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New Study: Sugary Drinks May Raise Cancer Risk
Photo by Angelo Moleele on Unsplash
Scientists have linked sugar with a wide range of health risks, including weight gain, an increase in the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, acne, depression and even cellular aging. Now, researchers are examining the link between sugary drinks and the risk of developing cancer.
The Study
A French observational study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in July 2019, provides evidence of a link between the high intake of sugary drinks and cancer. Researchers examined 101,257 French adults aged 42 years, on average.
The drinks they examined included “sugar-sweetened beverages” like soft drinks, syrups, fruit drinks, 100% fruit juices without added sugar, milk-based sugary drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks. Using 24-hour online food questionnaires, the researchers assessed the participants’ consumption of 3,300 different kinds of foods and drinks. Clinical observation of the participants continued for up to 9 years, where researchers studied the risk of “overall, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer”.
The Study Results
Over the follow-up period, 2,193 people developed cancer for the first time; they were 59 years old at the time of diagnosis, on average. Among these cases, 693 developed breast cancer, 291 developed prostate cancer, and 166 developed colorectal cancer.
The analysis revealed that for a daily increase of 100 milliliters in the intake of sugary drinks, the risk of overall cancer rose by 18%, and the risk of breast cancer increased by 22%. When the researchers analyzed the risk of for 100% fruit juices separately, these also elevated the risk of overall cancer and breast cancer, but not colorectal or prostate cancer.
By contrast, diet drinks did not increase cancer risk. The scientists explain that people who consumed diet drinks did so in very small amounts, so they suggest interpreting this particular result with caution.
The data was limited and there were strengths and weaknesses of their research. The researchers conclude, “These data support the relevance of existing nutritional recommendations to limit sugary drink consumption, including 100% fruit juice, as well as policy actions, such as taxation and marketing restrictions targeting sugary drinks, which might potentially contribute to the reduction of cancer incidence.”
What do you think about this study on sugary drinks? How much sugar or sugar drinks do you consume each day? Leave a comment below to joint the conversation.
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New Study: Air Pollution May Lead to Hair Loss
Did you know that hair loss affects two-thirds of men under the age of 35 in the United States? And almost 85% of men lose significant amount of hair after the age of 50, according to the American Hair Loss Association? New research might have found an explanation for why outdoor air pollution is likely to cause hair loss.
The Study
New research from the Future Science Research Center in Korea was presented at the 28th European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress in October. Researchers wanted to research the effect of particulate matter – a term that describes a mix of solid particles and small liquid droplets of different chemicals that people can inhale, like dust and diesel – they found that some pose a serious risk to health.
After 24 hours, the analysis revealed that exposure to PM10-like particles (dust and diesel, for example) lowered levels of a protein key in hair growth called beta-catenin.
The analysis also revealed that the particles lowered levels of other proteins that determine hair growth and hair retention. The more pollution the researchers exposed the proteins to, the more they decreased.
What our healthcare professionals say
Director of Nutrition for Invite Health explains, “We live in an increasingly polluted environment, loaded with toxins; the soil we grow our food in is often nutrient-depleted and many consume processed, factory-made foods supplying scant nutrients. Ironically, our bodies wind up requiring even more vitamins and minerals to effectively metabolize nutrient-depleted foods. Add that depletion with less time spent outdoors, minimal exercise, prescription drugs and medications, and chronic stress, and the result is that many individuals are truly nutritionally deficient.”
This is why many healthcare professionals, including the certified nutritionists at Invite Health, commonly advise their clients to start taking a safe, reliably-made, high-quality multivitamin mineral formula on a daily basis to fill the nutrition deficits in their diet.