Most of us have heard of H. pylori, a bacteria known for infecting the stomach and small intestine.

It’s long been considered the culprit behind gastritis — a condition that causes pain under the ribs, indigestion, nausea, sometimes vomiting and weight loss. It’s also the most common cause of peptic ulcer disease.

On the mild side, it can cause bad breath. But left untreated, this bacteria can be responsible for gastric cancer.

But the latest on this nasty bacteria indicates it’s capable of even more harm…

According to research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, H. pylori could also dramatically raise your risk of developing deadly colorectal cancer.

More than just a stomach bacteria

Although H. pylori is known for its ability to make its home in the stomach and cause all of those issues we talked about, the truth is that the stomach is simply one stop on a long trip through the digestive system which includes the gastrointestinal tract.

This means that H. pylori can spread and cause problems throughout the bowels.

That fact got doctors at the University of California San Diego and VA San Diego Healthcare System wondering if H. pylori could also play a role in colorectal cancer.

To test the association, they conducted a retrospective cohort study among U.S. military veterans who completed H. pylori testing from 1999 through 2018. In all, the researchers followed 812,736 individuals, 205,178 of whom tested positive for H. pylori.

And sure enough, the bacteria known for its role in stomach cancer showed a clear link to cancers lower down the gastrointestinal tract.

They found that people with an H. pylori infection were not only at an 18 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, but they also experienced a 12 percent increased risk of dying from that cancer.

That’s a big risk increase, especially when you consider that colorectal is already one of the deadliest forms of cancer.

Treatment reduces threat of cancer

An H. pylori infection is treatable — and doing so is key to downgrading that cancer risk.

Their results showed that antibiotic treatment of H. pylori infection reduced the risk of colorectal cancer and colorectal cancer death by a magnitude similar to that afforded by regular colonoscopy screening.

This means that if you have an H. pylori infection, getting treatment as soon as possible could not only help with any stomach discomfort and ulcers, it could potentially protect you from colon cancer.

Additionally, there are natural options for making H. pylori less welcome in your entire gastrointestinal tract…

• Research published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology says that some of the best natural remedies to reduce this bad bacteria include probiotics, broccoli sprouts, green tea, honey, licorice and red wine. The last two on that list should be used only in moderation.
• Scientists at the Department of Cancer Epidemiology at Peking University Cancer Hospital found that drinking cranberry juice twice daily for eight weeks resulted in a 20 percent reduction in the rate of H. pylori infection.
• Kefir, is rich in both a beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus kefiri) and a carbohydrate (Kefiran) with proven bacteria-fighting abilities, can help cut down on H. pylori.

Sources:

More Evidence Linking H. Pylori Infection to Colorectal Cancer – MEDPAGETODAY