Doctors have stepped up their warnings about how ultra-processed foods could contribute to a rise in colon cancer cases in young people.
And while sweets, chips and processed meats have gotten the most attention lately, there are a growing number of people who report eating “clean” foods but still get cancer.
University of Miami gastroenterologist Dr. Maria Abreu, who recently received a grant to study this phenomenon, believes part of the problem is the amount of emulsifiers in modern foods, including those found in healthy products such as low-fat yogurts, light salad dressings and peanut butter.
Common additives that help give dairy-free and low-fat or fat-free foods their combined, creamy texture but have been linked to gut inflammation and disruption of the gut microbiome (the collection of healthy bacteria in the body’s digestive tract).
Under normal conditions, the gut microbiome protects the digestive tract from pathogens and infections and helps prevent and reduce intestinal inflammation.
When the microbiome is disrupted by medications or certain foods with additives, or the digestive tract is damaged by inflammation, a person may be at increased risk for cancer.
Dr. Abreu said WSVN News 7: ‘Something in the microbiome has changed and is triggering this chronic inflammation in the (gastrointestinal) tract.
‘These ultra-processed foods create a lot of noise in the microbial system.
‘Things like emulsifiers that are added, things that are creamy, you know, non-fat yogurts and all those things, can really change the gut microbiome in very profound ways.’
Common emulsifiers include soy lecithin, sucralose, xanthan gum, carrageenan, maltodextrin, and polysorbate.
Popular “Light and Fit” yogurts, unsweetened Greek yogurts, and “full” protein yogurts often contain some type of emulsifier to give the products their creamy consistency.
Vegan and “light” mayonnaises also include emulsifiers on their ingredient labels.
Cottage cheese, light salad dressings, pickles, cereals, dairy and meat substitutes, and even chewing gum can also contain these potentially harmful ingredients.
The FDA has reviewed and approved these ingredients and deemed them “generally safe,” but there are some studies that have shown concerning associations.
One study Exposure to carrageenan was found to be associated with intestinal ulcers and abnormal, potentially cancerous tissue growth.
Other study Animals exposed to carrageenan were found to develop ulcers and intestinal inflammation.
While some studies have linked xanthan gum to health benefits such as weight loss and lower cholesterol, one place Researchers found that consuming xanthan gum caused an alteration of the intestinal microbiome.
A 2015 study They found that people who consumed maltodextrin had a reduced amount of good bacteria in their gut and an increased amount of bad bacteria, which could damage the intestines and increase the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases.
And another one study They linked maltodextrin to chronic inflammatory conditions and infections and inflammations of the digestive system.
Multiple studies have analyzed the link between the intestinal microbiome and colon cancer.
University of Miami gastroenterologist Dr. Maria Abreu believes one factor contributing to the rise in colon cancer is a shift in the body’s microbiome, which could be caused by the amount of emulsifiers in modern foods.
Data from JAMA Surgery showed that colon cancer is expected to increase by 90 percent in people between the ages of 20 and 34.
A 2021 study He concluded: ‘Because the colorectal region is a site where changes in the intestinal microbiota can directly influence organs, CRC (colorectal cancer) is considered to be affected by the intestinal microbiome more than other tumors.
‘Gut microbiome studies revealed that (microbiome disruption) occurred more frequently in CRC patients than in healthy individuals.’
A 2022 study He stated: ‘Alterations in the intestinal microbiome play an important role in the progression and development of CRC.’
Studies have also found that the gut microbiome may also help guide CRC treatment in some patients.
The United States has the sixth-highest rate of early-onset cancers (disease in people under age 50), with 87 cases per 100,000 people under age 50, and colon cancer is one of the fastest growing.
Researchers at the University of Missouri-Kansas City analyzed colorectal cancer rates in people ages 10 to 44 over the past two decades and found that cases had increased across all age groups.
The rate of colorectal cancer increased by 500 percent among children aged 10 to 14 and by 333 percent among adolescents aged 15 to 19.
Rates rose 71 percent among people ages 30 to 34, to seven cases per 100,000 people. Among people ages 35 to 39, rates rose 58 percent, to 12 cases per 100,000 people.
Among these young cancer patients is Laurie Koshers, 44, of Virginia. Despite eating healthy and avoiding processed foods, Ms. Koshers was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018.
Ms Koshers is a lifelong vegetarian and an avid runner, so her cancer diagnosis came as a surprise. And while experts are increasingly blaming ultra-processed foods, doctors say patients like Ms Koshers point out that other factors could be behind the rise.