Three years ago,
researchers published findings showing that fructose is readily used by cancer cells to increase their
proliferation (2). Cancer cells did not
respond to glucose in the same manner.
Although the theory that sugar feeds cancer was actually born nearly 80
years ago, most conventional cancer programs do not adequately address diet and
the need to avoid sugars. The 1931 Nobel
laureate in medicine, German Otto Warburg, Ph.D., first discovered that cancer
cells have a fundamentally different energy metabolism compared to healthy
cells in 1956. Malignant tumors tend to
use a process where glucose is used as a fuel by the cancer cells, creating
lactic acid as a byproduct (3). The fact
that sugar, and fructose in particular, has been shown to be implicated as a
culprit in the development of both heart disease and cancer as different sugars
are metabolized using different metabolic pathways has been shown to contribute
to the cancer cell proliferation.
The studies confirm
that sugar feeds cancer
because they found that tumor cells do thrive on sugar (glucose). However, the cells used fructose for cell division,
speeding up the growth and spread of the cancer. This difference is clearly of major
consequence, and should be carefully considered by anyone who is currently
undergoing cancer treatment or seeking to prevent cancer.
This does not mean
you should avoid fruits; the benefits of most fruits outweigh any concerns to
fructose and should be eaten in moderation.
The real problem is the high fructose corn syrup that is added to
practically every processed food and drink you see.
Controlling your blood-glucose
and insulin levels through diet, along with a comprehensive exercise program is
one of the most crucial components to a cancer recovery program. These factors are also crucial in order to
prevent cancer in the first place.
By severely
reducing your intake of fructose and carbs in your diet, you help stave off any
potential cancer growth, and "starve" any tumors you currently have. It also bolsters your overall immune function,
because sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately.
References:
(1) Canadian Cancer
Society and Health Canada Statistics: http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-101/cancer-statistics-at-a-glance/?region=qc
(2) Liu, Haibo et al. Fructose Induces Transketolase Flux to
Promote Pancreatic Cancer Growth. Cancer Research August 1, 2010 70: 6368
(3) Warburg, O.
On the origin of Cancer Cells. Science
1956 Feb 123: 309 - 314
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