What substances are classified as carcinogens. What are carcinogens

Carcinogens are chemical compounds whose impact on the human body is one of the main causes of the appearance and development of malignant tumors or benign neoplasms.

Properties of carcinogens

A carcinogen is a harmful agent that, due to its own chemical and physical properties, can lead to irreversible damage to the genetic apparatus, which contributes to the body losing control over the somatic development of cells. Harmful toxic substances lead to changes in cells at the genetic level. As a result, a previously healthy cell ceases to perform the functions assigned to it.

Saturation of the body carries a danger to health and life, regardless of their nature and concentration. In this case, the negative impact may not appear immediately. However, carcinogens are not only harmful chemical constituents, but also numerous physical factors, invisible radiations and some microorganisms.

Pesticides

However, every year the concentration of such chemicals in plant foods is increasingly subject to regulation by sanitary and epidemiological institutions. Among other things, there is a whole list of highly toxic pesticides, the use of which for processing is under the strictest ban.

You can protect yourself from the consumption of plant foods containing harmful carcinogens if you follow the following recommendations:

• Before buying vegetables or fruits, you need to ask in what conditions they were grown.
• It is better to buy environmentally friendly products, despite the increased cost.
• It is worth consuming carefully peeled vegetable food without peel, as carcinogens are concentrated on the surface of vegetables and fruits.
• It is recommended to pay attention to animal products of farm origin grown on pastures.

Benzene

One of the most harmful, potentially dangerous substances for human health is benzene. Benzene poisoning can occur not only by inhalation, but also through the absorption of the substance through the pores of unprotected skin.

Even the impact of a substance on the body in small quantities can lead to irreversible changes in its structure. If we talk about chronic benzene poisoning, then in this case, the carcinogen most often becomes the root cause of such serious diseases as anemia and leukemia.

Benzene poisoning can occur when inhaling gasoline vapors, which is not only a fuel for machinery, but is also widely used in various areas of industrial production. It acts as a raw material basis in the manufacture of plastics, dyes, rubber, etc.

Nitrates

Every day, the human body is exposed to an impressive amount of toxic nitrate compounds found in water, vegetables and fruits, and animal products. Such harmful toxic substances are dangerous, first of all, by the ability to transform into various nitro compounds, which lead to the formation of tumors of various internal organs.

It is possible to protect the body from the carcinogenic effects of nitrates by reducing the consumption of canned food, as well as products with an artificially extended shelf life.

As for water, a person consumes about 20% of nitrate compounds from it. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to use spring, mineral or carbon-filtered water.

The process of converting nitrates into dangerous chemical carcinogens slows down significantly when food is stored frozen or refrigerated.

Dioxides

Dioxide carcinogens include a wide range of potentially harmful substances that are part of the group of persistent pollutants. In this case, carcinogens are dangerous man-made substances that are practically not excreted from the body, splitting into toxins from adipose tissues.

The negative impact of dioxide carcinogens on the body:

• suppression of the protective, immune properties of the body;
• destruction and alteration of the genetic cellular structure;
• increased likelihood of developing tumors and the occurrence of mental disorders;
• decrease in the level of male hormones, impotence.

Reducing the risk of accumulation and breakdown of dioxides in the body allows you to reduce the consumption of animal fats, dairy products of dubious origin. A balanced, varied diet helps to reduce the accumulation of dioxides in the body.

Heavy metals

Carcinogens that are present in the environment in the form include lead, nickel, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, asbestos. Photos of this kind of pollution simply can not be seen everywhere.

The main sources of formation of heavy metals that enter the human body are industrial enterprises, in particular, for the processing of plastic and metal containers, cars, and tobacco smoke.

Saturation of food products with carcinogenic heavy metals occurs both from air and water. Metal carcinogens are primarily substances that cause skin cancer, malignant tumors in the lungs, liver, and other vital organs and systems.

Aflatoxins

A separate category of carcinogenic substances includes biological substances - aflatoxins. Their source is certain types of fungi that grow on cereals, plant seeds and fruits with a significant content of oils.

Aflatoxins are the most powerful biological carcinogens that lead to the destruction of liver cells. Chronic saturation of the body with aflatoxins or their one-time intake in a concentrated amount leads to death within a few days as a result of irreversible liver damage.

Glutamates

Carcinogens are also various food additives, preservatives and dyes. It is strictly not recommended to consume foods containing monosodium glutamate. To avoid causing irreparable harm to health, it is enough to avoid buying products that contain substances with the designation E.

Currently, glutamates can be present in the most unexpected foods. Due to the saturation of food products with glutamates, manufacturers are not only trying to enhance their taste and make them more attractive to the consumer, but also to “addict” the population to certain types of new products. Therefore, when buying food in supermarkets, you should familiarize yourself with the composition of the products and always remain vigilant.

Medicine has already accumulated a substantial amount of data and information about cancer. It is known, for example, that a number of reasons can contribute to its occurrence. In addition to heredity and the environment, judging by the studies, the likelihood of developing cancer depends to a large extent on what we eat.

Doctors have compiled a black list of foods that significantly increase the risk of cancer and malignant tumors. It is not a big exaggeration to say that what we eat can negatively affect our health.

The following is a list of foods that medical professionals consider to be carcinogenic, i.e. contributing to the development of cancer.

1. Processed meat

Fans of hot dogs, sausages, bacon and other types of processed meat are at great risk to their health, because most processed meat products are high in salt and harmful chemicals.

Some studies show that people who regularly eat processed meat increase the risk of premature death by 43% incl. and from cancer. The most harmful substance in such meat products is sodium nitrate.

2. Products from refined white flour of the highest grades

After processing, white flour loses most of its nutrients. White flour products are also bleached with chlorine. Medicine considers this gas a dangerous irritant, poisoning by which can lead to death.

In addition, white flour is highly glycemic and has a negative effect on blood sugar levels. Products from not only contribute to the appearance of extra pounds, but can also increase the risk of cancer.

3 Microwave Popcorn

Popcorn is not only one of the most popular foods on the planet, but also very harmful. This is especially true for popcorn that is cooked in microwave ovens, which is easy and convenient. Such popcorn contains perfluorooctanoic acid, which is also used in Teflon. Studies show that this chemical causes infertility in women. Scientists claim that perfluorooctanoic acid dramatically increases the likelihood of cancer of the internal organs: liver, kidneys, bladder, pancreas and testicles.

Microwaved popcorn contains another very dangerous chemical, diacetyl.

4. Artificial sweeteners

People who try to avoid sugar, are on a diet, or have diabetes most often replace sugar with artificial sweeteners. Numerous studies show that most of them suffer from excess weight. In addition, sweeteners interfere with blood sugar control.

There are also studies showing that the popular sweetener aspartame breaks down into the very dangerous poisonous substance dipotassium phosphate DKP. At the same time, doctors suspect, the risk of developing malignant tumors in the brain increases sharply.

5. Alcohol

Of course, everyone knows about the dangers of alcohol in its excessive use. However, not everyone knows that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to numerous types of cancer.

A recent study showed that postmenstrual women who drink at least one alcoholic drink a day increase their risk of breast cancer by 30%.

Alcohol is considered the second most common cause of cancer after tobacco. Cancer researchers at the World Health Organization have found evidence that alcohol is a leading cause of cancer in the mouth, esophagus, liver, colon, and in women, the breast.

6. Refined sugar and soda pop

Many people believe that refined sugar promotes the accelerated growth of malignant cells. One of the main culprits is considered fructose syrup because it is easily absorbed by the walls of cancer cells. It follows that a great many cakes, pastries and sodas with syrup occupy one of the highest places in the black list of carcinogenic products.

7. Smoked, pickled and salted foods

All of these products have a high content of nitrates, which are converted to nitrosomethylaniline N-Nitroso. This substance dramatically increases the likelihood of all kinds of cancer.

8. Potato chips

Of course, chips, like the vast majority of unhealthy foods, are tasty, but the negative consequences, such as being overweight, for example, outweigh all short-term advantages. Extra pounds contribute to the high level of fat and calories in the chips.

9 Farmed Salmon

A significant part of the salmon consumed in the world today is grown on special farms. There they sit on special diets based on chemicals, antibiotics and other known carcinogens. According to chemical analyzes, artificial salmon meat contains an increased content of polychlorinated biphenyl and mercury.

10. Diet foods

Diet foods, despite the attractive name, are not at all healthy. They are high in aspartame, which was mentioned above, as well as sodium derivatives, chemicals that give them bright colors, and refined additives to restore lost taste. Many low-calorie foods actually have an increased energy value compared to regular foods.

11. GMO

The question of whether GMOs increase oncological risk due to the presence of transgenes in them or not remains open today. Some experimental studies have revealed negative properties of GMOs, but the analysis of these works suggests the harmful effects of not the GMOs themselves, but an unbalanced diet. If laboratory animals are fed predominantly with corn alone, this will negatively affect their health, regardless of whether this corn was conventional or transgenic.

12. Hydrogenated oil

These are vegetable oils that often deodorize and color. In addition, they are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which cause many health problems.

13. Red meat

Red meat in small quantities is only good for the body. However, it should be borne in mind that, using it every day, you can get colon cancer.

14. Canned tomatoes

Most canned foods are stored in cans, and most cans are coated with a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA). A study conducted about two years ago showed that BPA affects the functioning of genes in the brains of laboratory rats. The results of this study convinced regulators in many countries of the dangers of BPA. Now regulators require manufacturers to either completely replace it with other substances, or at least drastically limit its amount.

The most dangerous tomatoes are their high acidity. They absorb BPA faster than other canned foods from the coating of cans.

15. Mayonnaise and ketchup

Emulsifiers, stabilizers, preservatives, trans fats, vinegar, sugar are just a small part of the long list of harmful substances used in the production of these very tasty and very unhealthy products that accompany most fast food dishes.

No less dangerous is plastic packaging, which also contains carcinogenic chemicals.

Carcinogenic substances, depending on their ability to interact with DNA, are divided into two groups:

By origin, carcinogens can be:

According to the nature of their action, carcinogens are divided into three groups:

Also, the classification of carcinogens can be made in accordance with the nature of the toxic substance:

• Chemical origin (aromatic hydrocarbons);
• Physical origin (ionizing radiation);
• Biological origin (hepatitis B virus).

Effects of a carcinogen on warm-blooded animals

The complex mechanisms by which chemicals induce malignant growth are not yet fully understood, but there is evidence that there are four main stages in this process, starting from the moment of adequate exposure to a chemical carcinogen in a mammal (including humans):

Some carcinogens appear to be responsible for only one step in this process and are not considered complete carcinogens. For example, many chemicals that interact with DNA and are therefore mutagens are likely to initiate this process as a result of primary DNA damage. These are the so-called initiators, and the damage they cause is usually irreversible.

Other compounds interfere with the expression and progression of the original DNA change and are referred to as tumor enhancers. Some of these compounds do not interact with DNA, they are not mutagens and act as so-called tumor promoters. The third group includes chemicals known as complete carcinogens; these substances appear to be capable of both initiating and promoting malignant growth. All substances that cause DNA damage leading to mutations or cancer, including initiators of carcinogenesis and complete carcinogens, are considered genotoxic.

The word carcinogens today is familiar even to people very far from medicine. They are talked about a lot in the media and doctors warn of possible harm. But not everyone knows what it really is and what exactly threatens their influence.

And in order to protect yourself from dangers, you need to clearly understand what carcinogens are, how they affect the body and how to avoid negative consequences after contact with them.

Carcinogens are substances, both natural and man-made, that can provoke the formation of cancerous tumors in the body. They can negatively affect the health of not only people, but also animals.

Contrary to popular belief, carcinogens are not always chemical substances and compounds, but also biological and physical objects. Although the most common are chemical carcinogens.

Doctors refer to hepatitis B viruses, papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr, some bacteria as biological carcinogens, as they can give impetus to the development of cancer. Physical carcinogens include hard radiation.

There are many more chemical carcinogens. They are usually divided into the following types:

• Aromatic substances containing nitrogen;
• aromatic hydrocarbons;
• Metals and some of their inorganic salts;
• Nitroso compounds, amino compounds and nitramines.

All of them affect the body in different ways. Some substances provoke the development of cancer at the point of contact with them, others affect only a specific organ, there are carcinogens with a systemic effect. People usually get these dangerous substances from food additives, combustion products from oil and other materials, molds, poisonous plants, and many other sources.

The most well-known sources of chemical carcinogens are:

• Plants grown under excessive nitrogen fertilization. They accumulate nitrates and nitrites, which are carcinogens. After entering the digestive tract, some of the nitrites turn into even more dangerous nitrosamines. Also, these nitrogenous compounds are sometimes found in meat products, where they are added as preservatives for better food preservation.
• Nutritional supplements. There are food colorings and other substances used in industrial food production that are known to be carcinogens. In many countries, they are prohibited by law, but unscrupulous manufacturers continue to find loopholes in the laws and use harmful substances to reduce the cost of products.
• combustion products. When burning petroleum products, even in a car engine, or burning garbage, very dangerous carcinogens are often formed. For example, during the destruction of garbage, digoxins are released.
• Incorrectly prepared food. When vegetable oils are heated too much and after the fats become rancid, peroxides appear in them - dangerous carcinogens. When cooking on a spit, benzpyrenes may appear in it. And dangerous products of protein pyrolysis can appear in meat if it is cooked for too long in the oven.
• Tobacco smoke. It contains many benzpyrenes, as well as polonium, radium and arsenic.
• Mold mushrooms. They produce aflatoxins. Such fungi often infect grains and fruits of plants with a high content of oils and from there can get into food. It is one of the most dangerous hepatocarcinogens.
• Alcohol. The metabolic product of ethyl alcohol is acetaldehyde, which is capable of provoking cancer.
• Products of the chemical industry used in the production of other substances. These include polyvinyl chloride, benzene, formaldehyde, cadmium and hexavalent chromium. All of these substances are carcinogens. Some are also poisonous, plus they have a teratogenic effect. It is almost impossible to meet them in everyday life, but there are always risks of trouble at industrial enterprises, as a result of which workers and people who will be nearby may suffer.
• Medicines. Some drugs do contain carcinogens. With proper and moderate use, the benefits of the drug far outweigh the potential harm. But self-treatment can lead to the most deplorable results.

Slightly apart from other carcinogens is asbestos and similar substances. Almost all chemical carcinogens are active substances that have a direct effect on the state of body cells. Asbestos, on the other hand, is inert. Its action is expressed in the fact that the body itself is not able to get rid of small particles of this substance. They remain in the lungs after inhalation and provoke the development of cancer and other diseases.

How do chemical carcinogens work?

Almost all chemical carcinogens are organic substances, there are very few inorganic ones among them. All these substances, to varying degrees, can interact with nucleic acids, including DNA, forming strong bonds with them.

This results in a change or modification of the deoxyribonucleic acid. Such a change disrupts the normal replication of DNA, which leads to mutation and improper reproduction of cells. This is how a cancerous tumor is formed.

All chemical carcinogens are divided into two groups:

• Genotoxic. They damage the DNA of the cell and cause mutations that lead to the growth of a cancerous tumor.
• Non-genotoxic. They can damage the genome only in very high concentrations and under long-term exposure. They disrupt the interaction of cells and the process of their death, and can provoke their uncontrolled growth. This group includes asbestos.
• All genotoxic carcinogens can be divided into two groups depending on the mode of action:
• Direct. They are highly active and easily form covalent bonds with DNA.
• Indirect. These substances are inactive, capable of forming bonds only under the condition of enzymatic activation.

Action of physical carcinogens

The most well studied physical carcinogens are ionizing radiation, for example, rays, x-rays, etc. These rays can penetrate deep into the human body and provoke tumors in various organs, often the hematopoietic system suffers.

Ultraviolet radiation is also dangerous, but it is all absorbed by the skin, so it only threatens people with melanoma. Dangerous and high intensity microwave beams.

Some types of ionizing radiation are used in medicine. There, their impact is strictly directed and dosed, so there is no danger.

We are used to being afraid of harmful chemical elements and radiation that provoke cancer. But some types of tumors in most cases are associated precisely with biological factors.

About 25% of liver cancer in Asian and African countries is associated with hepatitis C, approximately 300 thousand cases of cervical cancer are associated with papillomavirus, up to half of cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma are caused by Epstein-Barr virus. Therefore, it is not worth minimizing the importance of biological factors.

Modern doctors are actively studying the bacterium Helicobacter. There are suggestions that it is she who provokes the development of stomach cancer.

How to protect yourself from carcinogens

It is almost impossible to completely protect yourself from the effects of carcinogens. They are found in the air around us, where they enter with the products of combustion, car exhaust and industrial smoke. Sunlight and fried meat are a source of carcinogens.

Therefore, we can only talk about limiting their entry into the body. For this you need:

• Live in an ecologically clean area or reduce air pollution in your area;
• Refuse semi-finished products, canned food, fast food fried in old oil, chips and other salty snacks, vegetables and fruits out of season. It is advisable to use only organic plant foods, steaming or boiling them. You can bake, but you have to do it right.
• Do not smoke or drink alcohol, especially in excessive amounts.
• Do not self-medicate and do not abuse drugs.
• Get vaccinated against papillomavirus.
• Manage sun exposure and use sunscreen.

Unfortunately, for many of us, these steps involve enormous difficulties and a complete change in lifestyle.

Can carcinogens be removed from the body?

In addition, many chemical carcinogens immediately combine with the cells of the body, and there is nothing to say about the removal of radiation. Therefore, theoretically, only not very active compounds can be removed, until they have had time to affect our cells in any way, usually the digestive system and liver cope with this.

But there is also a pleasant moment - our body has very large resources for self-healing. If now you start to eat right, give up bad habits and start drinking enough water, some amount of harmful substances will really be removed. And gradually the cells will be updated, and the effect of carcinogens will decrease.

It is also important to maintain a normal weight. Some carcinogens can accumulate in adipose tissue. If you eat right and lead a healthy lifestyle, the amount of carcinogens in the body will noticeably decrease. This does not guarantee that a person will never get a cancerous tumor, but it will significantly reduce the likelihood of developing one.

Carcinogens are harmful substances that destroy the human body, have a negative impact on metabolism and the formation of new healthy cells. The harm of carcinogens has been confirmed by many years of laboratory studies involving gastroenterologists, nutritionists and oncologists. They are also the main cause and catalyst for the occurrence of malignant tumors and various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

The composition of the products that we buy and eat every day is very doubtful. Manufacturers tend to save on the purchase of raw materials, violate production technologies and deceive buyers by knowingly indicating a false composition. The greatest danger of carcinogens is in the form of.

Carcinogens in foods

Harmful substances in the composition of some products can cause oncology even in the healthiest person. Numerous and confusing digital codes contain a terrible danger, preservatives are the main harmful carcinogen.

Preservatives are needed to increase the shelf life of the product, emulsifiers and dyes are responsible for an attractive appearance, flavor enhancers give the products taste.

The sausage has an attractive pink color and an appetizing smell due to flavors and dyes. These carcinogens also allow it to increase its shelf life, but few people know that these chemicals can become the main cause of gastrointestinal cancer.

You should be especially careful with all kinds of curds and yogurts. Sweeteners such as saccharin or sodium cyclamate are used in the production of these "diet" products that the fair sex loves to buy in order to lose weight as soon as possible.

Today there is a lot of talk about the dangers of fried foods. When frying, even the healthiest foods can become junk food.

Food becomes carcinogenic after being fried in cheap vegetable oil. On fried pieces, compounds dangerous to health are found: acrylamide, metabolites, aldehydes, benzapyrene.

The longer you overcook foods, meat, vegetables or dough, the more carcinogenic compounds they acquire. Especially many of them are contained:

1. in fried pies, chebureks and donuts;
2. in their potato chips;
3. in meat dishes cooked on coals;
4. smoked fish.

Not all cafes and restaurants adhere to the standards that are set for grilling or deep-fried foods. Old oil, which has been cooked for a long time, carries a serious danger to human health.

Especially dangerous is a carcinogen called aflatoxin. It is not present in foods as a food additive, but is formed in them after some time, formed in mold fungi and their spores on cereals, flour, nuts and bran, which begin to taste bitter.

It is important to know that even with heat treatment, aflatoxin cannot be destroyed, it accumulates in the body and strikes the liver, provoking tumor diseases. Therefore, it is so important to eat fresh, not stale foods.

The impact of carcinogens on the human body

Carcinogens have a certain classification and are divided according to their effect on the body and characteristic pathological processes. Some substances are able to change cells, acting at the level of genes, breaking and rebuilding their structure. Other carcinogens act differently, causing a cancerous tumor.

Carcinogens that change DNA are the most dangerous, as they cause uncontrolled division and death of healthy tissues and cells. The more defective structures there are, the more the risk of oncology increases.

It is very important to know about the types of carcinogens, and there are several of them.

natural carcinogens

• These include environmental hazards. First of all, radioactive elements and ultraviolet radiation. Doctors have long warned tanners that these procedures are dangerous for skin cells. Solariums and beaches are fraught with cancer of the epidermis.
• An inert gas that is found in large quantities in the earth's crust and numerous building materials. Radon is the most dangerous compound for humans. Experts note that its highest concentration is found on the first floors of high-rise buildings, as well as in private houses with cellars. There is a lot of it in the natural gas that we use in our apartments, in artesian water, if the well is near the place where there is radon in the ground.
• The body can be adversely affected by: endocrine hormones, bile or tyrosine, aromatics or hydrocarbons from burning wood.

Anthropogenic carcinogens

• These include carbon monoxide and exhaust gas.
• Hydrocarbons released as a result of burning garbage, oil products.
• Products of wood or oil processing.
• Smog of megacities containing resins of formaldehyde properties.
• Ionizing radiation capable of causing restructuring of cellular structures and radiation sickness.

The most dangerous representatives of carcinogens

• The silicate group to which asbestos belongs. It is a popular building material and is widely used for the construction of residential buildings. With its high concentration, a malignant neoplasm occurs in the body in the larynx, lungs and gastric part.
• Vinyl chloride is used in various types of plastics to make a wide variety of products. Often, workers in chemical industries get sick with liver tumors.
• Benzene causes leukemia.
• Exhaust gases in which it has a high content of arsenic, nickel, chromium, cadmium. As a rule, the bladder and prostate gland are affected.

How to remove carcinogens

The removal of carcinogens from the body is a feasible and very important task for any modern person. This will require the absorption and removal of harmful substances from the body.

The most common and inexpensive way to remove carcinogens is the use of certain products. They are able to bind compounds hazardous to health through chemical interactions.

These helpful products include:

1. Fresh cabbage, carrots, beets and vegetable juices from these vegetables.
2. Cereals and cereals prepared from them: buckwheat, rice, oatmeal.
3. Sour-milk products from whole homemade milk, white, green teas.
4. Dried fruits and compotes from them.

Purification occurs naturally if you eat these foods daily. This will help in the best way to avoid the formation of pathologies, neoplasms and will be an excellent prevention.

You can use medications in the form of polysorb, smectite, activated charcoal or lactofiltrum, or use. These pharmacological agents will reduce risks and improve health and quality of life.

Refusal of bad habits and proper nutrition is the key to health!