Atkins Diet Misconceptions: Ketogenic diets and Cancer Risk

In this video, which is a reaction to friend and fellow firefighter being treated for cancer and venturing into a vegan video (and being slandered and attacked - http://tinyurl.com/yjhq5wu ), I respond to the theory that consumption of animal products (aka delicious meat, eggs, and cheese) on a ketogenic diet like Atkins leads to a higher cancer risk.

First the detractors and their comments:
http://tinyurl.com/yzeaj6u
"Another Harvard study showed that women with the highest intake of animal fat seem to have over a 75% greater risk of developing breast cancer.[285] "

As one Harvard School of Public health researcher noted, because of the meat content, two years on the Atkins Diet "could initiate a cancer. It could show up as a polyp in 7 years and as colon cancer in ten.

The most comprehensive report on diet and cancer in history was published in 1997. It took over four years to complete, reviewing 4500 studies from thousands of researchers across the globe. After all that work, what was their number one recommendation? "Choose a diet that is predominantly plant based, rich in a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans with minimally processed starchy foods."[491] In other words, essentially the opposite of the Atkins Diet. (Side note: Do they even know what the Atkins Diet is? Do they understand the promoted variety of vegetables and phyto-nutrients featured?)

In the January issue of Scientific American it was noted: "Cancer is most frequent among those branches of the human race where carnivorous habits prevail."

In response to these studies, correlation does not equal causality. What else do these carnivorous, which is just more name calling since we are more omnivorious) also eat or do? Do they eat bread with their meat? Do they talk more on their cell phone? What is their total sugar intake in relation to vegans?

Here are the mentioned studies:
All cancers:
Back in the 1920s, Nobel laureate Otto Warburg discovered this particular metabolism, termed aerobic glycolysis, the glycolytic phenotype, or the Warburg effect.
Perspective Medicine Chemistry 2007
The Role of Glucose Metabolism and Glucose-Associated Signalling in Cancer
http://tinyurl.com/ykc9m2x
However, to prevent cancer-cachexia (wasting away or loss of muscle/appetite), we propose the application of a carbohydrate-restricted nutrition, which includes significant amounts of (n-3) fatty acids as well as selected plant polyphenols. Considering the observations discussed above, this strategy could represent a novel and promising approach for a diet-based intervention against aggressive cancer.

Sugar consumption is positively associated with cancer in humans and test animals (5861). This observation is quite logical because tumours are known to be enormous sugar absorbers. It has also been found that the risk of breast cancer decreases with increases in total fat intake (16).

Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients
http://tinyurl.com/ykmf75s

Pérez-Guisado J. Carbohydrates, glucose metabolism and cancer. Endocrinology Nutrition. 2006;53:252255. http://tinyurl.com/yk37jhv

http://tinyurl.com/ywo9sw
Since early 2007, Dr. Melanie Schmidt and biologist Ulrike Kämmerer, both at the Würzburg hospital, have been enrolling cancer patients in a clinical study of a most unexpected medication: fat. The good news is that the results were positive: the patients stayed alive, their physical condition stabilized or improved and their tumors slowed or stopped growing, or shrunk.

Brain Cancer
The calorically restricted ketogenic diet, an effective alternative therapy for malignant brain cancer. - Nutr Metab (Lond). 2007 February
http://tinyurl.com/yfwrmje

Effects of a ketogenic diet on tumor metabolism and nutritional status in pediatric oncology patients
Journal of the American College of Nutrition, April 1995
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7790697

Drug/diet synergy for managing malignant astrocytoma in mice
Nutrition And Metabolism May 2008
http://tinyurl.com/yjkfs87

Breast Cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8637339
Lancet. 1996 May
Intake of macronutrients and risk of breast cancer.

http://tinyurl.com/yzrd39r
Our findings suggest that the associations between carbohydrate intake or glycemic load and breast cancer risk among young adult women differ by body weight. With obesity, the more carbohydrates the greater the risk of cancer.

Gastro Intestinal Cancer
http://tinyurl.com/yzv53hn
Growth of human gastric cancer cells in nude mice is delayed by a ketogenic diet

Nutrition and colorectal cancer risk: The role of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1.
Rudolf Kaaks
International Agency for Research on Cancer
Conclusions: Chronically high levels of circulating insulin and IGFs associated with a Western lifestyle may increase colorectal cancer risk

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• Atkins Diet
• Low Carb
• Recipe
• Bowulf
• Cancer
• Ketogenic
• Diets
• Risk

[akbar2k7]

Im 16 im doing a cyclic Keto diet. I have seen good results so far Its only 2 more kilos till im officially not obese. I am trying to get decent amount of protein too my parents dont trust protein powders so I have to stick to Tuna and Chicken. Is there any real issues with the ketogenic diet at my age. Will it affect my performance at school and Is it good for maintaining muscle? I used to be on alow fat diet but I binged on carbs to easily so my Fat loss slowed.

[bowulf]

@akbar2k7 If you were younger (pre-puberty), I might suggest not being on a ketogenic diet as it might be difficult to get all the required nutriton for that age. However, if you are happy with the menu choices, you should be fine.

As for athletic performance and mental acuity (both of which I have other videos), they are largely unaffected by a ketogenic diet after the acclimation period 1-2 weeks.

If anything it has been shown to be preservative of lean body mass and muscle tissue.

[jsu888]

See the NYTimes article about seizures and atkins.

[bowulf]

@jsu888 Yep, more and more doctors are seeing the benefits from controlling sugar and all the medical benefits it provides

[drsupaflykt]

The ketogenic diet is being studied to treat and reverse cancer. It reduces free radical release from mitochondria.

[morphidae]

@akbar2k7 If you're taking a vitamin suplement such as 'centrum' or so you should not have any problems. How much have you lost so far? :)

[tickyul]

@MrTruthseeker135 Humans actions more barbric than animals...hehe, that is RICH. You do know that lots of animals catch and START EATING THEIR PREY WHILE IT IS STILL ALIVE, OH THE HORROR. Just try eating chicken, their brains are the size of a piece of gravel, they don't mind getting eaten.

[bowulf]

@Gary1111001 If someone else can achieve health and fitness by following vegan or vegetarian diet -- raw or otherwise, they certainly don't need my blessing to do it, but I'll cheer for their weight loss success. Their success or dietary choice doesn't affect mine. Only when they attempt to restrict or criticize mine or release bad science, do I care what they believe.

Otherwise I just wish them the best and hope they succeed in their goals.

[bowulf]

@Gary1111001 Well when I read "Cream from a machine," I got a chuckle too.

I completely agree with emotion. People do the same thing with Atkins or low carb. They don't want to know the science or the why it works; they just are desperate for a change. It's my goal to help educate those who are curious or following a low carb diet to do it right.

There is certainly enough science behind following a ketogenic diet, and I personally have seen the most improvement in health and fitness that way.

[Gary1111001]

@bowulf No rage here. In fact, you just made me laugh.

As for emotion, people are like that with food, ya know?? Some veg*ns think their diet is un-natural. That's because they dont know the science; they went veg out of emotion.

But my diet choices start and end with health, which is natural and scientific. That's why I'm not just vegan(16 years), I'm also raw and mostly fruigivore.