Welcome to Cancer Chat. If you are currently undergoing treatment, it's always best to discuss any dietary changes with your doctor or specialist.
We have a section on our website about diet and cancer here, which is worth taking a look at.
Our nurses have previously said the following on this topic:
"We would always recommend that people try to have a balanced diet throughout and after cancer treatment when possible. There is no scientific evidence that a high protein low carbohydrate diet has an effect on cancer. If you are thinking of making any changes to your diet always check it out with your doctor first."
If you'd like to discuss further with them, you can reach them on 0808 800 4040 - Monday-Friday, 9-5.
I think you need to be very discriminating in what you read - not everyone posts truth on the internet, and when it comes to cancer ... well, there are a lot of scared and desperate people out there, and a lot of misinformation. Some people publish misinformation with the best of intentions - but there are a small number of cynics who either get a kick out it, or are deliberately preying on the vulnerable and desperate.
Every living thing requires energy, and glucose (sugar) feeds all our cells, so it's not surprising that cancer cells also feed on glucose. However, it's a massive leap from that obvious observation to thinking that reducing glucose will kill the cancer without also having a massive adverse affect on every other cell in the body.
When it comes to alternative medicine, there is none that cures cancer. There is no hidden cure that's available only to the rich (if there were, then Steve Jobs would be alive today).
Thank you, telemando! I appreciate your comments very much.
I was not asking about a cure for cancer nor for a way to kill cancer cells. I am interested in using fasting or ketogenic diet to slow the growth of cancer. I am interested in hearing of anyone's efforts and experience to do this, successful or not.
My understanding is that cancer cells cannot use respiration as a means of producing energy that they need for replication. Cancer cells must use fermentation. Fermentation uses glucose and glutamine. Ketogenic diets restrict glucose. Fasting restricts both glucose and glutamine.
I do not automatically believe anything I read or see on the internet. I do believe that scientific evidence can be used to guide us in staying alive and healthy.
Just to add. Related to the myth that sugars ‘feed’ cancer cells, the low-carb, high-protein ketogenic diet suggests cutting out carbohydrates to starve cancer cells of glucose. There has been some interest in this diet in recent years, with some clinical trials suggesting this diet may be helpful alongside conventional treatment in brain cancers. However, there is currently no evidence that the ketogenic diet alone will treat brain tumours or any other type of cancer. Although ketogenic diets are not recommended by recognised cancer health organisations, if you are considering a ketogenic diet you should talk to your health professional before embarking on it unsupervised. The diet is not supported by any evidence and there is nothing to suggest it can slow down cancer growth
I personally have no idea, however I have a family friend who was diagnosed with around a month or two to live back in February. She was due to start chemo to give her a little longer but it was put on hold because of covid. She started intermittent fasting and removing all sugar from her diet and the doctors were amazed that the cancer hadnt grown. She has since started chemo and is still with us. Personally I have no idea, I havent done any research into the link and I have no idea how our family friend would've progressed otherwise... maybe she is just 1 in a million and her cancer wouldnt of grown otherwise, who knows. But she is sure that it is down to her lifestyle changes. Maybe it gives her something to focus on and some sort of control in an otherwise uncontrollable situation, I honestly dont know.
