Whether or not it offers real benefits, however, is a complicated question.
First, cancer is not a single disease.
It is a broad collection of diseases.
Alexander Spatari / Getty Images
It is important to note that these nutritional ratios are not aligned with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The general U.S. guidelines call for more carbs and far less fats and proteins.
This is called keto-adaptation.
This diet-based ketosis differs from the diabeticketoacidosis, a dangerous condition.
So it’s helpful to look at how the dietmayaffect cancer cells and normal cells in the body.
Keto may have benefits, for at least some cancers, in a few different ways.
Some have to do with how keto might help suppress growth in cancer cells.
Others are focused on cancer prevention.
Basically, his theory was that glucose (sugar) feeds cancer cells.
As a result,sugar often has been blamedas the cause of cancer growth.
With keto, though, the diet actually exploits the cancer’s dependence on glucose.
That’s because cancer cells may not adapt as well to using ketones for growth.
It’s known from research that both insulin and insulin-like growth factors can stimulate the growth of cancers.
In order for cancers to grow, they also need to develop new blood vessels to support the tumor.
This process is calledangiogenesis.
In a mouse model of the brain cancerglioma, keto was found to reduce angiogenesis.
Finally, it’s thought that ketone bodies might actually have a direct toxic effect on cancers themselves.
In the lab, ketone supplements limited both the health and growth of the cancer cells.
Cancer begins when a series of mutations occur in a normal cell.
There may be inherited genes at work, but most mutations are acquired over time viaoxidative stress.
This refers to an imbalance of free radicals andantioxidants, such that free radicals outnumber the antioxidants.
Free radicalsare unstable molecules that can be produced bycancer-causing agentsor by normal processes in the body.
They help to keep them in check and restore the balance.
In one study, the ketone body B-hyroxybutyrate has been shown to suppress oxidative stress.
Ketone bodies offer two potentially positive actions here.
First, they reduce the production of free radicals.
These changes can make the chemotherapy and targeted drugs that were working become ineffective.
Is it because of lower insulin levels?
Does it limit access to a cancer cell’s much-needed blood supply?
Are ketone bodies themselves toxic to cancer cells?
Overall, animal studies suggest that keto may have anticancer effects withmostcancers.
Other pre-clinical studies have found thatdifferent types of cancer, or their subtypes, may respond differently to keto.
The fact that BRAF V600E-positive melanoma in a mouse study showed significantgrowthon the keto diet.
Overall, for good or bad, keto appears to have an effect on the metabolism of cancer cells.
What mechanism may be at work, though, is unknown.
The strongest evidence has been seen inglioblastoma, the most common and aggressive pop in of brain cancer.
While animal studies are helpful, the situation in humans may be different.
One study discussed earlier showed significant growth of BRAF-positive melanoma in mice on a keto diet.
Scientists have a good understanding of the reasons for why keto diets may have a role in cancer care.
The same is true when thinking about adopting a keto diet.
Here are some of the more common problems that arise.
Here are a few to know and discuss with a doctor, before making any diet changes.
The increase in fat intake could be a problem too.
A significant concern is that of restricting foods such as fruits.
Low vitamin D levels are associated with poorer outcomes in some cancers.
Fiber
Since the ketogenic diet restricts fruits and legumes, it may also reduce fiber intake.
Fiber can be thought of as a “prebiotic” or a food that feeds yourgut bacteria.
For people with cancer treated with immunotherapy, a diverse gut microbiome is associated with greater effectiveness.
Though probiotics did not appear to help, a high-fiber diet did.Fiber also helps maintain bowel function.
Current USDA guidelines recommend an intake of 23 to 33 grams of fiber daily.
There are several medical conditions for which keto should absolutely not be used.
These conditions include:
Diet and Cancer
We know that what we eat is important.
When it comes down to diet and cancer, however, the research is in its infancy.
They are also researching how ketogenic diets might be used in cancer care to deliver better outcomes.
If you are asking about the role of keto in cancer care, you are in a good place.
It’s a sign that you are being an advocate in your own health care.
Talk to your doctor about whether a keto diet may be a good choice.
Masood W, Annamaraju P, Khan Suheb MZ, et al.Ketogenic diet.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
McDonald TJW, Cervenka MC.The expanding role of ketogenic diets in adult neurological disorders.Brain Science.
8(8).
10(6): e0130357.
20(16).
10(9).
21(1):41. doi:10.1186/s13058-018-1087-7
American Cancer Society.Effects of diet and physical activity on risks for certain cancers.
Liu K, Lu C.Gut microbes modulate host response to immune checkpoint cancer immunotherapy.Translational Cancer Research.2018.
7(Suppl 5):S608-S610.
doi:10.21037/tcr.2018.05.37
USDA.Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020.
Nutritional goals for age-sex groups based on dietary reference intakes andDietary Guidelinesrecommendations.
11(5):e0155050.
6:21807. doi:10.1038/srep21807
Weber, DD, Aminazdeh-Gohari S, Kofler B.Ketogenic diet in cancer therapy.Aging (Albany NY).
59(4):625-634. doi:10.1194/jlr.M082040
