The ketogenic diet originated in the 1920s as a high-fat, low-carb diet that provides enough protein and calories to cure intractable epilepsy. At that time, those on starvation or deficient carbohydrate diets had ketone bodies detected in their blood. About 90% of the calories in a ketogenic diet come from fat, 8% from protein, and just 2% from carbohydrates. Due to their extreme blandness and restriction, the ketogenic diets – popular in the 1920s and 1930s – were prone to non-compliance. In recent years, alternative ketogenic diet methods have come to light that greatly ease adherence to the diet.
For cancer patients, ketogenic diets are a well-known yet controversial treatment. In an effort to enhance their prognosis and lessen the negative effects of their treatment, many cancer patients try to optimise their diet. The theory for the anti-tumor impact is based on Warburg’s finding that, even in the presence of oxygen, cancer cells prefer anaerobic glycolysis. Moreover, glycolysis is a mechanism that cancer cells utilise to multiply quickly and create metastases.
The evidence from 17 published animal studies for ketogenic diet intake on anti-tumor effects, compiled in meta-analysis in 2021, indicated that ketogenic diet alone or in combination with caloric restriction significantly reduced tumor weight and volume as well as lengthened survival time.
Studies on the ketogenic diet’s mechanism are still inadequate. The safety and effectiveness of ketogenic diets need to be further investigated. There needs to be more thorough practical advice on the ketogenic diet for cancer patients, including information on when to start the intervention, the patient’s age, the severity of their condition, and their nutritional state.
When designing a customised ketogenic diet strategy for cancer patients, a skilled nutritionist plays a crucial role in minimising and managing the short- and long-term risks associated with this nutritional therapy.
Hina Farooqui
Karachi
