It’s been proposed that ketogenic
diets may be beneficial against cancer,
because cancer cells are highly
dependent on glucose metabolism and, in
test tubes, frequently die if they are
obliged to use ketones or fats for
energy.
Consumption of short-chain
fats for ketone generation, along with
carb restriction, can lower blood
glucose levels while still nourishing
neurons with ketones.
A ketogenic diet
recently tested in cancer therapy
consisted of 60 percent medium-chain
fats, 10 percent longer-chain fats, 10
percent carbs, and 20 percent protein.
So far, at least, positive results have
only been reported for ketogenic diets in
brain cancer. There are case reports of
ketogenic diets reducing tumor activity
and halting brain cancer progression.
However, studies of ketogenic diets
in other cancers have been
disappointing. Here are the results of a
pilot trial in which sixteen patients with
advanced metastatic cancer were put on
ketogenic diets:
One patient did not tolerate the
diet and dropped out within 3
days. Among those who tolerated
the diet, two patients died early,
one stopped after 2 weeks due to
personal reasons, one felt unable
to stick to the diet after 4 weeks,
one stopped after 6 and two
stopped after 7 and 8 weeks due to
progress of the disease, one had to
discontinue after 6 weeks to
resume chemotherapy and five
completed the 3-month
intervention period.
A possible reason why ketogenic
diets may work well in brain cancers but
not other cancers is that tumors in the
body may evade the metabolic
restrictions of a ketogenic diet by
manipulating neighboring normal cells
into providing them with lactic acid,
which the cancer cells can metabolize.
However, ketogenic diets may still be
a valuable adjunct to chemotherapy.
Fasting prior to chemotherapy reduces
toxicity to normal cells but increases
toxicity to cancer cells. Fasting is
ketogenic, and a ketogenic diet might
have the same effect during
chemotherapy.
Benefits of ketogenic diets against cancer
Source: Perfect Health Diet - Paul Jaminet, Ph.D
