The effect of calcium on the pathogenicity of high fat diets to the colon.

The pathogenicity of lipid components and dietary fats on the colonic epithelium have been studied with five model systems in experimental animals, with rectal perfusion of bile acids, colonic perfusion of bile acid solutions, dietary supplementation with cholic acid, oral boluses of fat, and diets with various levels of fats. The lipid or fat led to colonic epithelial cell cytotoxicity and/or an increase in cell proliferation which was inhibited by supplementary calcium. These results could mean that calcium may reduce the toxicity of high fat diets to the colon and reduce the colonic cancer risk associated with high fat diets.