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Article contributed by Mayo Clinic oncology dietitians
Sugar is often a source of anxiety and fear for people with cancer. It’s important for people to know sugar does not cause cancer, and consuming sugar does not make cancer cells grow faster, nor does avoiding sugar slow their growth. Sugar, however, may play an indirect role in developing cancer.
How it happens
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that comes in different forms. Added sugars are found in sweetened beverages, desserts, candy, and other processed foods. Naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, starchy vegetables and grains.
Research suggests that sugar’s strongest link to cancer is its role in weight gain and obesity. Excess sugar contributes to extra calorie intake, increasing the risk of obesity. It is important to note that too many calories from any source - carbohydrate, fat and even protein – can lead to weight gain. Extra weight increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease and several types of cancer including breast cancer (post-menopausal), colorectal, esophageal, multiple myeloma (a cancer of the blood cells), meningioma (a type of brain cancer), kidney, endometrial, ovarian, thyroid, liver, gallbladder, upper stomach, and pancreatic. The link between excess body weight and cancer are complex and not fully understood.
Tracking your sugar intake
Added sugar provides no nutritional benefit and nutrition guidelines recommend limiting your daily intake.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: No more than 10% of your daily calories from added sugar (50 grams or 12 tsp. on a 2,000-calorie diet).
- The American Heart Association: Limit added sugar to 25 grams (6 tsp.) per day for women and 37 grams (9 tsp.) per day for men.
Be sure to read the nutrition facts label and avoid going over daily recommended sugar intake. If you consume sugary snacks and beverages, added sugar in your diet can add up quickly. For example:
- 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams (10 tsp.) of sugar.
- A standard Hershey’s bar has 26 grams (6.5 tsp.) of sugar.
- A six-ounce container of low-fat yogurt may contain up to 15 grams (4 tsp.) of sugar.
- A Nutri-Grain bar contains 12 grams (3 tsp.) of sugar.
Often, even foods that are marketed as healthy options can contain an excess of sugar, so be mindful of this as you make changes to your diet.
Reducing your risk
Excess body fat can also affect hormones, including the sex hormone estrogen, which can increase the risk of some cancers including breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight and being active reduce insulin resistance and cancer risk. Losing just 5-10% of your body weight and aiming for at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week can help. Work with your primary care provider or a dietitian to develop a plan that works best for you.
What small steps have you taken to try to reduce added sugars?
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Thank you. 🥰
This past week the newsletter Medical News Today had this article on fructose and cancer.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-too-much-fructose-may-feed-cancer-tumors
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2 ReactionsHi @tasamy, I'd like to connect you with others with a similar diagnosis. You mention that you have a GI cancer. Do you have stomach cancer or a different cancer along the GI tract, like esophageal, colon cancer, or elsewhere?
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1 ReactionThank you for sharing. I hope you hear from others who have had a similar experience.
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4 ReactionsTo state that cancer is only related to excessive sugar consumption when the sugar consumption leads to obesity seems misleading and potentially harmful for some patients. (Let alone that the average American adult consumes over one hundred and fifty pounds of sugar annually, which leads to poor metabolic health for the majority of our population.)
Please see the following article:
"The role of dietary sugars in cancer risk: A comprehensive review of current evidence"
by - Nazmul Hasan, Omid Yazdanpanah,
Barbod Khaleghi,
David J. Benjamin,
Arash Rezazadeh Kalebasty
Highlights
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Glucose, fructose, and sucrose have distinct roles in cancer development.
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Sugar intake may elevate cancer risk through insulin resistance and inflammation.
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Hyperglycemia-driven carcinogenesis involves VEGF-driven angiogenesis and immune alterations.
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Research on sugar metabolism offers potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
Sugar is inflammatory:
Excessive sugar intake can trigger inflammation because it leads to a surge in blood sugar, potentially overwhelming the body's ability to process it effectively, and can also disrupt the gut microbiome, promoting the release of inflammatory molecules.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Blood Sugar Spikes and Insulin Resistance:
Consuming a high amount of sugar, especially refined sugars, causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, which can lead to insulin resistance. This means the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, further exacerbating inflammation.
Inflammatory Cytokine Release:
When the body struggles to process excess sugar, it can trigger the release of inflammatory molecules called cytokines. These cytokines are messengers that signal the immune system to activate and fight off perceived threats, leading to inflammation.
Gut Microbiome Imbalance:
A high sugar diet can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and a decrease in beneficial ones. This imbalance can contribute to increased gut permeability, allowing more inflammatory substances to enter the bloodstream, further fueling inflammation.
Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs):
When sugar combines with proteins or fats in the body, it can form harmful compounds called AGEs. AGEs are linked to oxidative stress and inflammation, contributing to chronic health problems.
Chronic Inflammation can lead to cancer:
Chronic inflammation can damage DNA and lead to cancer. It's considered a hallmark of cancer, and up to 20% of cancer-related deaths are linked to inflammation.
How chronic inflammation leads to cancer
DNA damage
Chronic inflammation can damage DNA, which can affect how cells grow and divide.
Tumor microenvironment
Chronic inflammation can create an inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME) that promotes tumor growth.
Transcription factors
Chronic inflammation can activate transcription factors like NF-κB, STAT-3, and HIF-1, which can lead to tumorigenic factors.
IL-6 signaling
IL-6 signaling can promote chronic inflammation and cancer development.
Examples of chronic inflammation and cancer
People with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease have an increased risk of colon cancer.
Please read this abstract:
Understanding the Link between Sugar and Cancer: An Examination of the Preclinical and Clinical Evidence
I'm certain that there are many causes of cancer in our modern world, but to assure patients that high sugar consumption has nothing to do with cancer risk (unless they're obese) seems risky and possibly misguided.
Bruce W Taylor
R.Ph., MHA
Hi @brucetaylor,
Thank you for your comments and citations you provided. You're right that reducing sugar intake reduces risk of disease. I can sense your passion and concern on this topic.
It is important to recognize the complex metabolic pathways can lead to reduced metabolic health and may increase cancer risk. Sugar alone is not the only cause of the conditions listed. In the study you cited, researchers Hasan, et. al. state, “However, the evidence is not universally conclusive, and additional large-scale, long-term research are required to better understand these processes. To help in cancer prevention and management, public health guidelines should emphasize reducing added sugar consumption and promoting a balanced diet rich in natural foods.”
I agree that there is strong evidence supporting a whole-food, plant-predominant dietary pattern. Organizations like the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society have consistently supported these recommendations.
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13 ReactionsThank you! I've had type 2 diabetes for over 20 years and have a strict regime--hard to adjust to at first and now second nature. I eat 7 servings of carbs (15 grams each) daily and exercise (Mildly! I'm disabled) 45-60 minutes a day. It feels good, the diabetes is completely controlled with low dose meds, and so I didn't make any changes with a breast cancer diagnosis. I could try something more extreme but frankly it doesn't seem worth the effort--since basically my effort is towards feeling good and it works.
Great info here--and helpful. Thanks again.
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4 ReactionsThank you for adding the rest of the conclusion to the cited study.
It is so important to read to the end of research studies and understand that all of our knowledge is in a continuous state of development.
I didn't think the point of your original post was to say excessive sugar intake was okay, but that it was to promote moderation and tell people sugar doesn't cause cancer, it is only one factor to consider.
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5 Reactions