The Ketogenic Diet in Colorectal Cancer: A Means to an End

This review discusses how the ketogenic diet may influence growth and proliferation of colorectal tumor cells. It states that the diet decreases available glucose for tumors and shifts healthy cells to ketone bodies, and that the ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate has been found to possess anti-tumor potential in colorectal cancer. It also notes drawbacks of the diet related to gastrointestinal disorders and weight loss. The review covers recent trials of the diet as an adjunct to chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer, its limitations in these patients, and the promising role of exogenous ketone supplementation.