Cancer As A Metabolic Disease & How To Starve It.

An interesting alternative view of Cancer. Not as a genetic disease, but as a metabolic disorder. An interview with a professor at a college who does medical research. Dr. Thomas Seyfried. It’s a bit prone to wandering and some repetition, but the interviewer keeps the video interesting. It is also long, at 1 hour 46 minutes. But, IMHO, worth it.

It also would warrant a bit of a Dig Here! into the presenters published papers and thesis along with the case study results talked about.

The basic thesis is that cancer is not the result of mutations and genetic defects, but is a result of a damaged mitochondria shifting the cell to a fermentation process to get energy; and that, then, results in growth disregulation.

The genetic mutations then largely show up as a result of damage caused by this whole process of out of control growth.

It is asserted that depriving the cancer cells of glucose (and occasionally glutamine) can literally starve the cancer and result in the elimination of it. Further, that occasional fasting can result in “autophagy” as the body selectively chooses to kill off the cancer cells and use them for fuel when being starved. ( I’ve seen that assertion elsewhere too).

The assertion is that any of several diets that strongly restrict carbohydrates can get glucose levels down (especially in the presence of exercise) and this puts a lot of stress on the cancer cells. Then sporadic blocker drugs for the glutamine pathway (also used as fuel by cancer cells) essentially kills them off in droves. But, since glutamine is essential for your survival, you can only block it for short intervals.

There’s several anecdotes given about various cures obtained, perhaps the most amusing being a Pit Bull with a facial tumor ;-)

In general, the “advice” I would take from this is that a ketogenic diet is generally good for you and as a cancer preventative / delay tactic. Periodic Fasting is also beneficial. Avoiding the chemical stew that makes up a lot of “modern processed packaged foods” is a good idea, and eating things found in nature is good for you. All assertions I’ve seen in many other places too. The “new bit” is the notion of cancer as a metabolic disease caused by damage to the mitochondria of the cell.

I’d seen a similar thesis put forward, years ago, that cancer cells had reverted to an earlier anaerobic metabolism and with that also reverted to their “single cell” primitive state, no longer communicating with neighbor cells to make complex organs nor to only grow where they are supposed to be. As nature just heaps new innovations on top of old; I could see the cell still having the “single anaerobic cell” program in the vault and falling back to it if the right stresses knocked out the “multicellular aerobic cooperation” program. This presentation adds the notion of damaged mitochondria as the trigger mechanism, and dramatic reduction of blood sugar as damaging to cancer cells in that “fermenting” mode.

A random example of other folks also touting autophagy brought on by fasting:

https://www.healthline.com/health/autophagy#benefits

What are the benefits of autophagy?

The main benefits of autophagy seem to come in the form of anti-aging principles. In fact, Petre says it’s best known as the body’s way of turning the clock back and creating younger cells.

Khorana points out that when our cells are stressed, autophagy is increased in order to protect us, which helps enhance your lifespan.

Additionally, registered dietitian, Scott Keatley, RD, CDN, says that in times of starvation, autophagy keeps the body going by breaking down cellular material and reusing it for necessary processes.

“Of course this takes energy and cannot continue forever, but it gives us more time to find nourishment,” he adds.

At the cellular level, Petre says the benefits of autophagy include:

removing toxic proteins from the cells that are attributed to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease

recycling residual proteins

providing energy and building blocks for cells that could still benefit from repair
on a larger scale, it prompts regeneration and healthy cells

Autophagy is receiving a lot of attention for the role it may play in preventing or treating cancer, too.

“Autophagy declines as we age, so this means cells that no longer work or may do harm are allowed to multiply, which is the MO of cancer cells,” explains Keatley.

While all cancers start from some sort of defective cells, Petre says that the body should recognize and remove those cells, often using autophagic processes. That’s why some researchers are looking at the possibility that autophagy may lower the risk of cancer.

While there’s no scientific evidence to back this up, Petre says some studies suggest that many cancerous cells can be removed through autophagy.

“This is how the body polices the cancer villains,” she explains. “Recognizing and destroying what went wrong and triggering the repairing mechanism does contribute to lowering the risk of cancer.”

Researchers believe that new studies will lead to insight that will help them target autophagy as a therapy for cancer.

Diet changes that can boost autophagy

Remember that autophagy literally means “self-eating.” So, it makes sense that intermittent fasting and ketogenic diets are known to trigger autophagy.

“Fasting is [the] most effective way to trigger autophagy,” explains Petre.

“Ketosis, a diet high in fat and low in carbs brings the same benefits of fasting without fasting, like a shortcut to induce the same beneficial metabolic changes,” she adds. “By not overwhelming the body with an external load, it gives the body a break to focus on its own health and repair.”

In the keto diet, you get about 75 percent of your daily calories from fat, and 5 to 10 percent of your calories from carbs.

This shift in calorie sources causes your body to shift its metabolic pathways. It will begin to use fat for fuel instead of the glucose that’s derived from carbohydrates.

In response to this restriction, your body will begin to start producing ketone bodies that have many protective effects. Khorana says studies suggest that ketosis can also cause starvation-induced autophagy, which has neuroprotective functions.

“Low glucose levels occur in both diets and are linked to low insulin and high glucagon levels,” explains Petre. And glucagon level is the one that initiates autophagy.

“When the body is low on sugar through fasting or ketosis, it brings the positive stress that wakes up the survival repairing mode,” she adds.

So it looks like there will be more lamb chops and fewer pasta dishes in my future ;-)

I also need to get back to that “intermittent fasting” thing of putting all my meals between about 10 AM and 6 PM. An 8 hour (or less) window for calorie intake can help induce a ketogenic metabolism for part of the rest of the day.

I guess there’s a worse fate than eating fish, chicken, steaks & chops ;-) I think it’s time I got the BBQ set up 8-)