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Excess Sugar and Its Link to Liver Cancer

August 14, 2018

Dr. Marc Bony, DC

At the Marc Bony Chiropractic Center in Mataró, we explore how excess sugar is linked to liver cancer. Learn how to prevent it through natural health.

Excess Sugar, Chemicals, and Liver Cancer

Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death due to its high prevalence and the difficulty of treatment. Researchers warn that by 2030, the global incidence of liver cancer will double, affecting more than 1.2 million people.

Alcohol-induced cirrhosis and NAFLD (NALD) may be reversible in their early stages if you stop drinking alcohol and reduce your intake of processed fructose, respectively.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming increasingly common. Between 2001 and 2013, the number of diagnosed cases of cirrhosis nearly doubled, and deaths from cirrhosis increased by 65 % between 1999 and 2016. The largest increase (10.5 %) was observed among people aged 25 to 34, where alcoholic cirrhosis has risen dramatically.

Excessive sugar consumption drives the rise in NAFLD rates (Excess Sugar)

While alcohol-related cirrhosis is driving up mortality rates, the growing prevalence of NAFLD is contributing to the overall burden of liver disease. In the case of NAFLD, fatty liver develops in the absence of significant alcohol consumption and is instead driven by excess sugar, which is why it is now even found in young children.

NAFLD is usually asymptomatic, although it can cause fatigue, jaundice, swelling in the legs and abdomen, mental confusion, and more. If left untreated, it can lead to inflammation of the liver, known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and may result in liver cancer or liver failure. However, just as with alcohol-related cirrhosis, NAFLD can be reversed in its early stages through proper diet and exercise.

The most important thing is to eliminate processed fructose and other added sugars from your diet. Fructose affects your liver in ways very similar to alcohol. Unlike glucose, which can be used by virtually every cell in your body, fructose can only be metabolized by the liver, since it is the only organ that has the transporter necessary for this process.

Since all fructose is transported to your liver, consuming it in large quantities ends up damaging and impairing this organ in the same way that alcohol and other toxins do.

In addition, the way your liver metabolizes fructose is very similar to the way it metabolizes alcohol, since both substances serve as substrates for converting carbohydrates into fat, which promotes insulin resistance, dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of fat in the bloodstream) and fatty liver.

In addition, fructose undergoes the Maillard reaction with proteins, leading to the formation of superoxide free radicals that can cause liver inflammation similar to that caused by acetaldehyde, an intermediate metabolite of ethanol.

According to Dr. Robert Lustig, a neuroendocrinologist in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, fructose is a «chronic, intrinsic liver toxin”—that is, it is dose-dependent.

Excess glucose is converted into fructose and depletes your NAD+ (Excess Sugar)

The problem isn't just consuming too much fructose in processed foods; ultimately, in an effort to metabolize glucose, excess glucose is converted into fructose to produce energy. Let me explain this in more detail.

When the body is exposed to a chronic excess of glucose, the first enzyme to break it down is hexokinase, and once this enzyme becomes saturated, it can no longer break it down.

Once this occurs, glucose is metabolized via the polyol pathway, in which aldose reductase metabolizes glucose into sorbitol, and sorbitol dehydrogenase subsequently metabolizes sorbitol into fructose (see the diagram below).

It is estimated that when a person is in good health, only 3 % of glucose follows the pathway described, but at least 30 % of it flows through this pathway in chronic hyperglycemia, creating a vicious cycle of excess fructose.

This metabolic catastrophe is a redox reaction resulting from the exchange of one NADPH molecule for one NADH molecule. This is precisely what should not happen, since NADPH serves as a reserve reducing agent for your antioxidants and is necessary for producing both your steroid hormones and your fats. When your levels are low, you will begin to experience serious difficulties.

As if that weren't enough, it increases the NADH level and worsens the NAD-to-NADH ratio. As the fuel supply exceeds metabolic demand, the proportions of mitochondrial and cytoplasmic NAD and NADH decrease. The resulting hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane perpetuates electron leakage and the excess of oxidative stress.

Fortunately, there is a simple and affordable solution that should radically improve this metabolic crisis. The first thing you must do, without fail, is to improve your diet—as we have advised on numerous occasions—so that your body can burn fat as fuel.

However, you can also take NAD precursors such as extended-release niacin. That should help increase the NAD/NADH ratio and NADPH levels. My recommendation is to start with a dose of 25 to 50 milligrams several times a day, since taking a higher dose will likely cause a harmless but relatively bothersome sensation of flushing.

It would also be helpful for you to reduce your exposure to electromagnetic fields, as this also depletes NAD through the hyperactivation of PARP and will worsen your metabolic condition.

Folic acid, milk thistle, NAC, coffee, and broccoli help promote healthy liver function

Folate intake may also help protect your liver function. In fact, studies have shown that folate deficiency can increase your risk of liver cancer. This nutrient may provide your liver with some protection against damage. Similarly, folate may mitigate pesticide-related damage, including autism.
Milk thistle is an herb that has been used for thousands of years to support the health of the liver, kidneys, and gallbladder. In modern times, silymarin has been used to treat alcoholic liver disease, acute and chronic viral hepatitis, and toxin-induced liver disease. It is believed that the active ingredient, a flavonoid called silymarin, is responsible for the beneficial effects attributed to milk thistle, which include liver protection, as well as antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

the N-acetylcysteine(NAC) is a powerful liver protector and a necessary precursor for glutathione biosynthesis. In fact, research suggests that, compared to the antioxidant resveratrol, NAC is likely a better option for supporting liver health in people with hepatitis C and other chronic liver diseases.
If you enjoy drinking coffee, you may be pleased to learn that it appears to have a protective effect against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a serious form of liver cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Drinking one cup of coffee a day reduces the risk of HCC by one-fifth. If you’re interested in maximizing the benefits of coffee, drink it black and organic, without milk or sugar. Even so, it’s advisable not to overdo it; there are at-risk groups, such as pregnant women, who should avoid it throughout their pregnancy, as suggested in a study by Dr. Oliver Kennedy of the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

Low-level chemical exposure is linked to liver damage

Although there are no specific data, there are studies suggesting that alcohol-induced cirrhosis may now be occurring at a younger age as a result of liver damage caused by chemical exposure. In fact, researchers have shown that even small amounts of chemicals in food, medications, and personal care products can cause liver damage.

One of the experiments mentioned above was designed to evaluate the effects of low-dose chemical combinations whose sources were purely environmental, such as food, medications and personal care products.

Roundup damages the liver even at minimal doses

Roundup, the most widely used herbicide in the world, has also been linked to liver damage. Disturbingly, levels of glyphosate in urine have skyrocketed over the past two decades, suggesting widespread chronic exposure, most likely through food.

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