That’s why you’ll be very happy to hear that several safe and natural supplements are scientifically proven to help support the health of your colon … and to keep it that way for life.
A healthy colon depends on a perfectly balanced environment—and an abundance of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) like butyric acid are essential to achieving this. SCFAs are produced naturally when bacteria in the colon metabolize indigested dietary carbohydrates; thus, the levels of these short chain fatty acids can vary dramatically depending on your diet.2 Studies show that high amounts of butyrate can lower your colon cancer risk, reduce inflammation and cut DNA damage in half—while further research suggests that butyric acid can also increase mucosal cell repair, intestinal motility plus sodium and water absorption in your colon.3-10
Excess levels of ammonia, on the other hand, can pose a very serious risk. Unlike butyrate, which is formed by fermentation of dietary fiber, ammonia levels increase as the result of bacterial metabolism of protein in your colon—which is why high-protein diets are linked to cancer promotion and intestinal cell destruction.11-13 Obviously, lasting protection for your colon would have to address both butyrate and ammonia levels… and taking a natural polysaccharide supplement called Larch Arabinogalactan is one way to do that.
This large sugar molecule is exactly the kind of dietary fiber source that converts into critical SCFAs once it begins to ferment in your colon—delivering especially large quantities of cancer-fighting butyric acid, improving gut microflora and reducing ammonia levels have been documented in a variety of studies.14-15 What’s more, research shows that Larch Arabinogalactin can also stimulate immune-modulating natural killer (NK) cell activity and inhibit metastasis of tumor cells to the liver.16
Once you’ve increased your colon’s butyrate levels, you should also consider adding a vitamin D3 supplement into the mix. Studies suggest that the two work synergistically to inhibit colorectal cancer formation and increase healthy cell differentiation.17-18 Finally, decreasing your colon’s population of cancer-promoting bacterial enzymes (such as beta-glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase and urease) is absolutely essential for lasting health—which is one reason why beneficial probiotic bacteria like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) found in Culturelle® can inhibit both gastric and colon cancer cells.19
Incorporating these three natural supplements into your daily regimen may be all you need to maintain a healthy colon for life. And luckily, they’re all readily available through Vitamin Research Products—as the polysaccharide powder Larch AG, the comprehensive probiotic blend Culturelle and either liquid or capsule forms of Vitamin D3.
References:
1. American Cancer Society website, www.cancer.org, accessed August 17, 2009.
2. Sanderson IR. Short chain fatty acid regulation of signaling genes expressed by the intestinal epithelium. J Nutr. 2004 Sep;134(9):2450S-2454S.
3. Roy MJ, Dionne S, Marx G, Qureshi I, Sarma D, Levy E, Seidman EG. In vitro studies on the inhibition of colon cancer by butyrate and carnitine. Nutrition. 2009 Jul 18. Published Online Ahead of Print.
4. D’Argenio G, Mazzacca G. Short-chain fatty acid in the human colon. Relation to inflammatory bowel diseases and colon cancer. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1999;472:149-58.
5. Cherbut C, Aubé AC, Blottière HM, Galmiche JP. Effects of short-chain fatty acids on gastrointestinal motility. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl. 1997;222:58-61.
6. Shimotoyodome A, Meguro S, Hase T, Tokimitsu I, Sakata T. Short chain fatty acids but not lactate or succinate stimulate mucus release in the rat colon. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 2000 Apr;125(4):525-31.
7. Tedelind S, Westberg F, Kjerrulf M, Vidal A. Anti-inflammatory properties of the short-chain fatty acids acetate and propionate: a study with relevance to inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol. 2007 May 28;13(20):2826-32.
8. Fu H, Shi YQ, Mo SJ. Effect of short-chain fatty acids on the proliferation and differentiation of the human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2. Chin J Dig Dis. 2004;5(3):115-7.
9. Andoh A, Tsujikawa T, Fujiyama Y. Role of dietary fiber and short-chain fatty acids in the colon. Curr Pharm Des. 2003;9(4):347-58.
10. Rosignoli P, Fabiani R, De Bartolomeo A, Spinozzi F, Agea E, Pelli MA, Morozzi G. Protective activity of butyrate on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in isolated human colonocytes and HT29 tumour cells. Carcinogenesis. 2001 Oct;22(10):1675-80.
11. Robinson RR, Feirtag J, Slavin JL. Effects of dietary arabinogalactan on gastrointestinal and blood parameters in healthy human subjects. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Aug;20(4):279-85.
12. Bartram HP, Scheppach W, Schmid H, Hofmann A, Dusel G, Richter F, Richter A, Kasper H. Proliferation of human colonic mucosa as an intermediate biomarker of carcinogenesis: effects of butyrate, deoxycholate, calcium, ammonia, and pH. Cancer Res. 1993 Jul 15;53(14):3283-8.
13. Visek WJ. Diet and cell growth modulation by ammonia. Am J Clin Nutr. 1978 Oct;31(10 Suppl):S216-S220.
14. Kelly GS. Larch arabinogalactan: clinical relevance of a novel immune-enhancing polysaccharide. Altern Med Rev. 1999 Apr;4(2):96-103.
15. Robinson RR, Feirtag J, Slavin JL. Effects of dietary arabinogalactan on gastrointestinal and blood parameters in healthy human subjects. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Aug;20(4):279-85.
16. Kelly GS. Larch arabinogalactan: clinical relevance of a novel immune-enhancing polysaccharide. Altern Med Rev. 1999 Apr;4(2):96-103.
17. Gaschott T, Stein J. Short-chain fatty acids and colon cancer cells: the vitamin D receptor--butyrate connection. Recent Results Cancer Res. 2003;164:247-57.
18. Gaschott T, Werz O, Steinmeyer A, Steinhilber D, Stein J. Butyrate-induced differentiation of Caco-2 cells is mediated by vitamin D receptor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2001 Nov 2;288(3):690-6.
19. Orlando A, Messa C, Linsalata M, Cavallini A, Russo F. Effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG on proliferation and polyamine metabolism in HGC-27 human gastric and DLD-1 colonic cancer cell lines. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2009;31(1):108-16.
