spiralngphoenix | (no subject)

Ooh look! Even more reasons to avoid high fructose corn syrup like the Plague...

Cancer cells found to thrive on fructose.

The Fructose Induces Transketolase Flux to Promote Pancreatic Cancer Growth
Abstract
Carbohydrate metabolism via glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle is pivotal for cancer growth, and increased refined carbohydrate consumption adversely affects cancer survival. Traditionally, glucose and fructose have been considered as interchangeable monosaccharide substrates that are similarly metabolized, and little attention has been given to sugars other than glucose. However, fructose intake has increased dramatically in recent decades and cellular uptake of glucose and fructose uses distinct transporters. Here, we report that fructose provides an alternative substrate to induce pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different; in comparison with glucose, fructose induces thiamine-dependent transketolase flux and is preferentially metabolized via the nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathway to synthesize nucleic acids and increase uric acid production. These findings show that cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation. They have major significance for cancer patients given dietary refined fructose consumption, and indicate that efforts to reduce refined fructose intake or inhibit fructose-mediated actions may disrupt cancer growth. Cancer Res; 70(15); 6368–76. ©2010 AACR. of the research paper published in the current (July) issue of Cancer Research Journal

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While HFCS is certainly Not Desirable, that article really says precisely nothing in terms of HFCS is Bad to me.

Cane sugar is about 50% fructose, and honey is something like 48% fructose. There's like <10% more fructose in HFCS than in those things.

Really, that article tells me that eating too much sugar of any kind is bad, not just HFCS is bad.

It's a matter of volume at that point. Yes, all the sugar and honey and agave nectar and what-all people use have fructose in them. There isn't a fruit going that doesn't have it. However, you then add in the volume of HFCS that's in everything from soda and juices to bread and cereal that people are also consuming in mass quantity, and you've got a seriously high volume of fructose in the system at all times. Then you take that volume and put in the system of someone who develops cancer. And all the while they're pumping them full of chemicals and radiation to try and kill something that the majority of their diet is feeding the hell out of, and wondering why the thing just won't die.

To me, it's just another on the ever growing list of reasons to get this crap out of the food supply.

However, you then add in the volume of HFCS that's in everything from soda and juices to bread and cereal that people are also consuming in mass quantity, and you've got a seriously high volume of fructose in the system at all times.

Sure - but my point isn't that HFCS is bad (though it is), it's that too much sugar in general is bad, and even noshing on things that have no HFCS but instead have tons of not-HFCS sweetener (because goddamn we love our sweet food) will still not help.

Basically over-sweetened processed food - no matter what the sweetener - is bad, and over-focusing on HFCS is bad. :)

(though I'm told that the article also wildly misrepresents the point of the study in the first place, which given the state of science reporting, does not shock me.)

Basically over-sweetened processed food - no matter what the sweetener - is bad...

Too much of anything is bad. I reference HFCS here mainly because a.) it's the most prevalent source of fructose in our diets, and b.) by it's very nature, it is a higher source of fructose that others, hence it's name. (I have a few other gripes about it, too, in that I hate eating food that has been genetically tampered with, and corn is one of the worst for that. Having it in my english muffins makes me cranky. ;) )

The state of science reporting also makes me cranky. I'm seeing if I can find the actual study and read it for myself, but figured it's also one of those things that it's potentially handy for people to at least look into.

The only place I found it is behind a subscription wall, sadly.

The summary I got was basically, "We think it's neat how fructose and glucose are used differently by cancer cells. Isn't that cool?"

"They have major significance for cancer patients given dietary refined fructose consumption, and indicate that efforts to reduce refined fructose intake or inhibit fructose-mediated actions may disrupt cancer growth."

A little more than "Isn't that cool?". ;)

Nifty.