Otto Warburg & the link between cancer & glucose
It wasn’t until after I started LIHF living in 2012 that I began to hear about the link between cancer cells and glucose.
Further research recently led me to the “Verners Views” website run by Dr Verner Wheelock. In this article Verner describes the remarkable research of Otto Warburg who back in 1931 discovered that cancer cells, unlike normal cells, are partially anaerobic and as such, require a supply of glucose to stay alive. This is very similar to yeast cell behaviour during the alcohol fermentation process in the likes of beer, etc. Hence, so theory goes, if you cut off the supply of glucose (ketogenic diet) to the cancer cell you will kill it or better still, it can’t even begin to grow in the first place. Otto Warburg received a Nobel Prize for his efforts.
Further evidence of the success of ketogenic diets in tackling cancer may be found via an amazing young man known as Andrew Scarborough who is “successfully managing ‘incurable’ brain cancer and epilepsy with a ketogenic diet”. You can read more about his remarkable story here..
Asking The Obvious Questions
Armed with the above information, why oh why are we not putting cancer patients onto a ketogenic diet AS SOON as the cancer has been discovered, even before any other treatment has been prescribed, as is the case with epilepsy (the link between epilepsy and ketogenics as a treatment was discovered at the start of the 20th century and is well documented)? Why, if we’ve known about the link between cancer and glucose for over 80 years now, are we still promoting high-carb diets as a “healthy lifestyle” choice?
I look forward to hearing your views..
I hate that things are driven so much by money. My best guess that this is why companies still promote things that are so bad for people. After all, glucose tastes DELICIOUS!
I recently found this link to cancer as well. I have had several friends die from cancer in the last couple of years. And one recently diagnosed. You would think the medical community would be all over this. Instead they continue poison their patients with chemo-therapy and radiation. It is unbelievable. My sister has also been battling cancer for the last several years. I wish I could convince her to take diet more seriously. Great post, Man.
Thanks Tony.
Yes, it’s the same for us, wherever we look we see people with cancer..
Just before I read your comment I learned that a family friend’s cancer has started spreading from her lungs to her neck. This is second time round for her after breast cancer. It’s not looking good.. We visited her in hospital last week. The irony of her in bed with a bottle of fanta on her bedside table was incredible. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
A second family friend was diagnosed with a large malignant brain tumor about 3 yrs ago. They removed most of it but couldn’t remove it all. To be fair to the docs they did tell him to cut down on his carbs to aid his recovery. He refused. If anything, he increased his sugary food intake, a kind of comfort eating reaction to cope with his disease IMO. He passed away last week.
My father-in-law has prostate cancer & it appears to be getting worse. To watch him at his grand-sons birthday party, pile into a plate stacked high with high-carb junk food, like it was his last meal, was quite something to behold.
I really want to help these people but I feel my advice will be rejected as “too extreme” or just plain nonsense. It’s a desperate feeling.
I know how you feel. I don’t say anything because I feel I would be ridiculed. But I really try to stick to this way of eating because I don’t want to be gone before I meet my grandchildren. I’m a long way from that point yet.
It is real great to meet you. I started following your site. You’re the first I’ve met who seem to think the way I do about food, though I haven’t mastered myself yet. I still screw up and eat the things I know are crap. I wish you luck on your journey.
Thanks Tony. I wish you luck too.
Just keep going man!! :))
Today I had some bad news. The woman I mentioned in the above comment is now bed-ridden and can not walk. In fact, she has been told she will never walk again. The cancer has now spread to her liver and her bones and the doctors have said there is no point in any further treatment. She hasn’t been told how long she has left but I am sure we are talking in weeks rather than months. She turned 70 this year. I am of course heart broken but not surprised. For the record, she was and is severely overweight.
Today the inevitable happened. Our friend lost her battle with cancer. We are naturally devastated. Even though it was expected these things still hit you hard. I so wish things could have been different. She was a wonderful person and faced her fate with unimaginable courage.