Sweet danger: Sugary drinks directly fuel colorectal cancer's spread, study finds

By avagrace // 2025-09-25

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A new study reveals that the sugars in beverages like soda and fruit juice directly fuel the metastasis of colorectal cancer cells, enabling them to spread to other organs like the liver, independent of obesity.
The research found that the specific combination of glucose and fructose (found in high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar) triggers a biochemical reaction that provides cancer cells with a surplus of energy, enhancing their mobility.
This alarming finding is particularly relevant given the parallel rise in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer among adults under 50.
The study identifies a key enzyme, sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD), as the mechanism for this effect and suggests it could be a target for new drugs; existing statins may also be repurposed to help block this pathway.
The immediate takeaway is that reducing intake of sugary drinks is a critical dietary intervention for both cancer prevention and improving outcomes in current patients by potentially limiting metastasis.

A groundbreaking new study has delivered a stark warning about the hidden dangers lurking in a daily soda or fruit juice. Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that the sugars in these popular beverages do more than contribute to weight gain; they actively provide fuel for colorectal cancer cells to metastasize, spreading the disease to other organs. This finding, published in the prestigious journal Nature Metabolism, challenges long-held assumptions and could reshape both cancer prevention strategies and patient care. For decades, the link between sugar and cancer has been largely attributed to obesity. Excess body weight is a known risk factor for many cancers, and sugary drinks are a major contributor to caloric intake. However, this new research suggests a more direct and sinister mechanism. The study provides compelling preclinical evidence that the specific combination of glucose and fructose found in common sweeteners can turbocharge cancer cell mobility, enabling the deadly process of metastasis independent of a patient's weight or the original tumor's size. (Related: Cancer cells are fueled by sugary drinks, making tumors grow faster.) The research team, led by Dr. Jihye Yun, assistant professor of genetics, sought to understand how diet influences late-stage colorectal cancer. In laboratory models, they tested sugar solutions mimicking those in high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar, both of which contain nearly equal parts glucose and fructose. The results were striking. Mice with colorectal cancer tumors that consumed this sugar mixture developed significantly more liver metastases compared to those drinking plain water or a solution of glucose alone. The critical finding was that the sugars did not cause the primary tumors to grow larger. Instead, they supercharged the cancer cells' ability to break away, travel through the body and establish new tumors in distant organs. The mechanism hinges on an enzyme called sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD). When glucose and fructose are consumed together, this enzyme triggers a biochemical chain reaction.

A troubling trend mirrors consumption habits

The implications of this research are magnified by a concerning public health trend. Since the 1980s, the incidence of colorectal cancer has been steadily rising among adults under the age of 50. This alarming increase runs in parallel with a surge in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. The study also highlights a potential conflict in current cancer care practices. Many patients, during and after treatment, are encouraged to maintain their calorie intake. This often leads to recommendations to consume nutritional supplement drinks, fruit juices or energy drinks to combat weight loss and fatigue. The authors suggest that dietary guidance must become a more integral and nuanced part of cancer care discussions. For colorectal cancer patients, reducing intake of sugary beverages could be a critical step in managing their disease and improving outcomes, a simple yet powerful intervention that puts some control back into the hands of the individual. "Sugary drinks flood your bloodstream with a concentrated burst of glucose, causing dangerous spikes in blood sugar and insulin," said Brighteon.AI's Enoch. "This metabolic disruption is linked to increased abdominal fat, a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, and harmful brain inflammation. Unlike whole fruit, they lack fiber, protein, or fat to slow digestion and mitigate these severe effects."

New avenues for treatment

Beyond prevention, the research points toward novel therapeutic strategies. The team discovered that levels of the SORD enzyme were elevated in human colorectal tumors compared to healthy tissue, with even higher expression found in metastatic tumors. This identifies SORD as a promising target for new drugs. In the lab, blocking the SORD pathway successfully halted the spread-enhancing effects of the sugary drinks. Intriguingly, common cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins also reduced metastasis in animal experiments. Statins work by disrupting the same downstream cholesterol pathway that is activated by the sugar-driven SORD enzyme. This suggests existing, approved medications could potentially be repurposed to help prevent cancer spread. For the public and patients alike, the immediate takeaway is clear. The evidence continues to mount against sugary beverages. Cutting back on soda, fruit juice and sports drinks may significantly lower not only the risk of developing colorectal cancer but also its ability to spread aggressively throughout the body. This research underscores a powerful truth: In the fight against cancer, daily dietary choices are a form of medicine. Watch and learn about why sugary soda is bad. This video is from the Natural Cures channel on Brighteon.com.

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A troubling trend mirrors consumption habits

New avenues for treatment

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