Supplemental sugar found to decelerate tumor expansion
Breaking Down the Science on Mannose Sugar and Cancer
Say goodbye to cancer cells as we know 'em! Over 90 years ago, a Nobel Prize winner, Otto Warburg, discovered that cancer cells get their energy from sugar rather than oxygen. This means that cutting off their primary energy source could curb their growth, right? But before you ditch the sugar bowl, let's discuss mannose sugar, a promising new player in the anti-cancer game.
Mannose sugar isn't your typical sweetener; it's a nutritional supplement that may starve cancer cells while keeping your healthy cells happy. Here's the deal:
Mannose Sugar: A Beacon of Hope in Cancer Treatment?
A recent study, funded by Cancer Research UK and Worldwide Cancer Research, revealed that mannose sugar could slow tumor growth and boost the success of chemotherapy in mice. This includes those with pancreatic, lung, and skin cancer. Researchers simply added mannose sugar to their water or administered it orally, leading to significant tumor growth inhibition with no side effects.
Plus, the researchers wanted to see how mannose sugar would fare alongside chemotherapy drugs. Guess what? It improved the effectiveness of these treatments, slowing tumor growth, reducing tumor size, and even extending the life of some mice.
But hold up—how does mannose sugar work? The experts believe it maintains a balance between providing glucose to cancer cells and depriving them, thereby starving the tumors while keeping your body supplied.
To Try or Not to Try Mannose Sugar?
You might wondering, "What the heck is mannose sugar?" Well, it's a natural sugar found in certain fruits like cranberries that's already available as a supplement. In fact, it's a popular choice for treating bladder and urinary tract infections, going by the name "D-mannose."
Now, D-mannose appears to be well-tolerated by most folks, but as with any supplement, it's essential to consult your healthcare provider before adding it to your routine. At present, it hasn't been tested for treating cancer in humans, so its effectiveness and side effects remain unclear.
Some people who take it for other conditions report experiencing mild side effects such as loose stools and bloating. There's also the risk of kidney damage if taken in high doses.
So, it's probably too soon to include D-mannose in your cancer-fighting arsenal. However, these promising study results hint at a bright future for D-mannose in cancer prevention and treatment.
Stay tuned, guys! For now, maintaining a balanced, cancer-fighting diet rich in plant-based foods and limited in refined grains, processed meats, alcohol, and, of course, sugar, is your best bet against the big C.
- The study funded by Cancer Research UK and Worldwide Cancer Research has shown that mannose sugar, a natural sugar found in certain fruits like cranberries, could potentially slow tumor growth and enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy, even showing no side effects in mice with forms of pancreatic, lung, and skin cancer.
- Mannose sugar works by maintaining a balance, providing glucose to cancer cells while depriving them, thus starving the tumors while keeping the body supplied, making it a promising player in cancer treatment research.
- Despite the positive results in preclinical studies, it's important to consult healthcare providers before adding D-mannose, a form of mannose sugar, to one's regular supplement routine since its effectiveness and side effects in treating cancer in humans are not yet fully understood.
