Research shows that sugar can accelerate the occurrence and spread of breast cancer, proving that there is a reason to cut back on sugar consumption besides the obvious health and weight implications. (Image : Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan.6 (Korea Bizwire) – Research shows that sugar can accelerate the occurrence and spread of breast cancer, proving that there is a reason to cut back on sugar consumption besides the obvious health and weight implications.
NBC News and Medical Express reported that a research team lead by Professor Lorenzo Cohen at the University of Texas discovered the results in experiments using rodents.
The study, conducted on rats that are genetically apt to get breast cancer, showed that rats that ate more types of sugar had a higher chance of getting breast cancer compared to rats that ate more starch. The cancer cells spread at a much faster rate among rats that ate more sugar.
The team divided the rats into four groups. The groups were fed either sucrose, fructose, glucose or starch for a period of six months.
The results showed that 30 percent of the rats that were fed starch and 50 to 58 percent of rats that were fed various types of sugar developed breast cancer.
Rodents that consumed more sucrose and fructose had a higher chance of growing breast cancer cells, which then spread to the lungs at a faster rate.
All types of sugar accelerated the process, but fructose had the biggest influence on the cancer cells.
Sucrose is an equal mixture of fructose and glucose. Fructose is broken down in the liver, and glucose is broken down in other organs such as the pancreas.
Since fructose boosts inflammation more than glucose, professor Cohen commented that the fructose contained in sucrose seemed to be the main cause of the tumors.
The results of the research were published in the New Year’s issue of ‘Cancer Research’.
By Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
