Cancer researchers say red meat damages DNA

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Cancer researchers say red meat damages DNA

http://www.newstarget.com/019037.html

 

Highlight:

The Cancer Research Journal has published a study that claims red

meat damages DNA and increases the risk of developing bowel cancer.

Original source:

http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=159572006

 

Summary:

 

EATING red meat alters your DNA and may lead to an increased risk of

developing bowel cancer, scientists said yesterday.

Chemical compounds formed while digesting meat can cause DNA to

mutate and increase the likelihood of cancerous cells developing.

People who eat two portions or more of red meat a day suffer

significantly more DNA damage to the cells of their colon than those

who follow a largely vegetarian diet or eat red meat less than once

a week.

The research, published in Cancer Research journal, found that

people who eat large quantities of red or processed meat are more

likely to develop cancerous tumours in their large bowel.

N-nitroso compounds are formed in the large bowel after eating red

meat and can attach themselves to DNA and cause it to mutate.

Scientists compared the cells of healthy volunteers, some of them on

a vegetarian diet, others eating large quantities of meat and over a

period of two weeks were able to pinpoint DNA damage.

" This research showed damage in healthy people so you can imagine

that if someone was predisposed to bowel cancer or had an inflamed

gut the effects would be more severe.

Research by the Medical Research Council published last year showed

the chance of developing colorectal cancer was a third higher in

people who regularly ate more than two portions of red or processed

meat a day compared to those who ate less than one portion a week.

The charity advises people to eat no more than 80g of meat per day,

as recommended by the World Cancer Research Fund.

A spokeswoman for charity Beating Bowel Cancer said: " A third of all

cancers are linked to what we eat and we must not underestimate the

importance of a well-balanced diet in the prevention of bowel

cancer. "

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