Major Colon Cancer Increase In People Under 50 Linked To Antibiotics

NOTE:   The judicious use of antibiotics under the guidance of a qualified medical professional is sometimes essential.  At the same time, when appropriate, the doctors of Dr. Taketa-Wong & Associates encourage people to consider alternatives to antibiotics both for adults and children alike.  Depending on the specifics,  there are natural remedies like supplements, tinctures, and herbs, that are often just as effective without the harmful side effects and long term dangers.
 
     Colon cancer (also called colorectal cancer) is currently the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.  The news has become grim for people under 50 years.  Their colon cancer rate has climbed 51% since 1994.  Researchers wanted to know why.  Recently, scientists from the United Kingdom conducted a large population-based case-controlled study involving data from almost 40,000 people.
 
     They identified a link between antibiotic use and the risk of developing colon cancer before 50 years of age, and the risk was, in fact, higher in younger people.  Their findings appeared in the British Journal of Cancer.  Other risk factors, already identified as contributing to many types of cancer, including colon cancer, are things like refined food, diets high in sugar, obesity, diabetes, and a lack of physical activity.
 
     There has been a substantial increase in antibiotic use in children around the world.  Researchers found this to be an important factor in the increasing incidence of colon cancer in young people.
 
     Antibiotics can upset the balance of the gut microbiome, which can lead to an imbalance in certain chemicals.  As Dr. Taketa-Wong has stated many times, our gut bacteria are vital in regulating the immune system.  An imbalance can contribute to the development of various cancers.
 
     The authors of the latest research believe that antibiotics most likely disrupt the gut bacteria responsible for stimulating the immune system.  The disruption can encourage disease causing bacteria to move in.  This recolonization, according to the study, is likely to be carcinogenic.
 
     In other words, it’s not the antibiotics themselves that are carcinogenic, but rather the changes in gut bacteria that occur following their use.

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