Advanced Heart, Kidney, and Metabolic Disease Linked to Higher Cancer Risk

Advanced Heart, Kidney, and Metabolic Disease Linked to Higher Cancer Risk

Author: Dr. Mercola July 18, 2026 Duration: 7:02
  • Researchers followed more than 1.39 million adults and found that advanced cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) disease was strongly associated with higher cancer risk, especially once people reached the more severe stages tied to insulin resistance, kidney dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease
  • Cancer incidence rose from 81.2 cases per 10,000 person-years in the healthiest group to more than 250 cases per 10,000 person-years in advanced CKM stages (an increase that narrowed to roughly 25% to 30% after adjusting for age and other factors), showing how rapidly risk accelerates once multiple metabolic systems begin failing together
  • Chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and excess dysfunctional body fat may help create a biologic environment associated with higher rates of colorectal, lung, pancreatic, liver, bladder, kidney, and hormone-related cancers
  • Younger adults under 65 with advanced CKM disease showed a 45% higher cancer risk, challenging the idea that metabolic-driven cancer only develops late in life after decades of decline
  • Lowering seed oil intake, improving insulin sensitivity through movement, supporting mitochondrial energy production with sunlight and tracking markers such as HOMA-IR and blood pressure may help slow metabolic deterioration before it reaches the dangerous tipping point tied to higher cancer risk

Each week, Dr. Joseph Mercola-Take Control of Your Health offers a direct conversation about navigating the often-confusing world of wellness. Dr. Mercola brings decades of experience as a natural health advocate to these discussions, focusing on practical strategies that go beyond conventional approaches. The episodes dig into the interconnected areas of holistic health, physical fitness, and alternative methods for building resilience. You’ll hear detailed explorations of how everyday choices impact long-term vitality, with an emphasis on personal agency and evidence-informed alternatives. This isn’t about quick fixes but about understanding the underlying principles that can help you make better decisions for yourself and your family. The tone is straightforward and investigative, aiming to equip you with knowledge that is frequently overlooked. Tuning into this podcast feels like accessing a deep resource of non-mainstream health perspectives, all centered on the fundamental goal of sustainable well-being. It’s for anyone who feels that managing their health requires looking at the full picture, from nutrition and movement to the less obvious environmental factors. Dr. Mercola’s weekly insights serve as a catalyst for taking a more active, informed role in your own health journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Podcast Episodes
Could This Overlooked Vitamin Be the Key to Healthier Bones? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:49
Vitamin K does far more than support blood clotting; research in mice found it helps regulate the constant cycle of removing old bone and building new bone — a process that influences long-term bone strength Researchers…
Wegovy Linked to Rare 'Eye Stroke' That Can Cause Sudden Blindness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:41
Researchers found that Wegovy showed the strongest reported association with a rare optic nerve injury that can cause sudden vision loss, raising new questions about the safety of high-dose semaglutide formulations Men u…
How to Stay Motivated to Exercise [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:51
Long-term exercise success depends less on willpower than on choosing activities you enjoy, keeping workouts at a manageable level and creating a routine that fits naturally into your daily life Positive experiences duri…
Why Food-Based Formats Change Behavior [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:12
We're wired to embrace food and to resist anything that feels like medicine — and day to day, behavior follows that feeling far more than it follows logic Nutritional supplements in food-based formats slip into meals you…
Insufficient Sleep Strongly Predicts Reduced Long-Term Well-Being [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:33
Sleeping fewer than seven hours per night is strongly linked to reduced long-term well-being, even when factors like diet, exercise, income, and access to health care are taken into account Large-scale U.S. data shows sl…
This Silent Health Crisis Is Now Affecting Nearly 800 Million People [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:27
Chronic kidney disease now affects an estimated 788 million adults worldwide, roughly one in seven adults, making it one of the largest and fastest-growing chronic health challenges on the planet Most people with kidney…
Oral Cancer Risk Could Be Raised by This Common Food [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:09
A study of more than 450,000 adults found that every additional 30 grams of processed meat consumed daily was associated with a 9% higher risk of gastric cancer and a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma People w…
The Need to End Mercury Fillings for Children Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:26
Dental amalgam is approximately 50% mercury by weight, and it releases a vapor that can be inhaled and absorbed, with children's developing neurological systems potentially more sensitive to its effects Since 2020, the U…
When 'More' Stops Working [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:09
The supplement aisle runs on a single promise — that bigger numbers are better — but past a point, "more" stops translating into more that your body actually keeps The neon-yellow urine after a big multivitamin is mostly…