Several studies have suggested a link between heme iron intake and an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), though findings have remained inconclusive and inconsistent. To clarify this association, a study investigated the relationship between dietary intake of total iron , heme iron, and non-heme iron and the incidence of colorectal, colon, and rectal cancers in 109,908 individuals with a mean age of 53.8 years.
Over a median follow-up period of 9.1 years, the study found that moderate intake of total iron (5.00–6.27 mg/day) and non-heme iron (4.98–6.24 mg/day) was associated with a significantly reduced risk of CRC (HR: 0.75 for both) and colon cancer (HR: 0.71 and 0.70, respectively) compared to the lowest intake levels. These findings suggest that moderate consumption of total and non-heme iron may lower the risk of colorectal and colon cancer, possibly by limiting carcinogen…
