Fluid intake and risk of bladder and other cancers

Abstract

There are appreciable differences in total fluid intake at the individual and population level, and substantial difficulties in obtaining valid measures of fluid intake. Epidemiological studies have examined the association between fluid intake and different types of cancer. For bladder cancer, fluid consumption has been associated with a moderate increase of risk in some studies, including a multicentric case-control study from the United States, based on about 3000 cases, with a decrease in others, including the Health Professional Follow-up study, or with no material association. The evidence, therefore, is far from consistent. Sources and components of fluids were also different across different types studies. From a biological point of view, a decreased fluid intake could result in a greater concentration of carcinogens in the urine or in a prolonged time of contact with the bladder mucosa because of less frequent micturition. Carcinogenic or anticarcinogenic components of various beverages excreted in the urine may also play a role in the process. It has been suggested that fluid consumption has a favorable effect on colorectal cancer risk. Fluid intake may reduce colon cancer risk by decreasing bowel transit time and reducing mucosal contact with carcinogens. Low fluid intake may also compromise cellular concentration, affect enzyme activity in metabolic regulation, and inhibit carcinogen removal. However, epidemiological data are inadequate for evaluation. Data are sparse and inconsistent for other neoplasms, including breast cancer. The fluid constituent of foods, confounding, interactions and possible influences of specific types of beverages should be investigated further. In conclusion therefore the association between total fluid intake and cancer risk remains still open to debate.

A prospective study of water intake and subsequent risk of all-cause mortality in a national cohort

“…Therefore, in women, the suggestion of a slight increase in risk of mortality that was seen when high total water intake was due to plain water intake was unexpected. This study finding is contrary to results from reports of an inverse association of fluid or water intake with risk of heart disease and certain cancers (12)(13)(14)(15), which may have been expected to lead to a favorable mortality outcome. The possibility that the observed association may have been spurious because of multiple-hypothesis testing or because of the methodologic limitations later discussed could not be excluded and requires confirmation from other cohorts with comparable exposures and outcomes.…”

“…The association of water intake and body-weight management has also received considerable attention (11). However, the meager published evidence on modification of risks of leading chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes has largely been limited to plain water or fluid intake (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). To our knowledge, intakes of total water and individual sources of ingested water in relation to health have received relatively little scrutiny.…”

Hydration Conference Spans Many Research Areas

“…Specifically, the simple action of drinking adequately and self-assessing hydration status are supported by the papers which appear in this issue of Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism . These positive habits also are supported by published clinical research, in that low daily water intake has been associated with coronary heart disease, bladder cancer [1,2] , and colon cancer [3,4] . Furthermore, epidemiological studies and controlled laboratory investigations link elevated plasma AVP (i.e., a hormone that is elevated when daily water intake is low) with an increased risk of developing hyperglycemia or type 2 diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and premature death [5][6][7][8] .…”

Angiotensin inhibition and malignancies: a question of hydration

“…9 However, the physiological regulation of body fluids is not simple and age-related changes in the cardiovascular system may potentially impair the benefits in older people. Increased fluid consumption in children, adolescents and young adults could be a preventive measure against hypertension and cancer.…”