© Natural Society
Although it is often associated with the high-protein Atkins diet, ketogenic diets are useful for more than just weight control. These are classified by their very low carbohydrate content, low enough to push the body's metabolism into using ketones, which are breakdown products of fats, for energy.
One other purpose of the ketogenic diet is as a cancer treatment, often alongside other conventional and/or natural therapies. The story of Elaine Cantin is an example of this, who began to research and modify the ketogenic diet to suit her own needs after seeing too many loved ones die after chemo and radiation. Eventually, her cancer was gone, but this diet is still hidden from most of the general public in obscurity.
So what other evidence is there to support the ketogenic diet as a cancer treatment?
Multiple studies on mice have shown that this diet can dramatically slow and possibly reverse tumor growth, with in vitro research finding that, besides sugar deprivation, ketone bodies have direct antitumor effects.For example, in one study, mice on low-calorie ketogenic diets had tumors that were 48% lower in weight than controls; those also on the glucose inhibitor known as 2-deoxy-d-glucose saw an 80% reduction in tumor weight compared to controls. [1]
In another, mice on the "KetoCal" diet saw slowed tumor growth, decreased blood vessel growth, and increased survival, with mice on the calorie-restricted version surviving the longest. Tumor density had also been significantly reduced. [1]
In a human study, 297 patients who had undergone resection surgery for glioblastoma were examined for hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) in relation to survival time. Besides age and higher tumor grade, administration of corticosteroids and the chemo drug Temodar were also associated with lower survival time. [1]
Comment: See also: Your nose knows: The undetectable smell of death triggers fight-or-flight response