Research on whether diet, exercise and other habits (occupational or hobbies) contribute to the development of different types of cancer or even if they might improve the treatment of cancer. Use 2 scientific journals to create the post. Ask a curios question as a title and start an engaging discussion with other students.
Use the 2 open access scientific journals to create the post.
Use the following example as a guide:
How can the intake of dietary fiber reduce the risk of developing cancer?
Most of us know that eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is important for a healthy diet. However, a significant factor that comes to regulating our hormones is dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is part of plant foods that we cannot digest and is found in foods such as legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Fiber can either be soluble or insoluble, and both play a crucial role in reducing cancer risk.
- Soluble fiber: attracts water in the intestine, forming a gel that slows digestion, lowers blood sugar, and cholesterol.
- Insoluble fiber: does not dissolve in the stomach and bulks up stool to aid with bowel movements.
Despite its presence in many common foods, fiber tends to fall short of the recommended daily intake. Women should consume 16-20 g/day and 18-24g/day for men. High-fiber diets are linked to lowering risks of colorectal, breast, endometrial, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer, as well as benefits like managing weight and promoting healthy digestion. I am going to delve a little deeper into how fiber can be attributed to the reduction of breast and endometrial cancer development through several mechanisms.
Level of evidence for the association between dietary fiber and cancer.
Estrogen plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. There are studies that demonstrate a strong relationship between high serum estrogen levels and an increased risk of breast cancer. Fiber has an influence on aspects of reproduction, including ovulation, and the amount of circulating estrogen concentrations. Dietary fiber decreases bacterial β-glucosidase activity in the intestine, which reduces estrogen reabsorption in the colon and increases its excretion. This disrupts the enterohepatic circulation of cholesterol (a precursor of estrogen), thus lowering estrogen levels, which plays a key role in breast and endometrial cancer. Dietary fiber plays a role in hormonal modulation. There are natural active phytochemicals that exist in dietary fiber, such as phytoestrogens, phenolic acids, and lignans, which have antioxidant properties, that inhibit cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and promote apoptosis, influencing other hormonal pathways, ultimately reducing breast cancer risk. Fiber also has metabolic benefits such as enhancing insulin sensitivity, decreasing estrogen stimulation, and regulating hormonal pathways responsible for high blood pressure and diabetes--these effects help to protect against endometrial risk factors.
On the other hand, the BioCycle study explored the connection between dietary fiber intake, hormone levels, and ovulation in reproductive-age women. It was found that high-fiber diets reduced circulating estrogen levels, as well as other hormone like estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Interestingly, high fiber intake was correlated with an increased risk of anovulation (absence of ovulation), which raises important questions about dietary recommendations for this population.
I find it fascinating how fiber plays an impact on hormonal regulation in cancer prevention by reducing circulation estrogen levels. However, it may pose a risk to reproductive health for some women, especially those who consume high amounts of fiber. What works well for cancer prevention may need to be adjusted for women who are focused on fertility.
How else does fiber work to reduce the risk of tumor formation? How else does fiber affect other hormones such as the gut microbiome?