Study finds milk is linked to lower risk of colorectal cancer

Tengrinews.kz - A large-scale study conducted by researchers from the US, UK, and Australia suggests that milk consumption may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, according to Nature Communications (January 2025), as reported by Ferra.ru.

The study used data from the Million Women Study, which tracks over 1.3 million British women, with an average age of 56, since their enrollment between 1996 and 2001. Participants complete questionnaires every 3–5 years.

For this research, scientists analyzed data from 542,778 participants. The findings confirmed strong links between colorectal cancer and alcohol consumption, as well as red and processed meat. Specifically, consuming 30 grams of red or processed meat daily increases colorectal cancer risk by 8%, while a typical 100-gram portion raises the risk to 29%. Processed meats showed an even stronger association with cancer.

Conversely, most dairy products—except cheese and ice cream—were found to have a protective effect. The study revealed that consuming an additional 300 mg of calcium per day lowers the likelihood of colorectal cancer by 17%. This means that drinking a cup of milk daily could reduce the risk by the same percentage.

Researchers suggest that milk’s protective role may be linked to its calcium content. However, other compounds found in milk, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), butyric acid, and sphingomyelin, may also contribute by inhibiting the growth of chemically induced cancer cells in the colon.

Previously, scientists from six countries conducted a joint analysis of existing studies and concluded that the consumption of coffee and tea is associated with a reduced risk of developing head and neck cancer.