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Up to five coffees a day ‘slashes your risk of bowel cancer by 30%’
Experts say drinking coffee can help reduce your risk of another killer disease as well
DRINKING up to five cups of coffee a day can reduce your risk of developing and dying from bowel cancer, experts say.
A new study showed people who drink more than four cups a day had a 29 per cent lower chance of dying from the disease than those who drank less than two.
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It comes as independent experts said drinking multiple cups of Joe a day can help ward off the cancer.
Professor Carlo La Vecchia, of Universita degli Studi di Milano, who was not involved in the study, said: “Coffee is inversely related to colorectal cancer risk.
“The risk reduction per cup per day is around 5 to 6 per cent, and consequently 25 to 30 per cent for four to five cups per day.
“Additional cups do not materially change colorectal cancer risk.
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“The reason for the favourable impact of coffee on large bowel cancer is metabolic.
“Coffee tends to reduce glycaemia and subsequent diabetes, which is a recognised risk factor for colorectal cancer.”
Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, is now the third most common cancer in Britain, with 41,596 Brits diagnosed in 2021.
It is the UK’s second deadliest cancer, claiming 16,000 lives each year.
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However, nine in 10 patients survives it if diagnosed at the earliest stage, according to Bowel Cancer UK.
The Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign, spearheaded by Dame Deborah James, has called for earlier testing and treatments to improve survival rates in Britain.
Sun Health Explainer: What is cancer?
Previous research has shown people who drink coffee were at a lower risk of bowel cancer compared to people who don’t drink it.
The NHS advises people not to drink more than four cups a day, as it may increase your blood pressure.
The paper reports an over 30 per cent reduction in total mortality in drinkers of four cups per day versus nondrinkers
Professor Carlo La Vecchia
The study, published in the , looked at how the beverage affects the risk of the disease returning and dying from it.
Researchers tracked 1,719 bowel cancer patients from the Netherlands for an average of 6.6 years.
Over the study, 257 patients saw their cancer come back, while 309 died.
Professor La Vecchia, also of the , said: “The paper’s key finding is a reduction by over 30 per cent of colorectal cancer recurrence for a consumption of three to five cups per day versus less than two cups.
“It also reports an over 30 per cent reduction in total mortality in drinkers of four cups per day versus nondrinkers.
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"This is attributable to the favourable metabolic effects of coffee.
“Given the observational nature of the study, caution is required in its interpretation since patients in less favourable general health conditions may abstain or reduce their coffee consumption, introducing some degree of reverse causation bias.”
What are the red flag warning signs of bowel cancer?
IT'S the fourth most common cancer in the UK, the second deadliest - yet bowel cancer can be cured, if you catch it early enough.
While screening is one way of ensuring early diagnosis, there are things everyone can do to reduce their risk of the deadly disease.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes and checking with your GP can prove a life-saver.
If you notice any of the signs, don't be embarrassed and don't ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of patients with bowel problems.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
- A change in your normal toilet habits - going more frequently for example
- Pain or a lump in your tummy
- Extreme tiredness
- Losing weight
Tumours in the bowel typically bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anaemia. It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.
Other signs include:
- Gripping pains in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Constipation and being unable to pass wind
- Being sick
- Feeling like you need to strain - like doing a number two - but after you've been to the loo
While these are all signs to watch out for, experts warn the most serious is noticing blood in your stools.
But, they warn it can prove tricky for doctors to diagnose the disease, because in most cases these symptoms will be a sign of a less serious disease.
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