Ginger pills could help colon swelling, a precursor to cancer: study

The key to reducing colon swelling - a precursor to cancer - may be ginger pills, according to a new study.

Patients who took ginger root supplements experienced a 28% drop in colon inflammation compared to their counterparts who ingested a placebo, research released this week shows.

The study, published in Cancer Prevention Research, is the first step to finding out whether compounds in the popular herb can cut the risk of colon cancer since inflammation can lead to the deadly disease.

"Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic and improve their quality of life in a cost-effective way," said Suzanna Zick, author of the study and a research assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The sample was small: 30 patients participated over 28 days. Zick said more research on the power of ginger is needed.

"We need to apply the same rigor to the sorts of questions about the effect of ginger root that we apply to other clinical trial research," she said.

The participants took two grams of ginger root supplements a day, far more ginger than is in the average American diet. The test group showed no dip in colon inflammation.




http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2011/10/12/2011-10-12_ginger_pills_could_help_colon_swelling_a_precursor_to_cancer_study.html