January/February 2001
HEALTH BYTES  

Fiber may not prevent colon cancer

Three major studies in the United States have eroded support for the theory that a high-fiber diet wards off colon cancer, and a recent study found that precancerous growths were more likely to recur in those taking a certain fiber supplement. The latest study addresses supplements of one type of fiber-ispaghula husk, a compound similar to psyllium that is not part of the average diet. The study of 552 Europeans who previously had precancerous growths in the bowel found that 29 percent of those receiving the supplement got at least one new tumor within three years. Last year, a major study of 88,757 nurses for 16 years concluded that fiber doesn’t help prevent colon cancer. In light of new findings, the American Cancer Society plans to revisit its recommendations on fiber and colon cancer. Meanwhile, experts still recommend a high-fiber diet, noting that fiber has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other cancers.

The Lancet, October 2000