Does Red Meat Cause Cancer?

“Does Red Meat Cause Cancer?”

Countless people have tried to pin cancer on red meat, but what’s the truth?

It was a reason why Dr. Layne Norton, a very smart PhD who is not a slouch when it comes to nutrition and physiology, said a carnivore diet is a stupid idea – yet i did it nonetheless.

One of the biggest reasons this worry exists is thanks to a 2015 paper published by the WHO.

Here’s the tweetstorm version of it (and under my saved instagram highlights under “cancer” i talk a bit about this):

“Red meat causes colon cancer.”

I heard @BioLayne say this is why the #carnivorediet is stupid.

When you look at studies, you really have to look…

(thanks to the discussion @SBakerMD instagram) pic.twitter.com/CRubrjKuSA

— Kevin Stock (@kevinstock12) April 17, 2018

This paper the WHO released was based on weak epidemiology. They cherry picked studies and omitted those that didn’t fit within their conclusions. The relative risk finding of 1.7, nonetheless, is still so weak that anything under 2.0 is known to be unreliable.

This paper was based on bias, bad data, and ulterior motives.

But then Steven asked a great question…

But does the (high heat) cooking method reveals mechanistic processes, eg heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, that may cause bowel cancer in some people?

— steven trotter (@professionaldog) April 18, 2018

That’s a great question.

PAHs and HCAs have been shown to cause cancer in lab animals.

But grilled and fried chicken also contain HCAs tho studies have yet to show a connection between poultry intake and cancer.

Also, cereal products, not meats, are the major source of PAHs.

— Kevin Stock (@kevinstock12) April 18, 2018

Others point the finger at processed meats causing cancer due to nitrite and nitrate preservatives.

What’s interesting is that fruits and vegetables have much higher levels of nitrites than processed meats do.

— Kevin Stock (@kevinstock12) April 18, 2018

In fact, babies aren’t suppose to eat spinach because it is so high in nitrites.

And for some perspective – a glass of pomegranate juice has 100 times more nitrite than a hot dog.

— Kevin Stock (@kevinstock12) April 18, 2018

To me it’s a strange thought that modern cancers and diseases are attempted to be pinned on meat – a food that we are literally designed to eat.

Hope this puts your mind to rest if you were worried about red meat causing cancer. Nothing to worry about.

By the way, come join me on twitter for the next tweetstorm ?

Or better – I also email these out every saturday at 7…