A new animal study out of MD Anderson Cancer Center looked at the impact of different sugars on breast tumor development. They found that both sucrose and fructose stimulated tumors, and that in those animals ingesting fructose or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), there was a higher rate of lung metastasis.
Researchers noted that both sucrose and fructose (including HFCS) stimulated production of 12- LOX and 12-HETE in breast tumor cells, causing tumors to increase in size.
12-HETE and 12-LOX (image below) are pro-inflammatory derivatives produced from the omega 6 pro-inflammatory fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA). As Iâve mentioned in other blogs on this site, one potent mechanism driving sugar to stimulate production of AA-inflammatory compounds is through the upregulation of insulin, which increases the production of AA. Further, sugar/insulin can indirectly stimulate phospholipase A2 (PLA2), the enzyme that cleaves AA from the cell membrane toward production of inflammatory compounds. We can also look to the gut, and damage there (from antibiotics and other meds, stress, poor dietary choices including high sugar, etc.) driving into circulation various compounds such as LPS- which can also act on PLA2.
The take-home? Reduce sugar intake in all forms, but perhaps most importantly, as excess fructose/HFCS and especially when accompanied by a highly processed pro-inflammatory refined grain-based diet. And take it a step further by tending not just to diet, but your whole beingâŚ
Kara Fitzgerald, ND, received her doctor of naturopathic medicine degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the first Counsel on Naturopathic Medicine-accredited post-doctorate position in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory under the direction of Richard Lord, PhD. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Fitzgerald is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)âs Textbook for Functional Medicine. With the Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. The first publication from the study focuses on reversal of biological aging and was published 04-12-2021 in the journal Aging. She has published a consumer book titled Younger You as well as a companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics and has an application-based Younger You Program, based on the study.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
Additional publications
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