The Sugar Increases Risk of Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a form of rare cancer but extremely deadly. It is difficult to treat and usually is discovered when it is already too late to save the life of the victim. This is why prevention is extremely important.
In a study carried out between 1997 and 2005 in which about 78000 men and women, researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that a high intake of sugar and sugary foods greatly increases the risk of suffering from this type of cancer.
The cause appears to be linked to an increase in the production of insulin caused by sugar. Researchers note that the frequent consumption of sugar and sugary foods is heightening the level of blood sugar which is heightening the demand for insulin and reduces sensitivity of tissues to the action of the latter. The pancreas, located between the stomach and the spine, is the gland responsible for the production and secretion of insulin.
Some examples of the increased incidence of cancer of the pancreas caused by sugar are:
The daily consumption of two or more sugared soft drinks or increases by 90 percent the chances of developing pancreatic cancer.
People who, at least five times a day, add sugar to what they eat or drink (such as coffee, tea or cereal) increase by 70 percent the chances of developing pancreatic cancer.
Related to this, it is important to remember that many products where sugar is not listed as an ingredient on the label, may however, contain a large amount of sugar under several names, including: corn syrup and fructose in high maltose.
Although not known cases of pancreatic cancer it is known that there are several factors that increase the chances of suffering from it. In addition to high sugar consumption, on which there were suspicions, but apparently, before this study there was no evidence that directly linked with the development of this disease, other factors contribute to a high risk of pancreatic cancer are:
- Age - the majority of cases of pancreatic cancer occur in people over 60 years of age.
- Smoking - smokers have a risk two to three times greater than non-smokers.
- Diabetes - the people with diabetes also have an increased risk.
- Being a man - pancreatic cancer occurs more frequently in men than in women.
- Being African-American descent - their likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer is higher than that of Hispanics, Asians and the whites.
- Family history - people whose father, mother or brother or sister had suffered from pancreatic cancer have a three times higher risk of developing the disease. A family history of ovarian cancer or colon also increases the risk.
- Chronic pancreatitis - there is evidence that this condition increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
- A high-fat diet and exposure to certain chemicals in the workplace can also increase the risk, as some studies suggest.
One factor that could help reduce the risk is adequate consumption of vitamin D. A recent study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago, Harvard University and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, found that consuming at least 400 international units of vitamin D per day reduces the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 43 percent.
March 21 2008 11:26 am | Product Discussion