Colon, Probiotics, Fibers

Colon health is vital to a healthy body. article article The Colon plays not only critical roles in elimination of waste, finishing digestion of food, water balance, nutrient recycling back into the body, this includes cholesterol too,  it also houses and grows the beneficial bacteria while suppressing harmful toxins and destructive bacteria. Immunity is a major player of proper gut bacteria. Plus, not as well known, the colon is where many hormones and neurotransmitters are regulated and produced. article A Gut Brain connection exists of immeasurable significance. article These all involve important concepts for health and a delicate balance between these factors maintains a healthy 6 foot long living colon pipeline. There are many actors that have a relationship between function factors involving overall diet (like processed meat), fiber types, both soluble and insoluble, supplements (like folic acid, calcium), lifestyles, body movement, transit time, heredity and genetics.

A large part of the colon consists of muscles. article These muscles need to be exercised, not only by body movement, but also from the inside by significant quantify of fiber types and fluids. This is where vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes play vital dietary roles since they have most of the fibers and some of these foods exhibit significant fluid as well, but drinking enough water is necessary. Exercise not only stimulates movement of food through colon but also it improves gut bacteria types. 

Since colon cancers, third is mortality of cancer types, are a significant occurrence in developed Countries, the importance of this information cannot be overstated. ref < new study

OVERALL DIET

Concerning overall diet, this recent reference is one of utmost clarification. Fibers and Fats appear to play opposite roles in colon cancer development as revealed from recent research. Since different types of fats play critical roles for the body, their influence on colon health is also a major consideration. ref Fibers feed the gut bacteria to increase butyrates (article) which reduce cancerous cell formation while Fats stimulate bile acids which can become promoters of colon cancer. ref Obviously, there could be secondary factors as well as nutrient concentrations at work to determine which direction and the degree of influence for each of these processes. ref Since each of these two factors have counter effects of the other, the levels of each one may be the determining overall direction factor. 

Are Herbals containing Saponins harmful or benefitical for health. article This next reference talks about saponins suppressing colon cancer. ref  This needs more research.  

One more study on Probiotics and Colon Cancer Treatments  ref

The B Vitamin Impact

Not many resources will mention this aspect. This concerns dietary nondigestable fibers, gut bacteria species, and B vitamin production. Yes, many bacteria types produce B vitamins, and the body can absorb them for a special purpose.

Here is the story. Fibers and B vitamins in the diet are needed for the health and growth of many different gut bacteria types, especially in the colon. These bacteria then go on to build some new B vitamins. If not enough B vitamins are supplied by the diet, the B vitamins produced by gut bacteria are needed and will be used by other bacteria to grow. This means not enough of the gut produced B vitamins will be available to be absorbed into colon cells to protect them. Could this be a factor in rates of colon cancer? YES!  ref