The growth in the inner lining of the colon that is nothing but the large intestine is a natural case of colon polyps. Your cell lining contains genetic material that when mutated or becomes abnormal leads to colon polyps. The cells of your body mature and die but when the genetic material changes, the cells are prevented from multiplying and thereby dying. The change in cell lining is a sporadic event that occurs before or after birth. There are two types of colon polyps: Non-neoplastic and neoplastic polyps. The non-neoplastic are inflammatory polyps that are not harmful to health compared to neoplastic polyps that are cancerous in nature.

Lack of vitamin D
Vitamin D reduces the risk of colon polyps by 25% as it contains 400 IUs. There are many multivitamins that contain a large portion of vitamin D that are recommended by the doctor depending on the severity of the disease.

Age
Age is another big cause of colon polyps. The people above 50 years are usually tested for colon polyps as their cells maturing, and dying capacity reduces overtime. The cells in the large intestine get affected quickly and go through wear and tear over years. This can prevent cells from dividing, mutating and dying thereby leading to colon polyps.

Smoking
Smoking is another major cause of colon polyps. Smoking leads to cells overgrowth in the lining of the colon that forms the polyps. Research shows that people who smoke are diagnosed with non-neoplastic colon polyps that are cancerous in nature. Smoking increases the risk of colon polyps by 70% as it strains the large intestine. The cells in the intestine then fail to perform its usual functions of dividing and mutating.

Red Meat
Red meat is one of the foods that cause colon polyps. The properties of red meat increase the lining of the colon. This is harmful to the intestine cells as they are prevented from mutating and thereby dying. Pork, lamb or beef are the examples of red meats and if consumed more than four times a week can lead to the risk of colon polyps. They also contain some kind of fatty acids that boost the risk of the disease.

Inflammatory Conditions
If you are diagnosed with other conditions that affect the colon, can also cause colon polyps. Any inflammatory conditions that touch large intestine or can affect large intestine are an immediate cause of colon polyps. This is because cells quickly divide and multiply themselves and conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease spread easily to the large intestine causing polyps.

Lynch syndrome
A hereditary case of colon polyps is known as lynch syndrome. Here tumors in the breast or stomach cause non-neoplastic colon polyps that have the properties of inherited colon cancer. This can also develop due to cancer genes in your cells.

MYH associated polyposis
This is the cause of colon polyps in young people. This is mainly due to your lifestyle that is not adaptable to your body cells. Sedentary lifestyle, consumption of high-fat foods, smoking and drinking regularly damage the cells and lead to change in the genetic material of cell lining.

Serrated syndrome
When the polyps become malignant due to multiple serrated tissues, it is a common cause of colon polyps. This usually affects the upper part of the colon and leads to non- neoplastic polyps.

Familial polyposis
When the lining of your colon begins in the teenage age, it is the case of familial polyposis. However, this is a rare cause of colon polyps and needs immediate medical attention in its early stage before it worsens to colon cancer. Testing for genes can help determine the birth of this particular cause.

It is important to treat colon polyps before the condition worsens and turns to colon cancer. Most of the times the polyps are removed by OTC medicines, and in worst cases, doctors recommend a surgery to remove the area that is affected. It is always better to maintain a healthy lifestyle and get checked regularly in case of any risk. Early screening of colon polyps is helpful to cure the disease in its early stages that helps in further prevention. Monitor your large intestine before you damage it!