🥩 How to eat for cancer (prevention):
Throughout the year "Keto" Alex has been one of the most engaged Meat Health Academy students, and he asked a good question this week that I thought I'd address here:
Q: "I saw a video stating that fasting along with low protein and vegetables is the best for those with cancer. Thoughts on this?"
A: There's a lot to this question, but I'm assuming that this person is suggesting this approach for active cancer patients and not as prevention? Either way, the idea here is that cancer is typified by uncontrolled cellular growth. Growth factors like IGF-1 and insulin facilitate cancer growth, and thus are vilified, while catabolic states such as fasting and ketosis can help "starve" cancer cells and thus are heroic. While I do think fasting and
ketosis can be beneficial here (ketogenic diets are used in some oncologic cases), I don't think everyone should be starving themselves their whole lives in an attempt to try and avoid getting cancer.
For example, muscle mass, independent of fat mass and cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, is inversely associated with mortality risk. Thus, chronic undereating, limiting protein, and prolonged fasting that impair muscle mass (especially as we age) can increase mortality risk, while anabolic processes that promote muscle building and maintenance (i.e. IGF-1 and mTOR) can associate with longer survival rates.
On the flip side: decreases in muscle mass as we age is one of the highest predictors of all-cause mortality. Sarcopenia, the impairment of physical function from loss of muscle mass, increases the risk for a host of later-life impairments such as disability, nursing home placement, fractures, falls, hospitalizations, reduced quality of life, and premature death. And older adults require more protein to offset sarcopenia, frailty, and associated morbidities (to combat "anabolic
resistance").
Some plant compounds like sulforaphane, a pungent molecule that can deter and kill insects, bacteria, and fungi, can cause cellular apoptosis (cell death). This happens in the cells of these small predators as well as human cells, and thus has been associated with anti-cancer properties, although it's cellular damage/killing is not specific to cancer cells. For me, a helpful analogy is to relate it to chemotherapy treatment. Chemo is very effective at
killing cells, and while the intent is to kill cancerous cells, there is often a significant amount of “friendly fire” and the death of healthy cells as well. There is a reason most people don’t take low dose chemotherapy as a cancer prevention strategy.
Long story short: I don't recommend most people skimp on protein, chronically restrict calories, or over emphasize extended fasts. If I had cancer I likely would incorporate some fasting and ketosis, but I wouldn't skimp on protein (i.e. meat) and I'd do everything I could to maintain / limit the degradation of muscle mass. I also wouldn't seek out phytotoxins to consume in the hopes of some beneficial hormetic response.
P.S.