Nine Year Study Finally Explains The Relationship Between Sugar and Cancer

Every cell in the body needs a form of sugar to survive, called glucose. Glucose metabolization allows cells to harness adenosine triphosphate (ATP), or energy. Cancerous cells, however, require more than healthy cells, and they break down sugar much faster. This is known as the Warburg Effect. (1)

The Sugar And Cancer Connection

We’ve known about the Warburg Effect since the 1920s. Otto Warburg and his peers discovered that tumors take up massive amounts of glucose compared to the healthy tissue around it. They also discovered that glucose fermented and produced lactate, even in the presence of oxygen, a processed called aerobic glycolysis. With these findings, Warburg concluded that tumor cell death required the elimination of both glucose and oxygen.

Warburg’s colleagues later discovered tumors had changes in fermentation. They considered genetics and environmental factors to be the cause. But they also discovered that growth signaling directly controlled the fermentation process.

In short, regular cells turn sugar into energy, but cancer cells ferment sugar. This fermentation process encourages tumor growth, and because cancer cells grow fast, they need a lot of glucose. It leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth and is an important factor in aggressiveness. (1)

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The 9-Year Sugar And Cancer Study

Professor Johan Thevelein and colleagues studied different strains of yeast as these cells contain the same Ras proteins found in cancer cells. When glucose and fructose enter a cell, they are converted to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (Fru1,6bisP). The scientists found that the Fru1,6bisP activates Ras proteins, which causes more fermentation, which causes cells to multiply. (2)

In a statement, Prof. Thevelein said, “Our research reveals how the hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth. Thus, it is able to explain the correlation between the strength of the Warburg effect and tumor aggressiveness. This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences. Our results provide a foundation for future research in this domain, which can now be performed with a much more precise and relevant focus.” (3)

“The main advantage of using yeast,” Thevelein said, “was that our research was not affected by the additional regulatory mechanisms of mammalian cells, which conceal crucial underlying processes. We were thus able to target this process in yeast cells and confirm its presence in mammalian cells. However, the findings are not sufficient to identify the primary cause of the Warburg Effect. Further research is needed to find out whether this primary cause is also conserved in yeast cells.” (3)

Does This Mean Sugar Consumption Causes Cancer?

The American Institute for Cancer Research says that there is no strong link between sugar consumption and cancer rates, but there is an indirect link. Every cell in the body requires a form of sugar (glucose) to survive. We get that natural glucose from eating carbohydrates, including grains and dairy. However, eating a high-sugar diet, and too much refined sugar, leads to excess calories and increased weight and body fat and obesity. It is the increased body fat that causes an increased risk in many forms of cancer. (4, 5) Minimize your risk by eating a diet low in sugar.