When aspirin for colon cancer prevention is worth the risk

Most of us have heard doctors recommend taking an aspirin a day to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Many of us even know that taking the over-the-counter medicine could also help reduce the brain plaques that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.

And even though low-dose aspirin has been found to be a potential preventative tool in the battle against colorectal cancer, there have been concerns.

Doctors have questioned whether or not taking the medication is worth it considering the potential for dangerous side effects, like gastrointestinal bleeding.

Now, the jury is in with a determination on whether or not aspirin is the answer we’ve been looking for to prevent colon cancer.

Here’s what you need to know to determine if staving off colon cancer with aspirin is right for you…

The answer is, it depends

The research, published in JAMA Oncology, followed more than 100,000 people for decades and included data from surveys about their health and lifestyle habits. Specifically, the scientists were looking at the effects of taking aspirin on colon cancer risk — while taking into account whether or not a person was overweight or obese, smoked, drank alcohol, was active or sedentary and the quality of their diet.

So how did things shake out?

Well, the results showed that if you’re super healthy and have healthy habits, taking aspirin for cancer prevention might not be the best choice for you. But that’s because you probably won’t need it…

The results demonstrated that people with the healthiest habits had similar colorectal cancer rates, whether they took aspirin or not. The risk of colon cancer for people with healthy habits was 1.5% with aspirin and 1.6% without.

On the other hand, if you’re not so healthy and your lifestyle habits are less than perfect, aspirin might be the way to go for cancer prevention.

The study showed that people with the unhealthiest lifestyle habits had a significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer if they took aspirin at 2.1%, versus 3.4% for those not taking the medication.

“Our results show that aspirin can proportionally lower the markedly elevated risk in those with multiple risk factors for colorectal cancer,” said lead author Daniel Sikavi, MD. “In contrast, those with a healthier lifestyle have a lower baseline risk of colorectal cancer, and, therefore, their benefit from aspirin was still evident, albeit less pronounced.”

The dose that works for cancer prevention

So, if you do choose to take aspirin, how much does it take to reduce colon cancer risk?

Well, for the study, the people who experienced a lower risk took either two or more standard-dose aspirin tablets (325 milligrams) weekly or a low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams) daily.

It’s best to discuss this option with your doctor before starting, especially if you have any underlying conditions, and to be sure aspirin use isn’t contraindicated with other medications you may be on. Of course, be sure to watch out for those GI side effects.

Also, it’s important to note that researchers believe that the majority of aspirin’s cancer-fighting powers come from its anti-inflammatory properties.

So if you want to skip the aspirin, but still help cancer-proof your body, reducing inflammation is the key. Certain foods and supplements can help conquer inflammation to live longer healthier and disease-free.

Sources:

4 serious ways inflammation makes you sick – Easy Health Options

Can aspirin treat Alzheimer’s? – Medical Xpress

Aspirin May Reduce Colorectal Cancer in High-Risk Adults – WebMD