A contaminant found in drinking water may raise the risk of colon cancer in certain vulnerable groups of people, a study suggests. The contaminant is nitrate, which can get into public water supplies from nitrogen-containing fertilizers used in agriculture, or from human or animal waste.
![Nitrate in water linked to colon cancer risk Nitrate in water linked to colon cancer risk](https://drop.ndtv.com/images/story-noimage.png?q=50)
They found no overall link between nitrate levels and the risks of colon or rectal cancer. There was, however, a connection between nitrate exposure and colon cancer in some groups. People with a relatively lower vitamin C intake i.e. less than 132 mg per day had a two-fold increase in their risk of colon cancer when they were exposed to more than 5 mg/L of nitrate for more than 10 years. A similar increase was seen among people who ate a couple of servings of meat each day and had the same nitrate exposure. In addition, participants with a history of inflammatory bowel disease, an established risk factor for colon cancer, faced an increased risk of the disease. Among these individuals, there was a greater risk for those exposed to nitrate levels above 5 mg/L for up to 10 years. According to the researchers, the possible link between drinking-water nitrate and colon cancer warrants further study including research looking at private wells, which in agricultural areas may have particularly high nitrate levels.
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.