Is Keto an Effective Cancer Fighting Diet?

The clinical use of ketogenic diets for epilepsy and cancer: what does the science say?

This is the first in a 7-video series. Here is what’s to come:

Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

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[NutritionFactsOrg]

“Keto” has been the most-searched keyword on NutritionFacts.org for months, and I didn’t have much specific to offer…until now. Be sure to subscribe to the channel to be notified of the remaining 6 videos.

[KeyofDavid]

My brother was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer last January and within six months of being in ketosis the prostate cancer came up blank on an MRI.

[hong-enlin]

I see most comments here rejoicing on the useful information, however this is conflicting with the information put out by Dr. Seyfried that cancer cells cannot use ketones as fuel, yet both this Channel and Dr. Thomas Seyfried are all legitimate peak western academic and medicine sources. Also when you fast you use Ketones, so this video goes against another video from this very site. So I get the feeling still we know absolutely nothing about what to do with Cancer. Everyone still has an agenda to preach whatever they are already preaching.

[hrodgarthevegan]

There is grey area on this subject. I am Vegan/Vegetarian and so I understand how you may be biased towards not supporting ketosis. Progressive cancer is not a normal life sustaining function. It uses normal life sustaining functions to spread and proliferate, that is why it is a tough disease.

We can look at ketosis as a temporary/intermittent state to be in to reduce cancer. The majority of cancers use glucose, This is the first step to address. Next we would have to look at ketone usage and glutamine metabolism, but these are the more rare cancers. Obviously we haven't figured out how to combat it all or else we would have the cure for cancer.

Diet can and is used as an adjunct. The targetting and elimination of the cancer should be part of the therapy. Apoptosis can go only so far and as we age it's ability appears to wane. Fasting has been shown to increase autophagy and apoptosis.

What it boils down to is that maybe we will have to cut all normal food consumption and proceed with synthetic supply of energy that is counter to what the current cancer needs. Of course it would be difficult in cases of cancers that use multiple types of fuel but maybe manual removal of those is the way to go.

Overall, there is room for ketosis within Veganism. In the far future perhaps all we will need is synthetic forms of energy and no longer consume potentially contaminated fuel sources.

[killerxyphon]

I did keto and the chronic inflammation I had went away. I also dropped my body fat % to 12%. I now do keto 3 months a year. I dont claim to be 100% sure that it's all due to the keto diet. Maybe being more aware in what I eat and counting macros. I do a very clean keto, with no junk food (bacon etc) and exercise 5 days a week. After my body adjusted to keto, I actually feel a tonne better in ketosis than when I'm not. Don't knock it before you try it! If doctors were always right, we'd not be still dying from viruses, heart disease and cancer! Keto also helped my friend who was pre-diabetic as carbs spikes his blood sugar levels.

[forexcharts]

Cancer can not feed on ketones in the absence of Glucose or Glutimine has been tested. People say this because Glucose and Glutamine are not absent

[danobrien]

I am a lay person with an interest in this topic . Statement made here is 'all cells feed on glucose HOWEVER cancer cells are far more hungry for glucose due to over expression of HIF1 factor . Secondly switching to ketones through fasting is in line with our origins as food gatherers who lived through feast and famine . Glucose was more regulated and stable in hunter gatherers . Thirdly there have been groups of folks where no cancer is known and the diet is really an ancient food gatherer diet as well as physical activity They live to well into the 90's . Also fasting is like computer reboot to safe mode . The immune system is activated .. dodgy cells are killed off .. autophagy whereas Chemo is like using a shotgun to shoot flies and the immune system is switched off which is exactly the wrong thing to do . The only thing that allows us to live is our immune system . Its also the reason that we die .. its not cancer which kills us which is always in us somewhere anyway ( I'm convinced of that ) ... its the immune system slowly switching off and unable to make daily repairs and kill suspect cancer cells. The 'guards' must be fit and active not asleep in the fort . Isn't that why cancer is called the 'disease of the elderly ' because the 'guards are not fit and often asleep in old age ? So to live a long life do the things which boost the immune system .. exercise to boost circulation, fasting , control glucose levels, boost vitamin D with food like salmon leafy greens etc etc .. thats my view .

[Floodland-bnol]

4:20 Hold on, time out, doesn't the metabolic theory of cancer treatment say that malfunctioning cancerous mitiochondria cannot use ketones as fuel but our healthy cells can? Therefore cutting off the two fuel sources to those cancerous mitochondira helps to retard their growth?

[Candlewick]

Hmm. Always liked tour work but there is a lot of good research that keto helps cancer. Very good doctors who use this with amazing results on their patients.

[cryptelligence]

Remember, kids: If the headline asks a question, the answer is always no!

[InvisiMan]

"Why go Keto when you can go Chemo?!" ~ Dr. Greger, 2019 😂😂😂😂

[nickseccombe]

Thomas Seyfried says cancer only feeds on glucose and glutamine, not ketones. So he says you need to both go into deep ketosis and press-pulse glutamine to starve cancer.

[josephharris]

Several relevant facts related to endocrinology and glucose metabolism have been omitted:

1. Carbohydrates are the strongest nutritional stimulator of insulin release.
2. Insulin has powerful anabolic (growth stimulating effects) and triggers other downstream effects of growth factors (e.g. IGF-1 release and m-TOR complex). This is why athletes caught in the BALCO doping scandal were using insulin.
3. Excess glucose (blood sugar) is stored in the liver as signaled by insulin, which released in response to dietary carbohydrates. That is why carbohydrates, especially high glycemic index carbs, causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
4. Obese men are 60% more likely to die from prostate cancer compared to men of “normal weight.” Obesity is a direct result of errant carbohydrate metabolism called “insulin insensitivity.”

It seems disingenuous to suggest ketone metabolism by the liver as a reason breast cancer tend to metastasize to the liver, while ignoring the profound liver inflammation and dysfunction caused by excess glucose.

Respectfully,

Joseph J. Harris

[mikeb]

My position is that we don’t quite know the long term effects of keto, so we should avoid the diet, especially long term. It could have negative effects on brain health. If you want to lose weight, eat nutrient dense, fibrous foods and excercise

[jessicabell]

fasting 2-4 days before chemo has been reported to increase effects of chemo. some studies suggest keto might also help chemo work better too.

[cynicalidealist]

In before the triggered keto community.

[memofromessex]

Not a single downvote yet, keto cult members must be too exhausted and tired to click!

[andrewclancy]

As a plant-based eater I've never been particularly "triggered" by people with different beliefs about the health of my (or their) diet. In fact, because their views are based on shakier logic, I've always suspected the keto people would be more defensive, not less. So I guess it's time to...um...put that to the test?

[imnevergonnasleeptonight]

What about the ketones that come from fasting induced ketosis, do those cancel out the cancer fighting effects of fasting & autophagy?

[AnaliliB]

Thank you, Dr. Gregger, for this information!
When I first started researching plant based nutrition, I wanted to know if it would work for my daughter with epilepsy, since we had already tried and failed the modified Atkins diet (with daily ketone urine testing).
Almost two years later, I am happy to say a whole-foods, plant based diet has been a blessing for all in our family, especially for me, aging and aching everywhere, now healthy and happy!! My daughter still has a few seizures a month, but is doing better and loves the food.