adapted from "Starving Cancer" article in What Doctors Don't Tell You, June 2nd 2015
Introduction to the Fast Diet and Cancer
The Fast Diet, characterized by the 5:2 rule, where we eat normally for five days and restrict our diet for two days, might help us lose weight and potentially beat cancer.
The Theory: Starving Cancer Cells
Valter Longo, a professor at the University of Southern California, suggests that fasting for four days can deprive cancer cells of their primary food source. However, cancer cells then seek new energy through enzymes called protein kinases. Longo proposes a ‘one-two knock-out punch’ where fasting is followed by kinase inhibitors, FDA-approved drugs, to block the final food source for cancer cells.
Experimental Evidence and Future Prospects
Currently, Longo's theory is experimental, tested on colon-cancer cell lines. Scientists in Europe are also exploring this method. Longo is optimistic about its potential to treat cancer without damaging the immune system like chemotherapy does.
Historical and Scientific Foundations
Longo's work builds on Otto Warburg's research, which won a Nobel Prize in 1931 for discovering that cancer cells are anaerobic and thrive on glucose from carbohydrates. Warburg's research showed that cancer cells metabolize at a rate eight times higher than healthy cells, a process called the ‘Warburg effect.’
The Warburg Effect and Fasting
Warburg posited that cancer begins when cells are deprived of oxygen and thrive in an acidic environment. Fasting can starve cancer cells of glucose and make kinase-inhibiting drugs more effective. Previous studies by Longo showed that fasting reduced the adverse effects of chemotherapy in mice.
Human Studies and Observations
Longo’s studies on human cell lines indicated that fasting could make healthy cells resistant to chemotherapy, while cancer cells remain susceptible. This is because healthy cells enter a hibernation state during fasting.
Rethinking Cancer Treatment
Conventional medicine sees the Warburg effect as a symptom rather than a cause of cancer, focusing on genetic disorders. However, Longo and other biologists argue that cancer should be treated as a metabolic disease, emphasizing dietary changes like fasting or a ketogenic diet.
Precautions with Fasting
Fasting has numerous health benefits, but it should be approached cautiously and ideally under the guidance of a health professional. Immediate return to a normal diet after fasting can spike blood sugar levels, and fasting might be dangerous for diabetics.
Practical Fasting Tips
Start slow and end slow by gradually reducing and reintroducing food.
Consider juice fasting and ensure adequate water intake.
Try one meal a day or mini-fasts before progressing to longer fasts.
Avoid refined carbohydrates and processed foods.
Historical Context and Influences
1921: Dr. Henry Rawle Geyelin advocated fasting for epilepsy control.
1992: Longo joined UCLA to work with Dr. Roy Walford, who believed in extending lifespan through calorie restriction.
2004: Walford’s research indicated that restricted diets might increase longevity, though he himself died at 79 from ALS (also known as Motor Neurone Disease).
Conclusion
Longo’s research and the theory of cancer as a metabolic disease offer promising new directions for cancer treatment, emphasizing the importance of dietary interventions like fasting. While fasting shows potential, it must be approached with caution and proper guidance.
References
Oncotarget, 2015; published online ahead of print: March 30, 2015
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2008; 105: 8215–20
Nutr Metab [Lond], 2010; 7: 7
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