Cancer Cell Metabolism and Nutritional Strategies
One way cancer cells survive is by altering their energy production, or metabolism. Below, we discuss how cancer cells generate energy and how nutritional strategies can weaken them, supporting better treatment outcomes.
How Do Cancer Cells Generate Energy?
As early as the 1930s, Otto Warburg discovered that cancer cells tend to produce energy through fermentation.[^1] Normal cells typically use mitochondria, the cell’s energy factory, to break down food into glucose, generating large amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Each glucose molecule produces over 30 units of ATP. Cancer cells, however, bypass mitochondria, opting for fermentation, an ancient energy production method. This process requires no oxygen but demands large amounts of sugar. Due to its inefficiency, each glucose molecule generates only about two units of ATP. Thus, normal cells produce over 30 units, while cancer cells produce just two, making them fight harder for sugar.
How Does a PET Scan Reveal Cancer’s Sugar Dependency?
To determine if a cancer relies on sugar, a positron emission tomography (PET) scan can be used. PET scans operate based on the metabolic difference between normal and cancer cells. A radioactive marker attached to sugar is injected into the bloodstream, and cancer cells rapidly absorb it. If a PET scan lights up, it indicates the cancer relies heavily on sugar.[^2]
How Can Nutrition Combat Cancer?
Our patients typically work with nutritionists to create high-nutrition, low-carbohydrate diets to nourish healthy cells while starving cancer cells.[^3] There are many ways to achieve this, but the core idea is to feed healthy cells and starve cancer cells. By reducing sugar and refined carbohydrates, we limit the energy supply to cancer cells, potentially slowing their growth. Simultaneously, these diets provide essential nutrients to support the immune system and overall health. This nutritional strategy is part of the seven-pillar approach, complementing treatments like medications and immunotherapy to maximize effectiveness.
By understanding cancer cells’ metabolic weaknesses and adjusting diets accordingly, we can weaken their survival advantage. This approach not only supports patient health but also enhances their quality of life during treatment.
[^1]: Liberti, M. V., & Locasale, J. W. (2016). The Warburg effect: How does it benefit cancer cells? Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 41(2), 211–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2015.12.001
[^2]: Zhu, A., Lee, D., & Shim, H. (2011). Metabolic positron emission tomography imaging in cancer detection and therapy response. Seminars in Oncology, 38(1), 55–69. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.seminoncol.2010.11.012
[^3]: Weber, D. D., Aminzadeh-Gohari, S., Tulipan, J., Catalano, L., Feichtinger, R. G., & Kofler, B. (2020). Ketogenic diet in the treatment of cancer – Where do we stand? Molecular Metabolism, 33, 102–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2019.06.026
