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Alcohol increases rectal cancer risk, but risk is smaller among regular wine drinkers

Regular drinkers significantly increase their risk of rectal cancer. However, the risk is reduced if wine makes up a third or more of their weekly consumption, suggests research in Gut.

The findings are based on a population study of over 29,000 Danish men and women aged between 23 and 95. The study assessed their weekly intake of beer, wine and spirits as well as other factors likely to influence bowel cancer risk, such as smoking habits, body weight and fitness level.

Alcohol seemed to have little influence over the risk of colon cancer, but there was a clear association between rectal cancer risk and the amount of alcohol consumed. Those drinking more than 41 units of alcohol a week had twice the risk of developing the disease as non-drinkers.

The type of alcohol consumed had a significant influence on rectal cancer risk. Those who drank 14 or more units of beer or spirits a week were over 3.5 times as likely to develop rectal cancer as non-drinkers. Yet, those who drank the same total amount of alcohol, but who included around a third or more of wine in their intake, were less than twice as likely to develop the disease.

Alcohol seemed to have little influence over the risk of colon cancer, but there was a clear association between rectal cancer risk and the amount of alcohol consumed. Those drinking more than 41 units of alcohol a week had twice the risk of developing the disease as non-drinkers.

The type of alcohol consumed had a significant influence on rectal cancer risk. Those who drank 14 or more units of beer or spirits a week were over 3.5 times as likely to develop rectal cancer as non-drinkers. Yet, those who drank the same total amount of alcohol, but who included around a third or more of wine in their intake, were less than twice as likely to develop the disease.

The authors point out that wine drinkers tended to be better educated and to take more exercise than beer or spirit drinkers, therefore there may be other healthier lifestyle factors at play. The authors were unable to say why alcohol should apparently be more damaging to the rectum than the colon. However, the protective effect of wine is likely to be due to resveratrol, a compound found in both grapes and wine. Previous research indicates that resveratrol slows down the cellular processes involved in the promotion and growth of cancerous cells.

Kefir may promote lactose tolerance in intolerant people

For lactose-intolerant adults, drinking fermented milk either eliminated or drastically reduced symptoms related to lactose intolerance. Researchers think that microbes in this fermented milk - called kefir - possess the enzyme that is necessary to digest lactose.

Kefir is a little known, and slightly more expensive, alternative to milk. It contains a multitude of bacteria that may help break down lactose in the digestive tract.

Kefir tastes slightly tart and has the consistency of liquid yogurt. To manufacture kefir, producers add clusters of starchy carbohydrate - kefir grains - that contain healthy bacteria. These carbohydrate grains are left to ferment in milk. The grains are filtered out while the live cultures remain.

Past studies have shown that fermented dairy products such as yogurt improve lactose digestion. Participants in the current study reportedly had little or no symptoms associated with lactose intolerance after eating yogurt and kefir. Flatulence was the most frequently reported symptom. Kefir reduced flatulence frequency by more than half, compared with milk.

Breath hydrogen levels were also significantly lower after consuming kefir than after drinking milk. Flatulence is the biggest complaint among lactose-intolerant people and breath hydrogen is indicative of excessive gas in the digestive tract.

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