Summary: Researchers are exploring the potential health benefits of resveratrol, a compound found in red grapes, blueberries, and peanuts, which could help prevent bowel cancer, protect heart health, and potentially extend life expectancy. A new study, published by The Guardian, started earlier this week, aims to assess whether low doses of this chemical can reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
Key Findings:
Resveratrol and Bowel Cancer: The study is based on over a decade of research from Leicester University that showed resveratrol could slow tumor growth in mice and reach the intestines without being digested. This trial is the first of its kind to explore whether resveratrol can prevent the growth of benign bowel tumors, which, if left untreated, may develop into cancer.
The Trial: The Colo-Prevent trial will involve participants aged 50 to 73, who have been identified as having polyps (small, non-cancerous growths) in their intestines. These individuals, who are already enrolled in the UK’s National Health Service bowel screening program, will have their polyps removed and then be given either aspirin alone or a combination of aspirin and metformin (a diabetes drug) daily for three years.
Cancer Prevention: Professor Karen Brown, a cancer researcher at Leicester University, explains that the trial could have significant implications for preventing bowel cancer, especially among those at higher risk due to age. The trial aims to determine if low doses of resveratrol could inhibit the growth of polyps and prevent cancer from developing.
Conclusion:
Along with lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing red and processed meat intake, the findings of this trial could contribute to new ways of preventing bowel cancer, particularly for those at greater risk. By targeting early growths in the intestines, resveratrol might offer a new approach to halting cancer before it begins.
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