The Sugar-Cancer Connection Revisited: Aren’t Obesity, Cardiovascular, Metabolic Disorders and Awareness The Main Problems?

Abstract

Blood sugar had been proposed a long time ago to promote cancer. Since then, several studies were undertaken to either disprove or confirm that potential causal relationship.  Among all forms of sugars – e.g., glucose, carbohydrates, fructose, maltose –, none was shown to increase directly or specifically the risks of cancer. Moreover, a reduction of glucose intake failed to prevent or reduce tumor cell activity. This said, all cells including cancer cells need sugar or more specifically glucose as fuel for their intrinsic cellular metabolism. One thing is clear about sugar or glucose — eating a lot of it generally leads to overstimulation of insulin, insulin growth factor (IGF), and overweight problems. In other words, as of today, scientists have failed to confirm a direct link between sugar and cancer, although an indirect link was found between cancer and all sources of energy such as lipids, proteins, alcohol, and sugar or glucose — i.e., when steadily taken in excess, all forms of energy lead generally to insulin problems, obesity, and type II diabetes which are, in turn, conditions well-known to enhance the risks of several types of cancer. Beyond a lack of knowledge about food, it is maybe poor awareness levels that underlie unconscious behaviors leading to excessive eating and abnormal sugar consumption mainly in Occidental countries.