Taking ginger supplements was found to reduce colon inflammation in a recent study of a small group of patients, and it seems likely that ginger could help prevent colon cancer.

The 30 participants in the recent study were given either two grams of ginger root supplements every day, or a placebo. After 28 days, it was found that the participants who’d taken the ginger supplements had significant reductions in colon inflammation.

Colon inflammation has been shown to lead to cancer of the colon, but the researchers who studied the effects of ginger supplements say more studies would be required to show how and to what degree ginger might reduce the risk of colon cancer.
The study was led by Suzanna M. Zick, a naturopathic doctor and an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School.

“We need to apply the same rigor to the sorts of questions about the effect of ginger root that we apply to other clinical trial research,” Zick said in a statement. “Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic, and improve their quality of life in a cost-effective way.”