Protective effects of calcium from nonfat dried milk against colon carcinogenesis in rats

A number of studies have demonstrated the protective effect of dietary calcium against risk for colon cancer. The objective of this experimental study was to test the efficacy of two sources of dietary calcium, elemental calcium in the form of CaCO3 and dairy calcium as nonfat dried milk (NFDM), in colon tumor inhibition. Male weanling F344 rats were fed six test diets containing low (LF, 5%) and high (HF, 20%) levels of corn oil and low (0.5%) and high (1.0%) levels of calcium supplemented as CaCO3 or NFDM in a 2 x 3 factorial design. Tumors were induced with two weekly injections of azoxymethane at 12 mg/kg body wt. After 27 weeks on the test diets, animals were necropsied for tumor analysis. There was no difference in tumor incidence for fat or calcium source main effects, but a significant interaction was seen between fat and calcium source, with the lowest tumor incidence seen in the HF/NFDM group. Calcium compartmentalization studies demonstrated no effects of calcium on serum calcium levels but increased urinary and fecal water calcium in the higher-calcium diets. Increased dietary calcium also decreased fecal bile acid concentrations, but there was no effect on fecal water bile acids. Intermediate biomarkers of colon carcinogenesis were not affected by the dietary treatments except for fat effects on carcinogen-induced nuclear aberrations. These results indicate that source of calcium is not critical but that total dietary context may affect efficacy of calcium against colon carcinogenesis.