A multimineral natural product from red marine algae reduces colon polyp formation in C57BL/6 mice

Nutr Cancer. 2012;64(7):1020-8. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2012.713160. Epub 2012 Oct 4.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine if a multimineral natural product derived from red marine algae could reduce colon polyp formation in mice on a high-fat diet. C57BL/6 mice were maintained for up to 18 mo either on a high-fat "Western-style" diet or on a low-fat diet (AIN 76A), with or without the multimineral-supplement. To summarize, colon polyps were detected in 22 of 70 mice (31%) on the high-fat diet but in only 2 of 70 mice (3%) receiving the mineral-supplemented high-fat diet (P < 0.0001). Colon polyps were detected in 16 of 70 mice (23%) in the low-fat group; not significantly different from high-fat group but significantly higher than the high-fat-supplemented group (P = 0.0006). This was in spite of the fact that the calcium level in the low-fat diet was comparable to the level of calcium in the high-fat diet containing the multimineral-product. Supplementation of the low-fat diet reduced the incidence to 8 of 70 mice (11% incidence). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that a multimineral natural product can protect mice on a high-fat diet against adenomatous polyp formation in the colon. These data suggest that increased calcium alone is insufficient to explain the lower incidence of colon polyps.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium, Dietary / administration & dosage
  • Colon / drug effects
  • Colon / pathology
  • Colonic Polyps / drug therapy*
  • Colonic Polyps / pathology
  • Diet, Fat-Restricted
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Dietary Fats / administration & dosage
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Rhodophyta / chemistry*
  • Trace Elements / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Calcium, Dietary
  • Dietary Fats
  • Trace Elements