Eating lots of sugar stimulates cancer cells to grow

That is the result, and an important discovery after more than 9 years of research by the group of molecular biologists in Belgium. The truth is that sugar has an intimate relationship to stimulating tumor growth.

According to Independent, the project explores the relationship between sugar and cancer has been researched by the VIB Institute of Science and University. KU Leuven and University. VUB (Belgium) started in 2008. The main focus is to study how tumors convert large quantities of sugar into lactate compared to healthy tissue.

The discovery of the link between sugar and cancer will solve many of the problems of headaches that have existed for decades, while promoting new anti-cancer solutions.

Cancer cells still receive energy from sugar fermentation.

Most benign cells in the body receive energy by aerobic respiration, a process involved in decomposing food that has been digested into energy-rich molecules. This process requires a series of chemical reactions that use oxygen, then release carbon dioxide as a byproduct.

But with cancer cells, everything is different. Even if excess oxygen is enough to break down glucose, release energy, cancer cells still receive energy from sugar fermentation. Although, this process releases less energy than conventional chemical reactions. This phenomenon is called the Warburg effect.

Every cell in the body needs sugar to survive. But cancer cells tend to consume more sugar than healthy cells. They use the process of fermenting glucose to lactate instead of respiration to produce sugar and energy.

Sugar has awakened the "monster" cancer to rise?

Through a lot of experiments and observations of yeast cells, the researchers found that sugar fermentation is like how cancer cells proliferate and form tumors.

Protein Ras (a common protein in cancer cells) can grow based on the amount of sugar ingested. In short, the main sugar causes "wake up" of cancer cells, causing them to grow quickly to an uncontrollable level.

One of Ras's protein roles is controlling cell growth. If the gene controls them, the protein Ras can act permanently, causing too much, uncontrolled cell proliferation and eventually leading to cancer.

Every cell in the body needs sugar to survive.

Lead researcher Johan Thevelein, a professor at the University. KU Leuven, Belgium affirmed: "Excessive sugar consumption of cancer cells leads to a vicious cycle, stimulating the growth and proliferation of cancer."

The research team believes this new discovery will provide a concrete perspective on the "serious consequences" of sugar and cancer, while supporting effective research later. In addition, the findings will contribute to the development of new, more suitable diets for cancer patients.

However, the group insisted that further research was needed to clarify some of the problems, including the cause of cancer cells under the influence of sugar.

The research results have been published in the recent Nature Communications magazine.