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A 2018 study examined the effect of diet on anti-cancer immune responsiveness,1  demonstrating that nutrition can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy against cancer.  The most effective diets included low-carb, high-fat diets like keto.

A Closer Look at Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer.  It does so through a number of mechanisms: monoclonal antibodies, adoptive cell transfer (ACT), cytokines, treatment vaccines, and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG, a type of immunotherapy specific to bladder cancer).2

Monoclonal antibodies are drugs that bind to specific targets to manipulate the immune system to fight cancer cells.  ACT uses T cells, which are a part of your immune system that destroys infected cells. ACT isolates, “weaponizes,” and then re-introduces T cells back into your body to kill cancer. Cytokines are naturally made proteins that function to kill cancer cells.  Treatment vaccines fight cancer by empowering your immune system.  BCG is a weak form of bacteria that results in tuberculosis and initiates an immune response that focuses its efforts on your cancer cells.

Tumor Microenvironment

Tumors create their own little “worlds” within your body known as “Tumor Microenvironments” (TME).  Researchers specifically looked at these to understand the link between cancer and diet. Previous research demonstrated that metabolic factors such as the presence of glucose (the primary “food” for cancer) greatly affects immune activity within TMEs.3

Energy and Inflammation

Food contains molecules that act like antigens, which are a part of your immune system that reacts if your body sees them as foreign.  Have you ever heard someone say to not eat before buying a ring?  Research shows that after eating, your body initiates an immune response in the form of inflammation. If you ate before buying a ring, your finger would swell slightly, and you may buy a ring that’s a bit roomier than it should be.

Carbs and Inflammation

One study examined the relationship between carb consumption and inflammation. Researchers specifically considered the production of IL-17 (an inflammatory molecule) and IL-10 (an anti-inflammatory molecule) in a junk food diet and a ketogenic diet.4 In the group that consumed junk food, inflammatory levels increased and anti-inflammatory levels decreased.  In the group that consumed a low-carb, high-fat diet, inflammatory levels decreased and anti-inflammatory levels increased.  This research showed that what you eat can influence immunity.

The Big Idea

These studies show that a low-carb diet can impair the ability of tumors to form and thrive by basically starving them. Glucose (the primary food cancers thrive on) and insulin (one of the ways cancer cells get into other cells) levels decrease on the keto diet, reducing inflammation and keeping you healthier.

The relationship between diet, immunotherapy, and cancer is complex. Researchers are finding that this relationship is more important than we previously thought, and studies continue to confirm how helpful keto is in improving all aspects of your health!

 

NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER

The content on this website should not be taken as medical advice and you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. We provide nutritional data for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. We use Total Keto Diet app software to calculate the nutrition and we remove fiber and sugar alcohols, like erythritol, from the total carbohydrate count to get to the net carb count, as they do not affect your blood glucose levels. You should independently calculate nutritional information on your own and not rely on our data. The website or content herein is not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose or treat any disease. This website shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on the Website or actions you take as a result. Any action you take is strictly at your own risk.

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