Fructose in diet enhances tumor growth

[vanessa_ca]

Fructose is a sweetener added to ultra-processed foods, typically in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. WashU research shows that the liver turns fructose into lipids that many types of cancers crave.

Fructose consumption has increased considerably over the past five decades, largely due to the widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener in beverages and ultra-processed foods. New research from Washington University in St. Louis shows that dietary fructose promotes tumor growth in animal models of melanoma, breast cancer and cervical cancer. However, fructose does not directly fuel tumors, according to the study published Dec. 4 in the journal Nature.

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Cancer’s appetite for fructose

Given the rapid rise in the consumption of dietary fructose over recent decades, the WashU researchers wanted to know more about how fructose impacts the growth of tumors.

Patti and Fowle-Grider began their investigation by feeding tumor-bearing animals a diet rich in fructose, then measuring how quickly their tumors grew. The researchers found that added fructose promoted tumor growth without changing body weight, fasting glucose or fasting insulin levels.

“We were surprised to see that it had a rather dramatic impact. In some cases, the growth rate of the tumors accelerated by two-fold or even higher,” Patti said. “Eating a lot of fructose was clearly very bad for the progression of these tumors.”

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https://source.washu.edu/2024/12/research-reveals-how-fructose-in-diet-enhances-tumor-growth/

[TexLaProgressive]

1. Yes there's fructose in HFCS

But common cane & beet sugar, sucrose is 50% fructose to HFCS usual 40%.

[rso]

2. Fructose

All fruits contain natural fructose, I wonder if there’s a difference healthwise between natural fructose and fructose in corn syrup. Because if there is not, then fruits would also be unhealthy.

[GreenWave]

3. Amd we would have gone extinct over 100,000 years ago.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Cancer has little effect on deaths before reproduction

so a small increase in cancer rates would have little effect on survival of a species.

[vanessa_ca]

4. My understanding is that added fructose is worse than natural fructose

My understanding is that added fructose is worse than natural fructose because it's highly processed and the body absorbs it more quickly. Natural fructose comes with fibers, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients for your body that slow the breakdown of that sugar and give your body time to process it. Also, unlike natural fructose, added sugars are linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but I'm not a scientist so I can't explain that. I think the fructose in corn syrup is mainly glucose, but don't quote me. I try to stay away from processed foods and leave it at that.

[rog]

7. I wonder if the 'high' part of HFCS ...

... might be the difference. Honestly, I don't know, but 'high fructose' seems to be a pretty important descriptive term, otherwise wouldn't the ingredient just be 'corn syrup'?

[Meowmee]

8. It's high fructose corn syrup that is bad

Because of how it is processed… It affects the liver producing more triglycerides and also the brain, it increases appetite and has other bad effects.

[MineralMan]

6. Fructose occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables.

Are we now not supposed to eat fruit? First I've heard of that. It really makes no sense, does it?

"An apple a day gives tumors their way?" That just doesn't sound right, does it?

Maybe someone's misunderstanding something somewhere.

LOL!

[vanessa_ca]

9. The article states no such thing. nt

[MineralMan]

10. I did not write that it did.

Reading what I write is important if you are going to comment on it.

[vanessa_ca]

11. "Are we now not supposed to eat fruit? First I've heard of that. It really makes no sense, does it?"

You wrote that. The article made no such suggestion.