;Resize=(1200,627)&impolicy=perceptual&quality=medium&hash=9a12cca506a70a0ec575d7156e0e2cdde6ce79711c6611030abe69f647fa8a30 "Researchers warn of cancer risk from tap water")
Which remedies help: Researchers warn of the risk of cancer from tap water
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men. Even if risk factors such as age and family history play a role, the exact causes are still unknown. A new study now shows how tap water can increase the risk.
In Germany, more than 60,000 men develop prostate cancer every year. It is the most common type of cancer in men, ahead of lung and colon cancer. The risk of developing it increases significantly with age. Genetic factors also play a role. If the disease has already occurred in the family, the risk of contracting it yourself increases significantly. If the father is affected, doubles loudly German Cancer Society the risk. If the brother is affected, it even triples.
Nitrate and trihalomethanes are the most common contaminants in water
Even if there is still speculation about the exact causes, diet, lifestyle and environmental influences also play a major role in the risk of cancer. Scientists at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health have now found a link between prostate cancer and drinking water. The study was published in the journalEnvironmental Health Perspectives” published.
Tap and bottled water often contain nitrates and trihalomethanes (THM). While nitrate enters groundwater via nitrogen fertilizers used in agriculture, THM is a by-product of drinking water disinfection by chlorine. Both are among the most common contaminants in water. For example, the nitrate content in water is increasing worldwide due to intensive agriculture.
Water consumption analyzed in over 1600 subjects
To see if there was a link, the researchers looked at 697 prostate cancer patients hospitalized in Spain between 2008 and 2013. 97 of them had very aggressive tumors. 927 men between the ages of 38 and 85 who were not ill and healthy served as a control group.
Based on the data on their drinking water consumption, the researchers calculated how much nitrate and TMH the subjects had absorbed on average since they were 18 years old. The amount of drinking water consumed (number of glasses per day), the origin of the bottled water and the place of residence were queried. Because the content of these substances in tap water varies regionally.
The risk of cancer increases with the level of nitrate consumption in drinking water
When evaluating and comparing the two groups of subjects, the scientists were able to see that high nitrate intake was also associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. who average
- more than 14 milligrams of nitrate per day
in his life above water, therefore has one
- 1.6 times more likely to develop prostate cancer.
The risk of developing a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer increases even further:
- It triples that of those who consume low nitrates (less than 6 milligrams per day on a lifetime average).
“The risks associated with nitrate intake from water are already being observed in people consuming water with nitrate levels below the maximum allowed by European guidelines, which is 50 mg nitrate per liter of water,” warns study leader Carolina Donat -Vargas in one press release.
Nitrate content in groundwater often above threshold in Germany
Tap water is one of the best monitored foods in Germany. According to the Federal Environment Agency, the quality is very good to good. The limit of nitrate is noisy EU Groundwater Directive (GWRL) set out uniformly throughout Europe. It must therefore not exceed the threshold of 50 milligrams per liter in Germany either.
The same applies to groundwater. However, the Federal Environment Agency points out that the values are exceeded at many groundwater measuring points in Germany. This primarily affects agricultural regions in which, for example, arable farming and vegetable cultivation is practiced. In the assessment of the groundwater status according to the Groundwater Directive, 22.2 percent of the 1,291 German groundwater bodies are in poor chemical status because the threshold value of 50 mg nitrate per liter has been exceeded.
Almost 70 percent of the drinking water supply in Germany comes from groundwater and spring water. About 30 percent of drinking water is taken from surface water, ie from sea and dams. If the drinking water is contaminated, measures must be taken to reduce the entry of pollutants.
Researchers call for an end to the indiscriminate use of fertilizers
However, Donat-Vargas clarifies that this does not mean that every man who is exposed to high levels of nitrates will develop prostate cancer. The study is the first proof of a connection. However, in order to prove a causal connection, further research is necessary, she emphasizes.
Nevertheless, the results should be alarming: “We hope that these and other studies will encourage a review of the permissible nitrate levels in water to ensure that there is no risk to human health.” There is an urgent need to reduce the nitrate content in drinking water to end the indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture.
Regarding TMH, the results of the Spanish study were less clear. Here, the researchers could not find any connection between prostate cancer and drinking water. Nevertheless, the results indicated that high concentrations in water through inhalation and skin absorption (e.g. when showering) could play a role. But here, too, further investigations are needed in order to draw firm conclusions.
Fiber and vitamin C reduce the risk of cancer despite high nitrate intake
The study revealed another important finding. Since the participants also had to provide information about their diet, the analysis of the data revealed the following: A connection between high nitrate intake and prostate cancer could only be observed in men who had little
- fiber
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- and vitamin C
Recordings. “Antioxidants, vitamins and polyphenols in fruits and vegetables can inhibit the formation of nitrosamines – compounds with carcinogenic potential – in the stomach,” explains Donat-Vargas. Nitrosamines are highly toxic substances that can form in the body or in food due to nitrate.
The researchers also made an important discovery with regard to vitamin C. “Vitamin C has shown significant antitumor activity,” explains the researcher. Fiber would also benefit the gut bacteria, which protect against food toxins, including nitrosamines.
Nutrition is an important tool in cancer prevention and therapy
A new study shows how important nutrition is for cancer prevention and also during cancer therapy Study from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health in New York. It showed that men who had the highest percentage of plants in their diet had a 52 percent lower risk of prostate cancer progressing. Also, the risk of the disease coming back after successful treatment (risk of recurrence) was 53 percent lower than those with the lowest percentage of plant-based foods.
A plant-based diet consists primarily of plant-based foods such as whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and fruits and vegetables. Animal products are only consumed to a small extent.
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