The Iron In Red Meat Predisposes To Cancer

Author: Nia Rouseberg Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

In this article, learn more about The Iron In Red Meat Predisposes To Cancer. The presence of a defective gene also plays a role ....

Consumption of red meat increases the risk of colon cancer due to its high iron content , scientists say.

The mineral contributes to the development of the disease process through a defective gene in the gut, which usually opposes the disease.

The discovery could lead to new treatments that could "cleanse" the iron in the gut in people who are developing cells affected by the defective gene.

In laboratory tests, the researchers found that susceptibility to colon cancer was strongly influenced by both iron levels and the APC gene.

In cases where the gene is damaged, high iron intake increases 2 to 3 times the risk of developing colon cancer, the results show.

The risk is lower for low-iron foods, even if they have a defective gene. But when APC is functioning normally, the high concentration of the trace element in the body is not harmful.

The gene has been damaged in about 8 out of 10 cases of bowel cancer, but so far scientists do not know how it is linked to the disease, said study leader Professor Owen Sansom of the British Cancer Institute.

Interestingly, even very high levels of iron in the diet may not affect the development of colon cancer with the normal functioning of the APC gene, the expert added.

Hem, which gives red meat its color, also plays a role in promoting this type of cancer. It is believed that it can damage the lining of the colon. During roasting, meat produces carcinogenic compounds, scientists say.

According to the research team, when the APC gene is not working, iron accumulates in the cells in the gut. This activates the "key" genetic cancer that stimulates the uncontrolled multiplication of cells.

The results were published in the journal Cell reports.

The Iron In Red Meat Predisposes To Cancer

Related Articles