February 5, 2014
Colorectal cancer is not only common, it can also be one of the deadliest forms of cancer, killing 50,000 Americans each year.1
But you can lower your chances for developing it in two ways… For one, you can eat more fiber. Or, you can take a common vitamin. New research shows that niacin is one of the best allies you have in preventing colon cancer.
It works by stopping the type of inflammation that leads to the growth of polyps. These are small clusters of cells in your colon. They aren’t an immediate danger to your health. But over time they can become cancerous.
Niacin, or B3, works to reduce inflammation even if you’re not getting enough fiber. It keeps polyps from forming in the first place.2 And if you already have them, it keeps them from getting larger.
| Cancer isn’t the only threat. A lack of niacin can zap you of your energy. It also leads to more serious issues, like pellagra. It’s a disease that leads to hallucinations, scaly skin sores, mental confusion, and digestive troubles.5 |
How important is this vitamin in preventing colorectal cancer? Your colon actually has niacin receptors built into it. These receptors actively look for the niacin you put in your body. They attract it like a magnet. Once there, the niacin can stop the inflammation that leads to polyp growth and cancer.
Getting enough niacin may be more important to your colon health than fiber. Even if you were to take all the fiber out of your diet, niacin would still stop inflammation in your colon.3
Niacin isn’t just important for preventing cancer. It helps ease the pain and inflammation from Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These conditions can worsen into cancer. If you’re suffering from bowel symptoms, you could be deficient in this potent anti-inflammatory.
You can lower your risk by eating niacin-rich foods. You’ll find it in wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef liver, and pastured chicken.4
If you choose to supplement, niacin can make you flush because it dilates your blood vessels. You can buy “flush free” capsules in a sustained release form that won’t give you that side effect.
Support your colon by giving it the niacin it needs to lower inflammation and keep cancer from developing.
References:
1 http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/statistics/
2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3224853/
3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24412617
4 http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b3-niacin
5 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000342.htm
1 http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/statistics/
2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3224853/
3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24412617
4 http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b3-niacin
5 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000342.htm
