Sugar is blamed. Is it true that sweets cause cancer?

Sugar is blamed. Is it true that sweets cause cancer?

Sweet lovers are at risk for cancer. Glucose is food for a tumor. Such statements are often found in the media and on the Internet. Let's figure out what's true of it.

Do not lean!

There is no direct relationship between the amount of sweets in the diet and the occurrence of cancer. However, this does not mean that your menu can consist only of sweets and cakes. After all, excessive love for sweets is one of the causes of obesity. But overweight really increases the likelihood of cancer. It is proved that people with increased body mass are at risk for 13 types of cancer. An exact explanation of this relationship does not yet exist, there is only a theory. According to one of them, the reason lies in the hormonal failure, which can be triggered by excess weight. After all, fatty tissue is not just a cluster of certain cells, it is a kind of organ that is involved in metabolic processes and the production of hormones. So, in postmenopausal women, when ovarian function fades away, synthesis of sex hormones estrogen occurs in adipose tissue. If there is too much fatty tissue, the level of estrogen can increase. And this, in turn, may increase the risk of a tumor of the mammary glands, uterus and other organs.

In addition, people with obesity are more likely to have type 2 diabetes, which is also one of the factors for an increased risk of cancer. Elevated blood sugar and metabolic disorders in diabetes affect growth, nutrition and cell division and can lead to pathological changes in the tissues.

However, even those who do not suffer from diabetes often fear that an increase in blood glucose levels after consuming sugary foods can cause cell mutations. However, these fears are groundless. Indeed, after a meal, the level of glucose in the blood always increases, regardless of what was on your plate. When using simple carbohydrates (sugar, honey), this rise is faster and to a greater extent than when eating, for example, meat or vegetables. But in any case, this process is completely physiological, that is, the human body is well adapted to short-term fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Under normal metabolism, protective mechanisms are activated, which restore normal glucose levels. Therefore, a brief rise in blood sugar in no way can lead to malignant cell degeneration.

Food for a tumor?

Another common fear associated with the consumption of sweet, pursues those who already have malignant neoplasms. After all, the cancer cell consumes glucose in large quantities, so supposedly sweets contribute to the rapid growth of the tumor. And many cancer patients deliberately refuse to carbohydrate foods - sugar, bread, fruit, hoping to contain the development of the disease. We will understand what is happening in the body actually.

The founder of the theory of metabolism in cells, including malignant ones, is the German scientist Otto Warburg. It was he who proved that glucose serves as nutrition for all cells of our body. Because malignant cells divide very quickly, they really need more glucose than most normal cells. This is how the myth appeared that consuming sugary foods can lead to rapid tumor growth. And, to slow down the development of cancer, many recommend the rejection of sweets. However, it has long been proven that by rejecting sugar, it is impossible to “starve” the tumor. The fact is that the blood sugar level is relatively constant, which is very important for maintaining the health of organs and tissues, in particular, nerve cells of the brain. It can fluctuate depending on food intake, but these fluctuations are not so significant and rather short-lived. If the supply of glucose in the body is depleted, then it can be formed from proteins and fats, so the cancer cell will receive its portion of nutrients anyway, even if the person completely refuses carbohydrates. Therefore, to rely on the fact that the refusal of sugar can hold back the development of cancer is meaningless. But nutritional restrictions may adversely affect the general condition of the body, so doctors always advise cancer patients to eat fully. meaningless. But nutritional restrictions may adversely affect the general condition of the body, so doctors always advise cancer patients to eat fully. meaningless. But nutritional restrictions may adversely affect the general condition of the body, so doctors always advise cancer patients to eat fully.

"Chemistry" will not help?

Many experts believe that with diabetes mellitus, the effectiveness of chemotherapy is reduced. According to one hypothesis, an elevated blood sugar level in diabetes leads to disbolism in the tissues, blood circulation and weakened immunity, which makes tumor cells less susceptible to drugs.

Indeed, there is evidence from observational studies that show that patients with diabetes are more likely to experience toxic side effects during chemotherapy, and some types of cancer are less amenable to treatment than patients without diabetes. At the moment, there is no clear idea of ​​what mechanism underlies this - a constant elevated blood glucose level, changes in the body's hormonal metabolism in diabetes, or pathological changes in the organs that develop in diabetes. This is still to be found out by scientists. Some studies have shown a link between the control of blood glucose and the effectiveness of chemotherapy, so it is very important to control carbohydrate metabolism during chemotherapy in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Is pancreas in danger?

You can often hear that excessive passion for sweet food creates an excessive load on the pancreas (it is responsible for the production of insulin necessary for glucose to enter the cells) and, as a result, can lead to the appearance of malignant tumors in this organ.

The pancreas is a complex organ that consists of two types of cells. Some cells produce hormones (for example, insulin), which go directly into the bloodstream, the latter synthesize the enzymes necessary to digest food in the intestines.

Most malignant tumors (about 95%) are formed in the part that is responsible for the production of digestive enzymes. One of the factors that increase the risk of tumor formation is food - the wrong diet, improper diet, alcohol abuse.

As for the tumors of the part of the gland that is responsible for the formation of hormones (sometimes they also occur, but this happens very rarely), in most cases these tumors are benign. The appearance of such tumors is usually not associated with excessive consumption of sugary foods.