As many factors are available for the survival and progression of cancers in the human body, amount of glucose in the blood is the key factor that flourishes the growth of cancer.
Glucose is the precursor molecule of all cells for their better survival and growth. Food we ate in our diet is finally metabolised into glucose and helps in the production of energy and growth of the cell. Regulating the amount of food helps in the major role in control and prevention of cancers in the human body.
When we take a leap into the metabolism of a cell, every cell produces energy by following two mechanisms.
- Oxidative phosphorylation: one molecule of glucose is broken down to 36 ATP molecules of energy in the presence of oxygen. It occurs in mitochondria .
- Glycolysis: Two molecules of ATP and lactic acid are released from one glucose molecule in the action of oxygen. It occurs in all cells. In general the cell prefers this pathway when the levels of oxygen are in low amounts.
In view of energy production, every cell prefers oxidative phosphorylation rather than glycolysis. But, in the case of cancer cells, it prefers glycolysis even though the energy is required for cancer cells. This is called the “Warburg’s effect”.
As cancer utilises more glucose for their survival and proliferation but not for the energy production. Cancer cells have to grow in more numbers gradually and can increase the progression of cancers. So, cancer cells prefer the glycolysis pathway rather than oxidative phosphorylation.
Hence from ancient times, most of the renowned ayurvedic experts emphasised eating the food that we required. As eating more food will be toxic to the human body as excess amounts of glucose will be used by the cancer cells development.
So, by reducing the excessive consumption of food than our requirement, we might be able to reduce the risk of cancers. Cancer cells took more glucose from the body so, cancer patients might lose more weight in cancer diagnosis.
Providing more glucose to the body is like providing ghee to fire, as ghee increases the fire so as the excessive food consumption can increase the risk of cancer.
