Study Links High Choline Intake in Women to Increased Risk of Colon Polyps

A new study suggests that women who eat food containing a lot of choline have an increased risk of developing colon polyps. Choline can be found in egg yokes, soy, wheat germ, and cooked beef, veal, chicken, and turkey livers. Colon polyps are a type of abnormal growth within the colon that can lead to cancer. This is the first study of its kind looking for a link between consumption of choline and colon polyps in women.

Choline is an organic compound. It is considered an essential nutrient by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine and is usually classified within the Vitamin B complex. It plays many vital roles in the body. It can be found in many foods and it is required by the Food and Drug Administration to be in infant formula. Some scientists believe that it can reduce the risk of heart disease and choline has subsequently made its way into nutritional supplements. It can also be found in supplements that claim to reduce body fat because of its role in lipid metabolism. However, no research supports the claim that choline can lead to a reduction in body fat.

Colon polyps are primarily a concern because they can develop into colon cancer. Colon polyps rarely produce any symptoms, therefore, they can go undetected for years. If symptoms do occur they include rectal bleeding, pain, diarrhea, and constipation. Polyps are usually not discovered until an individual undergoes cancer screening either through digital rectal exam, flexible sigmoidoscopy, barium enema, colonoscopy, or virtual colonoscopy. If a polyp is discovered, it is almost always removed, regardless of size.