Author: Maryam Ayres
Time for reading: ~4
minutes
Last Updated:
February 12, 2026
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“…[I]nterest within shark cartilage as an anticancer agent arose due to the fact many people believed that sharks did no longer get most cancers.” Why might they think the sort of thing?
“Sharks do get most cancers.” “…[B]oth benign and cancerous…lesions were mentioned in 21 species of sharks from [more than] 9 households.” For example, this oral tumor spilling out of the mouth of this super white.
Now, some “shark cartilage distributors insist [instead] that sharks [just] rarely get cancer,” [but] actual cancer rates in sharks have [never] been determined.” “[T]right here [has simply] been no systematic tumor surveys of sharks” for them to make any such claim. But look, “despite the fact that sharks [were] less prone to cancer,” how can one logically soar from that to most cancers sufferers cashing in on consuming powdered cartilage from a shark?“We recognise, as an example, that there are [certain] proteins that allow [some bacteria to survive] in boiling hot [springs].” Uh, does that mean if we eat the ones micro organism we will survive boiling water, too?
It doesn’t make any sense. “The illogic in the back of the pursuit of shark cartilage therapies has implications beyond the reduction of shark populations and the misdirection of patients to useless most cancers treatments.” The stuff may be dangerous, and that i’m now not simply speakme approximately the rare case of “shark cartilage-brought on liver [inflammation].” Shark merchandise can incorporate the neurotoxin BMAA, which I’ve pointed out earlier than.It’s been detected at increased ranges within the brains of Alzheimer’s sickness and ALS sufferers, and can “play…a position in [the development of] neurodegenerative sicknesses.” So, the “consumption of shark-fin soup may additionally pose a enormous health danger.” But what about shark-cartilage supplements?
They examined 16 business shark-cartilage supplements, right off the shelves, and found BMAA “within fifteen out of sixteen.” But appearance, although shark-cartilage dietary supplements bring “pro-inflammatory residences, that may pose a capability fitness danger for consumers,” we’re speaking approximately cancer.So, the query then will become:
are there any blessings to shark cartilage? I suggest, it’s no longer a completely wacky idea.“[C]artilage [in general] is noticeably proof against invasion by using tumor cells.” So, maybe there’s a few “cartilage-derived anti-invasion issue.” “Less interesting alternative factors…are” that it’s simply tough for the cancer to penetrate the cartilage, or perhaps because of the negative blood deliver in cartilage, cancer doesn’t don't forget it specifically fertile floor.
So, perhaps we can starve tumor increase by infusing those cartilage factors.
What scientists do is implant tumors into the eyeballs of rabbits, as a way to visualize what number of blood vessels the tumor is capable of draw to itself. And, certainly:“Shark cartilage incorporates inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis.” “Such findings made the sales [of shark cartilage sky]rocket, [driving]…two shark species…to the threshold of extinction.” But, cow cartilage does the identical issue.
Here, they used bovine cartilage. And so does human cartilage, for that rely.So, why promote shark cartilage?
Well, it does sound a lot more distinguished, and sharks have like 10 times greater cartilage consistent with animal.Just because cartilage has blood vessel-inhibiting chemical compounds within it, although, doesn’t imply if most cancers sufferers devour it, it's going to help them.
It’s kind of like magical thinking: shark cartilage stops blood-vessel growth.“Thus, by means of consuming shark cartilage, human beings will [somehow] be…blanketed.” I imply, the “shark cartilage protein molecules [would seem to be] too big to be absorbed via the gut.” It’s not like you’re injecting shark cartilage into your bloodstream via an IV.
Okay, But Does That Translate Out To Stopping The Growth And Spread Of Cancer?
Apparently not, as “not one of the shark cartilage doses examined had any retarding effect on [cancer growth]” or unfold within tumor-bearing mice.
But simply because it doesn’t paintings within rodents doesn’t imply it doesn’t work in human beings.