Blueberries may fend off colon cancer, says study

BLUEBERRIES contain a potent antioxidant that may help prevent colon cancer, without the side effects of some cancer-fighting drugs, researchers say.

The naturally-occurring antioxidant in blueberries suppresses the formation of precancerous lesions in the colon, said a study by scientists at the US Agriculture Department and Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Colon cancer, whose cause is unknown, is the third leading cancer killer in the US. While blueberries don’t cure colon cancer, they may be a natural preventative, said Bandaru Reddy, lead author.

“There are no side effects,” Reddy said. “Two or three servings a day of blueberries are very useful, and then exercise.” Reddy suggests the blueberry’s antioxidant, pterostilbene, could be combined with certain anti-inflammatory drugs to increase their effectiveness.

Colon cancer has been linked in some studies to a high intake of saturated fats and calories. Blueberries’ antioxidant may counteract this effect by lowering saturated fat levels, Reddy said.

The blueberry antioxidant is also found at lower concentrations in cranberries and grapes. Antioxidants are dietary substances, including such nutrients as vitamins C and E, which protect cells from unstable molecules known as free radicals.

In Reddy’s study, rats were given a compound, azoxymethane, to induce colon cancer in a manner similar to human colon cancer. Half were then given doses of the blueberry antioxidant. Rats given the blueberry antioxidant had 57% fewer precancerous lesions in their colons.