Too Much—and Too Little—of This Nutrient May Increase Your Colon Cancer Risk, Studies Show

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Too Much—and Too Little—of This Nutrient May Increase Your Colon ******* Risk, Studies Show

The words “increase your ******* risk” are scary. Most (if not all) of us either are or know

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, and we’ve seen how terrifying the ******** is.

Plus, it seems like just about anything can lead to *******, from foods to too much sun to age. Having a ******* diagnosis is not a personal ********, but it’s still so easy and understandable to feel hopeless in the midst of it all.

With that said, studies suggest that too much and too little of a particular nutrient may increase the risk of colorectal ******* and other types of *******, and we know that you want to be as well-informed as possible to stay safe. Here’s what to know.

Related: The Early Colon ******* Sign Most People Miss, According to Gastroenterologists

The Nutrient That Can Play a Role in Colon ******* Risk

The nutrient in question is iron. Its effects on ******* rates are noted in research.

For example, a

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suggests too much iron can increase the risk of lung and colorectal cancers, noting that excess iron may fuel tumor growth. On the other side, a

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suggests having low iron is associated with the development of colorectal *******.

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, gastroenterologist and assistant professor and director of physician communication at Burnett School of Medicine at Texas ********** University, further explains the details.

“Excess iron can increase the risk of colon ******* due to its effect on the tumor cell proliferation,” he explained. “Whether excess iron increases the actual risk of colon ******* [as a whole] is unknown.”

Additionally, an iron overload can contribute to oxidative stress and other types of damage that can ultimately lead to ******* development, according to

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, a colorectal surgeon at Smilow ******* Hospital and Yale ******* Center and co-director of the colorectal ******* program in the department of surgery at Yale School of Medicine. She lists DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, protein damage and more as examples of what having too-high iron levels can do to the body.

Too little iron can be harmful, too, negatively affecting the immune system.

“The immune system relies on iron to grow and support the normal actions of immune cells,”

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, gastroenterologist and medical chief of quality and safety for digestive health at Yale New Haven Health, says. “When the body doesn’t have enough iron, the immune system cannot effectively detect nor ******** ******* cells. This allows ******* cells to grow and spread more rapidly.”

Related: The One Thing Doctors Who Treat Colon ******* Say You Should Never, Ever Do

How Much Iron Should People Try to Consume?

Since everybody and every body is different, there’s no one perfect answer as to how much iron to consume.

“The amount of iron people should get varies by several factors including age, menstruation, pregnancy status and dietary patterns,” Dr. Mongiu noted. “Iron supplements are not necessary for most, but could be considered after discussion with a medical provider if a person is not getting enough routinely or if there are low iron stores that need to be repleted.”

Your best bet, per usual, is to talk to your healthcare provider or a non-diet dietitian.

However, generalized suggestions are out there. The

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the following:

Men ages 19 to 50 years old: 8 mg. a day

Women ages 19-50 years: 18 mg. a day

People over 50 years old: 8 mg. a day

When pregnant: 27 mg. a day

When lactating: 9 mg. a day

Further, Dr. Cox recommends 18 mg. of iron a day if you’re premenopausal and 8 mg. a day if you’re postmenopausal, but adds, “Other medical conditions may require different doses.”

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include shrimp, broccoli, eggs, chicken, wheat products, raisins and cashews, to name a few.

FYI:

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include fatigue, an

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, ****** pain, stomach pain and more.

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can be similar—like fatigue—and also include pale or yellow skin, chills, hair loss and more.

Related: Gastroenterologists Are Begging People To Pay Attention to the Side Effects of These Two Common Vitamins

Other Dangers of Too Much or Too Little Iron

Before discussing other potential harms of too much or too little iron, let’s jump back a bit: What is iron? What does it do?

“Iron is an essential part of the red blood cells, which supply oxygen to the body,” Dr. Cox says.

That leads us right to the effects.

“Too little iron can cause iron deficiency anemia,” Dr. Cox continued. “Anemia can lead to complications, such as heart ******* or *******, due to decreased oxygen delivery and blood volume.”

An under-consumption of iron hurts the immune system, too, Dr. Hughes says, in which the body isn’t as strong against infections and illnesses.

On the other end, Dr. Cox says too much iron “can lead to organ dysfunction,” particularly in the liver, pancreas and heart.

Dr. Hughes says that over time, overconsumption of iron can also raise the risks of gastrointestinal distress, diabetes, loss of *******, fatigue, irregular heart rates, arthritis, bacterial infections and other cancers.

Related: Celebrity Chef Sunny Anderson Shares the #1 Thing That Helps When She Has an Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Up

Other Risk Factors of Colon *******

Last but certainly not least, Dr. Cox and Dr. Mongiu share other risk factors of colon ******* beyond iron consumption, including:

Previous history of colon ******* and/or polyps

Family history of colon ******* and/or polyps

******* syndromes, such as ****** syndrome and familial adenomatous polyposis

Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s ********

History of radiation to the abdomen or pelvis

Cystic fibrosis

Heavy alcohol consumption

Diabetes

Excess red meat ingestion

Consuming too much overprocessed foods

Low fiber diet

Low vitamin D intake

Let’s be real: This is a lot of scary info to take in. As you take care of your physical health in these ways, remember to take care of your mental health, too.

Up Next:

Related: This Bathroom Issue Is a Common Sign of Colon *******, According to a GI Doc

Sources

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, ******* Medicine

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, Frontiers in Immunology

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, National Institutes of Health

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, Cleveland Clinic

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, Cleveland Clinic

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, Cleveland Clinic

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#Muchand #Littleof #Nutrient #Increase #Colon #******* #Risk #Studies #Show

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