Consuming sugary drinks linked to cancer growth, study finds

It is already known that sugary drinks, if taken in too much amount, can be really bad for health. Adding to these facts, a new study has found a link between sugary drinks and cancer growth.

Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medicine carried out a study based of those mice that were made to consume 12 ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages daily.

The team discovered that the mice who consumed this amount of high-fructose drinks had an increased growth of intestinal tumors. During the experiment, the researchers also put into place measures to keep mice from gaining weight, keeping obesity independent from the health ailments; since sugary drinks are also related to creating obesity.

Sugar intensifies cancer cells; study reveals

As detailed by Interesting Engineering, using mice that developed intestinal early-stage tumors called polyps, the scientists further tested the effect of consuming sugar-sweetened water – containing 25% of high-fructose corn syrup – on tumor development.

To keep mice from gaining weight, the team also controlled the amount of sugar water that the mice had each day, restricting it to what is the equivalent of a person of two cans of a soft drink a day. The mice did not gain weight by the study’s end, however, their tumors did continue to grow, creating tumors that were larger and ‘higher grade’, as compared to those mice treated with regular water.

“This observation in animal models might explain why increased consumption of sweet drinks and other foods with high sugar content over the past 30 years is correlating with an increase in colorectal cancers in 25 to 50-year-olds in the US,” said co-corresponding author Jihye Yun.

Moreover, though more studies in humans are necessary, the team hopes that this research will help raise public awareness about the potential harm to humans by consuming sugary drinks, reported Science Daily.

“This study revealed the surprising result that colorectal cancers utilize high-fructose corn syrup, the major ingredient in most sugary sodas and many other processed foods, as a fuel to increase rates of tumor growth,” said co-corresponding author Lewis Cantley. “While many studies have correlated increased rates of colorectal cancer with diet, this study shows a direct molecular mechanism for the correlation between consumption of sugar and colorectal cancer.”