- A keto diet in mice slowed the growth of cancer cells but also promoted the wasting that is often associated with late-stage cancer, according to a new study.
- The study found that corticosteroids inhibited the development of cachexia, allowing the mice to live longer.
- A true keto diet, such as the type used in the study, should only be considered under the supervision of a physician.
Researchers have been investigating ketogenic — or “keto” — diets as a means of
However, new research suggests that this approach may come with a significant catch: It may also promote cachexia, the untreatable wasting disease that can occur with cancer.
Cachexia can lead to a termination of treatment as a patient becomes too weak to withstand cancer drugs any longer.
A new study in mice seeks a means of leveraging the cancer-killing properties of a keto diet while delaying the onset of cachexia.
The study suggests that augmenting a keto diet with corticosteroids may delay the development of cachexia.
The study findings are published in Cell Metabolism.
Among the wide range of weight-loss diets are several keto-adjacent diets, such as the Atkins diet, paleo diet, and South Beach Diet, each of which has its proponents and detractors.
A true ketogenic diet, however, can be somewhat extreme, as it essentially requires foregoing carbohydrates for fats that account for up to 90% of a person’s daily caloric intake. Some health experts have serious concerns about the value and safety of a keto diet for weight loss purposes.
The new study finds that a keto diet in mice promotes ferroptosis in cancer cells. Ferroptosis is a process that causes an unsustainable buildup of oxidatively damaged lipids within a cell that, in part, interferes with and disrupts the supply of glucose, on which the cell depends for survival and growth.
Healthy mice placed on a keto diet in the study lost weight and then plateaued, as one might expect with a diet. However, mice with…
Read the full article here