A study has found there is a type of drink, popular among the Irish, that ‘doubles’ the risk of bowel cancer - depending on the amount you ingest per day.
Bowel cancer is a common form of cancer diagnosed in Ireland and now it has been confirmed that a type of drink could be putting people in danger of developing it sooner.
According to cancer.ie, bowel cancer is the fourth most common form of the disease found in Ireland, with over 2,562 cases reported each year.
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The devastating disease starts in the large intestines and mainly develops from pre-cancerous growths, which are called polyps.
If bowel cancer is caught early enough, it can be cured, but leading a healthy lifestyle can make all the difference in preventing it.
The latest research, published in the journal Gut, revealed there that is a definite link between sugar-sweetened drinks and bowel cancer.
It found that adults - particularly women - who opt for two or more sugar sweetened drinks a day are "doubling" the ririsk of the deadly disease before they hit 50.
The study highlighted that fizzy drinks, fruit flavoured drinks, and sports and energy drinks all pose a threat.
The experts at cancer.ie warn of the following symptoms as signs of bowel cancer:
- A lasting change in your bowel habit – going more often, looser motions or constipation
- Blood in your poo or bleeding from your back passage
- Pain or discomfort in your tummy area or back passage
- Trapped wind or fullness in your tummy
- A lump in your tummy area or rectum
- Feeling you have not emptied your bowel fully after going to the toilet
- Unexplained weight loss
- Feeling tired and breathless due to anaemia (fewer red blood cells)
They also warn that: “All these symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer, but it’s important to go to the GP and get any unusual changes checked out, especially if they go on for more than 4–6 weeks”.
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