22.

5. Calcium plus Vitamin D Supplementation and risk of colorectal cancer, NEJ Med. Feb. 16, 2006, 354; 684 - 696, 7.