Does sugar cause cancer: expert opinion

0

There are many recommendations on the Internet about what to add or remove from your diet to prevent cancer. To the question of whether there is a connection between the use of sugar and the development of oncological diseases.

The connection between lifestyle and the risk of developing cancer

Nutrition does play an important role in health, and poor nutrition can affect the likelihood of developing cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 5 cancer cases in the U.S. and about 1 in 6 cancer deaths can be linked to poor diet, excess weight, lack of exercise, or alcohol.

The American Cancer Society recommends a healthy diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and limits red meat, sugary drinks, highly processed foods, and refined grains.

Does it help cancer development sugar

There is no evidence that simply eliminating sugar from the diet will stop the spread of cancer cells. According to Kerry Daniel-McDougall, M.D., a nutritional epidemiologist at Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, if cancer cells don't get sugar, they'll start breaking down other components from other energy stores in the body.

Can Certain Diets Help Slow Tumor Growth

Some preliminary evidence from rodent and human trials suggests that a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet may help slow the growth of certain types of tumors, such as such as rectal tumors, in combination with standard methods of cancer treatment – radiation and chemotherapy.

Researchers do not yet understand the mechanism of influence, but there are some hypotheses. According to Neil Iyengar, MD, an oncologist at the Memorial Cancer Center. Sloan Kettering in New York, the ketogenic diet lowers insulin, a hormone that helps cells absorb sugar. Research in mice shows that high insulin levels can weaken the ability of some treatments to slow tumor growth.

Iyengar said he and other scientists are studying the effectiveness of ketogenic diets in these types of tumors in clinical trials. But the ketogenic diet is probably one of those types of diets that isn't applicable for reducing the risk of all types of cancer.

Can giving up sugar be seen as cancer prevention

Verdict

Cutting sugar won't stop cancer growth, but early evidence suggests that a low-carb diet may improve the effectiveness of some cancer treatments.