Although yogurt has been used to treat gastrointestinal infections, diarrhea, lactose intolerance and other digestive disorders, its effectiveness at preventing colon cancer has not been confirmed in human studies. However, the beneficial, or probiotic, bacteria that allow foods to ferment may improve the health of your colon and prevent a recurrence of colon cancer when you're recovering from the disease, the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, states.
Dietary Factors
Colon cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in the United States, according to the UMMC, and dietary factors may increase your risk of developing the disease. A high-fat, low-fiber diet may contribute to colon cancer. In addition, your balance of naturally occurring digestive bacteria may play a role in the cellular changes that lead to colon cancer, Oskar Adolfsson and his colleagues note in the Aug. 2004 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Significance
If you have been diagnosed with colon cancer, are undergoing cancer treatment or are making changes in your diet to maintain a healthy colon, eating yogurt made with live bacterial cultures may improve your chances of recovery or prevention. According to Adolfsson, epidemiologic studies have suggested that people who eat yogurt regularly may have a lower incidence of colon cancer. However, laboratory studies of the effects of yogurt on tumor formation and cell proliferation have shown mixed results, the authors add.
Potential
The probiotic bacteria in yogurt may inhibit colon cancer formation in a number of ways, Adolfsson and colleagues note. Lactobacillus species and other bacteria that produce lactic acid, a metabolic byproduct that allows milk to ferment and form yogurt, may suppress the growth of bacteria that produce carcinogenic toxins. Probiotic bacteria may protect the health of your colon by lowering the pH balance of your digestive tract and enhance the natural immune response in your intestinal tissues, the authors note. More research is warranted to verify these benefits and demonstrate how they take place.
Benefits
In addition to its probiotic content, yogurt provides nutrients beneficial to cancer recovery, including protein, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Low-fat and nonfat yogurt are low in calories and fat and can be a valuable addition to your diet if you're trying to maintain or improve the health of your colon. During colon cancer treatment, the probiotic bacteria in yogurt may help correct diarrhea caused by radiation to your abdomen or antibiotic therapy. The UMMC recommends probiotic dietary supplements containing Lactobacillus acidophilus to maintain the general health of your digestive tract. According to the UMMC, taking probiotics in supplement form each day may help reduce your risk of having a recurrence of cancer after you've had colon cancer surgery.
