What is the difference between natural pectin and “modified” pectin? Natural pectin is a sweet carbohydrate found in ripe fruits. Modified citrus pectin is a powder that you buy at the pharmacy.
For jams and canned foods, pectin is used to maintain fruits that do not contain enough pectin. The following fruits themselves contain a lot of pectins:
- berries
- nuts such as peaches and apricots
- most citrus
Modified citrus pectin (MCP) usually comes in powder form. Some say he could be useful in the fight prostate cancer and other forms of cancer. Some say they can treat high cholesterol. But do these claims encourage research?
How are fruit pectin and modified citrus pectin different?
Human intestines cannot absorb pectin in their natural form, making them an efficient fiber source. Citrus pectin is processed so that the modified citrus pectin molecules are smaller so that they are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. This means that the human body can benefit more from pectin than from its fibrous properties alone.
What are the medical claims?
If you buy modified citrus pectin, you will notice various health claims. Blood detoxification, cell health, and heavy metal body release are among the MCP’s benefits. Some evidence suggests that children who have been diagnosed with lead poisoning feel far better after MCP treatment. Unfortunately, these small studies were poorly designed and did not include control groups. These studies could also have financial conflicts of interest with modified citrus pectin’s producer. More research is needed to confirm the findings.
What about cancer?
Some people with cancer take modified citrus pectin as a supplement because they have heard that it reduces tumor growth. Research to date has covered only a few forms of cancer, but the research looks promising. Breast Cancer Education Organization he leads Susan G. Komen claims that MCP is often used to treat breast cancer to prevent metastasis or spread cancer to other organs.
Investigation of modified citrus pectin
Researchers at the Medical School in Maryland published information after researching how specifically modified citrus pectin affects carcinogenic diseases. These studies analyze the action of MCP together with chemotherapy, as well as its adaptation and improvement of the immune system, cleansing the body of toxins and heavy metals and blocking the protein galectin 3, and its action in stopping the development and formation of metastases in the body.
Modified citrus pectin has an exceptional effect against various mechanisms associated with metastasizing cancer by polluting and cleansing the body of heavy metals and acting on the blockade of galectin 3 protein, which is the cause of many serious diseases – said the leader of the research team Isak Eliaz.
Modification of citrus pectin
The basic form of this preparation has too long fibers and a complex molecular structure and, as such, could not be absorbed into the bloodstream. Although it had excellent results in solving the digestive tract and the immune system’s problems, it was impossible to guess how much novelty its modified version would bring. The fibers were shortened and thus enabled complete absorption into the human body.
A modified version of citrus pectin was successfully stopped and controlled melanoma metastases, prostate cancer, breast and colon cancer. The results have been published in several recent studies in which it has also been confirmed that this preparation directly affects angiogenesis. By blocking angiogenesis, the development of metastases in the body is stopped.
Influence of modified citrus pectin on cancer cells
This preparation successfully induced apoptosis in cancer cells. Apoptosis is the programmed death of cancer cells. One study proved that this compound supports the apoptosis of androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer.
Scientists have proven that this preparation works chemotherapy even more efficiently. Modified citrus pectin makes cancer cells even more sensitive to chemotherapy. Also, when the body is exposed to radiation, this preparation makes the body more durable and resistant to radiation.
This is a natural blocker of galectin 3, a protein directly related to the progression of metastases in the body and their development. This protein is also associated with various cardiac anomalies, heart muscle problems, liver problems, kidney disease. Galectin 3 protein helps cancer cells literally attach to tissue and thus metastasize, multiplying uncontrollably. Modified citrus pectin reduces the concentration of this protein and blocks its production. In that case, there can be no binding of cancer cells that literally float in the body and bloodstream until their final extinction, and there can be no formation of metastases.
Immune system
This preparation also showed an effect on occasion development of the immune system and immune system activity. It also successfully helps the body cleanse itself of heavy metals.
The therapeutic effects of this preparation have proven to be very important in treating many chronic diseases and cancers. By the action of multifaceted mechanisms, this preparation has shown incredible results even on the most durable types of cancerous diseases. Worldwide, this preparation has been successfully used by as many as 12 million people suffering from various cancer forms with a successful outcome.
Combined with other preparations, for example, for preparations that destroy cancer cells or directly or indirectly affect the delivery of energy to cancerous diseases, this preparation is one of the carriers to stop the spread and progression of cancer.
Can Modified Citrus Pectin Lower Cholesterol?
Pectin acts as an effective source of dietary fiber. A high-fiber diet is associated with lowering cholesterol. This may be the reason why MCP is sold as a cholesterol-lowering aid. However, there is only limited research to support its use, and supplements do not always provide the same benefits as naturally available substances.
How is MCP taken?
You can buy modified citrus pectin as a powder in the markets of healthy food products, stores that sell supplements, and online. Read the dosing guidelines. Most suggest that MCP powder be dissolved in liquid and drunk on an empty stomach. It is also available in capsule form.
What if you take too much?
Taking too much-modified citrus pectin is not dangerous, but it can lead to stomach pain. It can also cause diarrhea, bloating, and flatulence. This is especially true if the form of MCP you are taking involves extra fiber.
Diarrhea lasting more than a few days can cause severe dehydration.
Should I be worried about taking MCP?
If you use a form of modified citrus pectin powder, be careful not to inhale it accidentally because the dust can lead to lung irritation. Modified citrus pectin can interfere with medications that lower cholesterol. It can also affect the absorption of nutrients because it can be a dietary fiber source.
It is not recommended to take MCP if you are pregnant or breastfeeding because research on its safety has not been done on these populations. As with any supplement, consult your doctor before using MCP.
What does the FDA say?
Because modified citrus is a pectin supplement, it is not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). MCP is not known to be dangerous, but it is also not a strange drug. Medical understanding of its ability to treat or slow cancer is limited. It seems to have a cholesterol-lowering effect, but more research is needed. Modified citrus pectin is generally considered harmless in the proposed doses, but a balanced diet and regular exercise are the best indicators of long-term health.
