Alarming new research from Harvard Medical School published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention has suggested that women who use talcum power every day on their genitals are 40 per cent more likely to develop ovarian cancer.

Scientists suspect that powder particles applied every day to their genitals to keep fresh may travel to the ovaries and trigger a process of inflammation that encourages cancer cells to flourish. Previous studies have raised genuine concerns about the use of talc, but this latest finding indicates that the risks may be far greater than previously thought and the researchers have urged all women to stop using talc immediately.

 

The study, which involved more than 3,000 women, found that using talc just once a week increases risk of cancer by 36 per cent, rising to 41 per cent for those using talc every day. Laboratory tests show ovarian cells exposed to talc divide more rapidly – a common indication of cancer. The risks were even greater for women with a certain genetic profile. Women carrying a gene called GSTMI or glutathione S-transferase MI, but lacking a gene called glutathione S-transferase TI or GSTTI, were nearly three times more likely to develop tumours. Around one in ten Caucasian women is thought to have this genetic profile, increasing their risk sharply.

 

Talc is made from a mineral called hydrous magnesium silicate, or soapstone, which is then crushed, dried and milled to produce powder. Some experts believe this powder, which is also found in lipstick, paint and insecticide has chemical similarities to asbestos, which can cause a deadly form of lung cancer. (In addition, habitat destruction caused by illegal mining of the mineral has helped drive the Indian tiger to the brink of distinction.)

 

More than 6,000 women every year are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the UK. Risk factors include a family history of the disease, starting periods at a young age, and having already had breast cancer. Women who are overweight or use hormone replacement therapy are also thought to be more at risk. If you are worried about ovarian cancer then a simple ultrasound scan can give you peace of mind, do contact my clinic for details of how to be referred for this test. 

 

Women will often bring into my clinic supplements that they have already bought to ask my opinion of them. Shockingly, many of the supplements bought by mail order contain talc in the tablets. This raises two important points. One is that, as with food, you must read the label – it is not just enough to read the part that lists the vitamins and minerals that are in the supplement, you also have to read the ingredients list. The ingredients can include not only substances like talc but also artificial sweeteners and colourings, which I hope you would be avoiding in food. Secondly, it is better to buy supplements in capsule form than tablets. With tablets they have to include binders and bulking agents in order to make them into a solid form and your body has got to break that tablet down (some can be extremely hard) in order to obtain the benefit. With a capsule (and choose vegetable capsules instead of bovine gelatin, you can even get fish oil supplements in fish oil gelatin now e.g. Omega 3 Plus) it is possible to have them just filled with the essential nutrients and nothing else (the Natural Health Practice has supplements just like this). Also, with a capsule your body only has to ‘melt’ the capsule in order to release the nutrients rather than having to break down a hard tablet. 

 

Remember that you get what you pay for with supplements. It’s much better to pay a bit extra to get better quality, which means not only ‘no nasties’ added, but also better absorption because the minerals are in a more absorbable form.

Yet more evidence of the weight loss benefits of eating breakfast to kick start your metabolism (fat burning) for the day ahead have been revealed by a recent study directed by the University of London.

The study of 15,000 children found that one in five was overweight or obese when he or she started school and those five year olds who were not given a bowl of cereal or a slice of toast in the morning were twice as likely to be obese as those who ate breakfast. The researchers suggested that children who miss breakfast are more likely to get hungry before lunch and gain weight because they tend to snack on foods that are high in fat and sugar.

 

This study confirms the results from other studies that suggest that children who skip breakfast tend to perform less well at school and have poorer test results. The message is simple and clear: to reduce their risk of weight gain and improve their performance at school, children need to sit down to a healthy breakfast every morning.

Last month’s IN THE NEWS highlighted a study published in the British Medical Journal Online First which suggested that those who eat quickly treble their risk of being overweight. Scientists involved in the study believe that the modern manner of eating on the go – and until absolutely full – is a significant factor in the current obesity epidemic because it overrides signals in the brain which normally encourage a little more self control. Now a study of British youngsters by Cancer Research UK, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that teaching children to savour their food will not only help them manage their weight but also help combat cancer.

In the study scientists set about videoing more than 120 sets of twins between the ages of 10 and 12 as they ate sandwiches and fruit salad. They worked out how many bites a minute the children took and compared this with their weight. Fastest eaters were the overweight children, at 4.3 bites a minute; next came those on the heavy side of normal with 4.1 bites a minute. The thinnest youngsters took only 3.8 bites a minute. Although the researchers acknowledged that genes influence our eating rates they came to the conclusion that the faster children eat the more overweight they tend to be and the higher the risk of cancer. As obesity raises the risk of at least five forms of cancer, something as simple as teaching children to eat slowly could have a huge impact on public health.

 

Great dietary gurus of centuries ago stressed the importance of eating slowly and chewing food for a long time and as this study makes clear, this message is even more important today not just for busy adults who bolt down their food, but also for children.