Grapes make the perfect snack, not only because of their bite-size, portability, and taste – they are full of potent health benefits too. Grapes have garnered a lot of attention in the area of health research due to their popularity all over the world and their growing list of nutrients.
New research from Cancer Research UK shows that red grape extract may fight bowel cancer. The study found that small doses of resveratrol, a chemical from red grapes, helps prevent bowel cancer better than high doses.
This is the first study to examine the effects of a daily dose of resveratrol (equivalent to a 250ml serving of red wine) compared to a much higher dose.
The mice with bowel cancer risk that were given a smaller dose showed a 50 percent reduction, while the higher dose showed a 25 percent reduction. Lower resveratrol doses were twice as effective as the higher dose in preventing tumors from growing.
The study results open up a realm of possibilities for cancer treatment.
Karen Brown, professor of translational cancer research at the University of Leicester, said:
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”#228B22″ class=”” size=””]”For the first time, we’re seeing that less resveratrol is more. This study shows that low amounts may be better at preventing tumours than taking a high dose. The same might be true for other plant-derived chemicals and vitamins that are also being studied for cancer prevention. There should be more research looking at the effects of low doses. But this is early laboratory research and the next stage is for clinical trials to confirm whether resveratrol has the same effects in people at high risk of bowel cancer.”[/pullquote]
Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s head of health information, said:
“This research doesn’t mean that having a glass of red wine will reduce your risk of cancer because you can’t separate the resveratrol from the alcohol. And the increase in cancer risk linked to alcohol outweighs any possible benefits of the resveratrol. It’s a fascinating study but we need much more research to understand all the pros and cons of someone taking resveratrol to prevent bowel cancer. However, we do know that keeping a healthy weight along with a balanced diet low in red and processed meat with lots of fibre including fruit and vegetables can stack the odds in your favour to lower your risk of developing the disease.”
The study showing that red grape extract may fight bowel cancer was published in the journal Science Translation Medicine.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Red Grape Chemical May Help Prevent Bowel Cancer but Less Is More.” AlphaGalileo. Cancer Research UK, 29 July 2015. Web. 03 Aug. 2015.
2. “Cancer Chemoprevention: Evidence of a Nonlinear Dose Response for the Protective Effects of Resveratrol in Humans and Mice.” Science Translational Medicine. Science Translational Medicine, 29 July 2015. Web. 03 Aug. 2015.
