This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Science News
Study uncovers how low-carb diet drives colorectal cancer development | Temerty Faculty of Medicine
U of T researchers have shown how a low carbohydrate diet can worsen the DNA-damaging effects of some gut microbes to cause colorectal cancer. The study compared the effects of three different diets in combination with specific gut bacteria on colorectal cancer development in mice.
temertymedicine.utoronto.ca
Researchers at the University of Toronto found that pairing a low-carb, low-fibre diet with a strain of E. coli that makes the DNA-damaging toxin colibactin sparks polyp formation (and ultimately colorectal cancer) in mice—something that didn’t happen on a normal or Western-style diet. The low-fibre mix stokes gut inflammation and thins the mucus barrier, giving colibactin free rein to damage colon cells, especially in animals already hampered by DNA-repair mutations.
Beyond warning keto-style dieters of this hidden risk, the team is exploring fibre supplements (like inulin) and targeted antibiotics to knock out colibactin-producers. They’re also looking at whether common probiotic E. coli strains pose a threat for folks with Lynch syndrome or other high-risk profiles—and dreaming up human studies that could one day help prevent diet-driven colorectal cancer.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Science News