Assessing the Role of the Ketogenic Diet as a Metabolic Therapy in Cancer: Is it Evidence Based?

AnvilHead

Interesting research review.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317415645_Assessing_the_Role_of_the_Ketogenic_Diet_as_a_Metabolic_Therapy_in_Cancer_Is_it_Evidence_Based

clicketykeys

Short answer: yes. However, a better question would be "how effectively does it work?"

SideSteel

Chad Macias has a solid podcast on this as well:

https://www.acast.com/sigmanutritionradiohealthperformancewellnesssciencelifestyle/snr-169-chad-macias---cancer-metabolism--caution-over-ketogenic-dietketones

ndj1979

sample size of 12 and everyone dropped out except for one person ..

I recall from when I went through chemo that they wanted to me eat as much calorie dense food as possible to keep weight up; I would think that using Keto to combat cancer may be problematic as some tend to be more satiated on high fat diet and would not eat as much ...?

kpk54

I'm not much into debating. I just hope all research, regardless of what it is continues and somehow a cure is found. I would guess the best of the researchers read the opposing studies/reviews to their hypothesis/research in an effort to improve their research.

It was a sad day the day I took both parents to the chemo center and sat with them during their treatment. My mom would not give up on chemo and died from colorectal metastasize to her pancreas. My Dad on the other hand tried chemo and decided that (since) chemo would not cure his mesothelioma, his choice was to not be sick every 15 out of 21 days. He outlived my Mom by a few months which is irrelevant. It is just how it worked out.

One chose quantity of life. One chose quality of life. May all research continue to find a cure for all. Or better yet, find a cause. I recall the X-Ray was discovered by accident.

ETA: I appreciate these threads. The opinions and research posted.

mmapags

While there is insufficient study, there is some logic to it. Cancer thrives on glucose and an anaerobic environment. There may be some benefit to reducing blood glucose. More and larger studies are needed.

AnvilHead

mmapags wrote: »

While there is insufficient study, there is some logic to it. Cancer thrives on glucose and an anaerobic environment. There may be some benefit to reducing blood glucose. More and larger studies are needed.

In the study, they found that some types of cancer thrive upon ketone bodies and that they provide the potential for aggressive adaptations to them.

SideSteel wrote: »

Chad Macias has a solid podcast on this as well:

https://www.acast.com/sigmanutritionradiohealthperformancewellnesssciencelifestyle/snr-169-chad-macias---cancer-metabolism--caution-over-ketogenic-dietketones

Chad Macias was the primary researcher in the study, so I'm sure his podcast is quite insightful.

stealthq

mmapags wrote: »

While there is insufficient study, there is some logic to it. Cancer thrives on glucose and an anaerobic environment. There may be some benefit to reducing blood glucose. More and larger studies are needed.

The problem is that most cancers preferentially use glucose as energy because fats are more critical to their survival and growth. Fats are required and are often a limiting factor for rapid cell replication. Cancer cells don't require dietary sources of glucose to survive. Take that away and vastly increase dietary fats as is typical in a keto diet and you're potentially providing the cells exactly what they need, though I think it likely that the net effect is a wash (or close to it) in cancers that do not preferentially use fats as fuel.

mmapags

AnvilHead wrote: »

mmapags wrote: »

While there is insufficient study, there is some logic to it. Cancer thrives on glucose and an anaerobic environment. There may be some benefit to reducing blood glucose. More and larger studies are needed.

In the study, they found that some types of cancer thrive upon ketone bodies and that they provide the potential for aggressive adaptations to them.

SideSteel wrote: »

Chad Macias has a solid podcast on this as well:

https://www.acast.com/sigmanutritionradiohealthperformancewellnesssciencelifestyle/snr-169-chad-macias---cancer-metabolism--caution-over-ketogenic-dietketones

Chad Macias was the primary researcher in the study, so I'm sure his podcast is quite insightful.

Thanks for the link! I'll take a look.

Christine_72

@kpk54 I just wanted to say I'm so sorry you lost both parents to this disease, and so close together. My dad died of melanoma, a doctor misdiagnosed him and told him not to worry about the weird looking mole on his leg, by the time he got a second opinion it was too late..
I cant imagine what you went through losing both of your parents like you did

kpk54

@Christine_72

Orphia

AnvilHead wrote: »

Interesting research review.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317415645_Assessing_the_Role_of_the_Ketogenic_Diet_as_a_Metabolic_Therapy_in_Cancer_Is_it_Evidence_Based

"There may at some point be an application for KD in certain cancers (likely as an adjunctive therapy), but widespread application of KD as a cancer treatment appears premature based on existing evidence.

Assessing the Role of the Ketogenic Diet as a Metabolic Therapy in Cancer: Is it Evidence Based? (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317415645_Assessing_the_Role_of_the_Ketogenic_Diet_as_a_Metabolic_Therapy_in_Cancer_Is_it_Evidence_Based [accessed Jun 19, 2017]."

See also: Betteridge's Law of Headlines.

"Betteridge's law of headlines is one name for an adage that states: "Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no.""

Gallowmere1984

Nevermind. Edited to remove duplicate cast.