Can excess sugar in your diet lead to cancer?

Experts believe that excessive sugar intake and cancer are closely linked.

Debjani Arora | Updated: August 16, 2016 10:24 am

Sugar is considered a sweet poison and is responsible for a lot of health scares such as diabetes and heart diseases . However, one hypothesis that is doing the rounds these days is that sugar can also cause cancer. No, this hypothesis is not irrational. Since sugar is a source of energy it is thought that sugar feeds the cancer cells and helps them multiply in numbers hence spreading the cancer further. ‘Sugar has been touted as kind of pro-inflammatory agent and is thought to be as dangerous as tobacco when it comes to cancer. Excessive intake of sugar spikes the insulin level in the body and leads to weight gain–two major factors that can make one prone to cancer,’ says Niti Desai, consultant dietician, Cumbala Hills Hospital, Mumbai.

There are various studies that also establish the fact that there is a link between sugar intake and cancer.

Fructose intake and intestinal cancer: A study published in the journal of Current Opinion on Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity pointed out that excessive intake of fructose or the naturally forming sugar in fruits and honey can increase one’s chances of suffering from pancreatic or small intestinal cancer or even other forms of cancers. Fructose is converted to glucose, which gives your body energy. Breakdown of fructose also increases protein synthesis which can promote a tumour growth [1].

Niti explains why this is so: “High intake of fructose makes it break down to glucose by enzymes, releasing energy and pyruvic acid. Remember cancer cells grow in an acidic environment and sugar is acidic in nature.”

Sugar intake and breast cancer: A study indicated that there is a strong link between dietary sugar consumption and breast cancer among elderly women. Increased sugar consumption leads to an increase of insulin in the blood. If the sugar intake is excessive, then the body needs to produce more insulin and if it is not able to regulate the insulin. it could increase their chances of suffering from breast cancer, especially if they are diabetic [2].

Sugar intake and colon cancer: Dietary sugar consumption is also responsible for increasing one’s risk of colon cancer as it increases levels of triglycerides, glucose and insulin. A population-based case-control study showed that sucrose the chief component of cane or beet sugar increased the risk of colon cancer in younger men. It was also seen that people (both men and women) who had high sugar intake as compared to dietary fibre intake and had larger BMIs, were more at risk of developing colon cancer than those who had low sugar intake and manageable BMIs [3].

These studies conclude why sugar is actually called a sweet poison. ‘Keeping a tab on sugar and even the carbohydrate intake is a watchful step in preventing cancer, as carbohydrates also break down into simple sugar. Even for women who suffer from PCOS where the insulin levels are high, a diet with moderate carbohydrates and sugar is advised along with weight management. High sugar diets definitely open pathways in the body that initiate cancer cell growth,’ informs Desai.

How to limit sugar intake in your diet?

Stop adding white or brown sugar in excess to your foods like tea, coffee or even breakfast cereals.
Read the food labels, especially if you are buying processed or ready-to-eat meals. Remember sugar can be in hidden forms like corn syrup, fructose, maple syrup, etc. Most processed foods that aren’t overly sweet tasting also contain sugar like bread, biscuits, buns, pasta and others, it’s better you limit their intake. Avoid products that have sugar as its first ingredient.
Beware of artificial sweeteners.
Stay away from sodas, colas and health drinks which are also high in hidden sugars.

References:

[1]1: Port AM, Ruth MR, Istfan NW. Fructose consumption and cancer: is there a connection? Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2012 Oct;19(5):367-74. doi: 10.1097/MED.0b013e328357f0cb. Review. PubMed PMID: 22922366.

[2]1: Seely S, Horrobin DF. Diet and breast cancer: the possible connection with sugar consumption. Med Hypotheses. 1983 Jul;11(3):319-27. PubMed PMID: 6645999.

[3]1: Slattery ML, Benson J, Berry TD, Duncan D, Edwards SL, Caan BJ, Potter JD.Dietary sugar and colon cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1997 Sep; 6(9):677-85. PubMed PMID: 9298574.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published: August 11, 2016 6:19 pm | Updated:August 16, 2016 10:24 am

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