According to The Mirror, a team of scientists discovered that eating fatty and sugary foods causes the body to produce a compound that can temporarily turn off the ability of a gene that is key in suppressing tumors. In a groundbreaking discovery, it was discovered that methylglyoxal has the ability to block the cancer-fighting ability of the BRCA2 gene.
Lead researcher and director of the National University of Singapore Cancer Research Center Dr Ashok Venkitaraman said methylglyoxal triggers the destruction of the BRCA2 gene, thereby reducing its activity in cells. Although this effect is temporary, its action may prevent the tumor-preventing function of BRCA2. He explained that frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods high in fat and sugar can lead to increased genetic damage and an increased risk of cancer.
“We discovered that methylglyoxal inhibits the tumor-preventing function of BRCA2, which ultimately causes errors in our DNA that are early warning signs of cancer development,” he explained. The study also noted that people with diabetes and prediabetes often have high levels of methylglyoxal. The researchers cautioned that further research is needed, as the study was conducted on cell cultures rather than human subjects.
By the way, this study was published in the journal Cell.
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