The anti-cancer benefits of vitamin C can be dramatically reduced by intake of dietary fats, according to a new study conducted at the University of Glasgow. The results of the study, which simulated what happens in the human stomach, were presented earlier this month at the annual meeting of the
Society of Experimental Biology in Glasgow.
Researchers investigated how vitamin C affects the acidification of nitrite in the stomach. This acidification can lead to production of potentially carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds related to
stomach cancer. According to the European School of Oncology, stomach
cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer worldwide with 800,000 new cases diagnosed every year.
Carcinogenic compounds form when nitrite, found in saliva, and nitrate in some foods mix with stomach acids. Ascorbic acid (the active component of
vitamin C) protects against the formation of these compounds. The study revealed vitamin C inhibited conversion to carcinogenic compounds by approximately 99.7 percent.
Notably, the
research team also found when dietary
fats were added to the mix, the
antioxidant properties of vitamin C were neutralized, and the carcinogenic N-nitrosamine was formed.
"These
results indicate that the presence of lipid can markedly alter the protective effects of
antioxidants with respect to potentially carcinogenic nitrosative chemistry occurring in the human stomach, and illustrate how a
diet rich in lipids can directly influence gastric biochemistry," said
lead author Emilie Combet.
Lipids are substances of the
fat group and are insoluble in water. While some lipids are necessary for storing energy, others include a class of harmful trans-fatty acids found in hydrogenated
oils and partially hydrogenated oils common not only in fast food but also in many
products found on grocery store shelves -- including
dairy products and meat. This year major cities in the U.S. are taking steps to ban trans-fats in
food served in restaurants.
"This research helps explain why high-fat diets that focus on
dairy products, meat products, and processed foods are so strongly correlated with cancer and heart disease," said Mike Adams, author of
Grocery Warning: How to Identify and Avoid Dangerous Food Ingredients. "Many superfoods perform best when consumed during a meal that has no fats," Adams said, "But don't forget to consume
healthy, plant-based fats later. Omega-3
fatty acids are essential for a healthy heart."
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher, author and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored more than 1,800 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2010, Adams created NaturalNews.TV, a natural living video sharing site featuring thousands of user videos on foods, fitness, green living and more. He's also the CEO of a highly successful email newsletter software company that develops software used to send permission email campaigns to subscribers. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
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Friday, May 25, 2007
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