Too Much Grapefruit, Orange Juice Consumption Place White People At Higher Risk For Skin Cancer: Study

A new study has identified the consumption of two citrus fruits as placing white people at a higher risk of developing melanoma. The explanation of the new study, published on Monday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, is that citrus fruits have psoralens, compounds that cause skin to be more sensitive when exposed to light.

The psoralens are found in the pulp of oranges and in the fibrous materials that surround grapefruit's pulp, according to Abrar Quresh, senior author and chair of the Brown University's dermatology department.

People with lighter skin may have a higher 25-year risk that they would develop a deadly form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma. The findings may mean that white people who consume a lot of these two citrus juices must use a lot of sunblock, reports Futurity.com.

Shaowei Wu, postdoctoral researcher at Brown University and lead author of the study, said that the risk of having melanoma was 36 percent higher for white people whose overall consumption of these two citrus fruits - the most consumed citruses in the U.S. - was 1.6 or more times a day compared to those whose intake of the same fruits were less than two times weekly.

Wu adds that the other photoactive compound, furocoumarins, are found in higher quantities in fresh fruits with peel and pulp compared to processed juices. She explains the difference to industrial processing that reduces the quantities of some chemicals in processed foods.

As a result, melanoma has greater association with fresh grapefruit compared to grapefruit juice. However, Wu points out that despite the lower levels of furocoumarins in orange juice, when its consumption is very high, there is a significant association with risk of melanoma.

The study took into account the age, cigarette use, alcohol consumption and other lifestyle factors of the participants that are linked to cancer, notes The Washington Post.

The two stress that the study does not warn people to avoid the two citruses that are rich sources of Vitamin C. Rather, "people need to be aware that when they are consuming certain fruits and vegetables that contain these photoactive compounds, they need to be more careful with their sun exposure the next few hours in particular and probably the next day or two," Qureshi explains.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology, in response to the study, said the findings were intriguing. However, the health group said it is too soon for the society to make changes in dietary recommendations on orange and grapefruit consumption.