Fat reduces vitamin C benefits
Tue, 10 Apr 2007 08:39:33
The presence of fat in the stomach may remove the
anti-cancer effects of vitamin C, research by the
University of Glasgow suggests.
The rate of stomach cancer has risen over the past 20
years, and researchers from the UK say the fatty foods
we eat are partly to blame.
A new study just released by the University of Glasgow
has made some interesting discovery linking vitamin C
and fat, BBC reported.
The researchers carried out a number of experiments to
try and recreate the processes of a human stomach.
During the study it was found that vitamin C had cancer
fighting benefits. When observing vitamin C in a human
stomach simulator, it was seen to soak up compounds that
are thought to cause cancers. The cancer causing
compounds are created by the mixing of food, saliva and
acid in the stomach.
But when they added fat to the mix, the ascorbic acid
could no longer convert the dangerous compounds into
safe ones.
The scientists say their findings show how diet might be
linked to certain stomach cancers.
Nitrite, which is present in saliva and comes from
nitrate in our diet, is thought to be able to trigger
gastric cancer.
When it is swallowed and enters the acidic environment
of the stomach, nitrite spontaneously forms nitrosating
species, and these are able to convert a range of other
stomach chemicals into potential cancer-causing agents
called N-nitrosocompounds.
Antioxidants like ascorbic acid protect against the
formation of these nitrosocompounds by converting the
nitrosating species into nitric oxide.
However, when fat is present, it reacts with the nitric
oxide to reform nitrosating species, the scientists
found.
Lead author Emilie Combet said, "These results show that
the presence of lipid can markedly alter the protective
effects of antioxidants, and how a diet rich in fat can
directly influence gastric biochemistry."
The research suggests a healthy diet low in fat along
with the recommended portions of fruit and vegetables
will positively affect our long-term health.
She presented her work at the annual meeting of the
Society of Experimental Biology.
