How Milk, Meat, and Peanuts Might Help Fight Gut Tumors, Study Finds
A new study published in Frontiers of Immunology suggests that proteins found in foods like milk, meat, and peanuts may help suppress small intestine tumors.
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) found that mice on a diet containing these foods developed fewer tumors than those on an antigen-free diet.
Antigens—proteins that stimulate immune responses—are present in foods such as shellfish, eggs, and bread. While they can trigger allergies, the immune reaction in the gut seems to be playing a role in preventing new tumors from forming, the study suggests.
Small intestine tumors are less common than those in the colon, but the risk is higher for individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a rare genetic disorder.
The researchers found that adding meat to an antigen-free diet helped suppress tumors in the small intestine of mice, similar to the effects of a regular diet.
The study also highlighted how T cells—immune cells that help fight disease—were more abundant in mice consuming antigens. Those on an antigen-free diet had significantly fewer T cells, suggesting that antigens might activate immune responses crucial for combating tumors.
However, lead researcher Hiroshi Ohno emphasized the need for further research to fully understand these interactions.
He also cautioned that for people with gut issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), antigen-rich diets may worsen symptoms due to possible allergic or inflammatory reactions.
The findings primarily apply to individuals with FAP, as most intestinal tumors form in the large intestine, which the study found to be unaffected by antigens.
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