A recent trial conducted at Seoul National University in South Korea and published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine reveals that phosphates, which are commonly added to certain foods such as soda and processed cheese, may “stimulate” the development of cancer.
Dr. Myung-Haing Cho of Seoul National University stated that the study shows that “increased intake of inorganic phosphates strongly stimulates lung cancer development in mice.” Dr. Cho led the four-week study.
Phosphates affect a gene known as Akt in lab mice, which is said to relate to the development of lung cancer. They also suppress another gene which supposedly “slows” the development of cancer.
Phosphates, which are considered essential for all living organisms, are often added to food items to increase the calcium and iron content and to prevent the food from losing moisture. Baked goods, such as packaged muffins, often contain phosphates, along with soft drinks and processed foods.
Dr. Cho stated that “cutting back” on inorganic phosphates is “critical” for lung cancer prevention, and that some people “get too much.”
“In the 1990s, phosphorus-containing food additives contributed an estimated 470 milligrams per day to the average adult diet,” said Dr. Cho.
Because many Americans have a diet rich in packaged and processed foods, their intake of inorganic phosphates is dangerously high. According to Dr. Cho, some Americans get up to 1,000 milligrams of inorganic phosphates per day from unhealthy processed foods.
The study, which lasted about a month, studied mice that were bred in a lab under conditions that would lead to the development of lung cancer. Half of the mice were given a “human diet” rich in inorganic phosphates, while the other half received only a “moderate” dose of phosphates.
It is important to note, said Dr. Cho, that the study’s findings do not necessarily indicate that phosphates will stimulate cancerous tumor growth in humans. Future studies will focus on humans who are suffering from certain types of lung cancer, including mesothelioma, and will likely measure their level of daily phosphate intake prior to their cancer diagnosis. This way, researchers will be able to determine whether or not these individuals were more likely to develop cancer because of a high level of inorganic phosphates.
