Fasting Mimicking Diet Improves Immune Function in Cancer Patients a new Study Shows

[dj02]

Hi Everyone. Since Professor Valter Longo showed improvements in mice with human CLL using his fasting mimicking diet during other standard therapies, I have been following this science and practicing it. Here is more evolving science of its effects on the immune systems in humans with cancer. The evidence was strong enough for researchers to proceed with a stage II trial in breast cancer. I would like to emphasize this evidence falls well short of what we need to widely recommend it for us but definitely worth a read and the choice is of course yours. Here's the study

aacr.org/about-the-aacr/new...

[seelel]

I am pleased to read of the circulating CD8+ T cells when fasting. I have done water only fasts on numerous occasions over the past 50 years, so my body is reasonably adapted to the protocol. I have never tried the fasting mimicking diet as it was originally developed for those who struggle with full fasting.

Since being diagnosed with CLL nearly 16 years ago, I have experimented with fasting on 3 occasions prior to my 6 monthly blood test to see whether there might be a reduction in circulating lymphocytes. (7 day fast). Every time there has been a reduction of 25% to 30% in my lymphocyte count. Fairly significant. 6 months later at my next blood test however, the count will have returned to my normal of about 40.0. What I don't know is whether CLL cells don't function very well on ketones and die off, or they simply retire to the protective environment of the lymphatic system. My ALC has plateaued and remained at about 40 for the past 7 years.

None of this proves anything except to me. Fasting has been a powerful protocol to rid myself of a cold or flu when they sometimes show up. ( I don't have the flu jab). So I feel comfortable that fasting can be used as a tool for managing lymphocyte numbers. I am IgVH mutated with a normal karyotype and in general good health otherwise. No co-morbidities. All these factors may be of significance.

I am pleased to see there is a fair deal of medical research going into fasting in recent years. It used to be considered 'alternative' and wacky, but there are some fasting clinics in the world today that have had their research published in respectable medical journals.

Fasting isn't for everyone, and that's why the fasting mimicking diet was developed. But if anyone want's to try water only fasting, I suggest studying it very well if doing it alone. And best to have a medically supervised fast by a specialised doctor. (Your average doctor doesn't know anything about fasting).

[onu1tadi2 in reply to seelel]

Having the plants during this five day diet probably keeps body in some sort of adequate survival mode so that the immune system does not waste its efforts in the wrong direction. Of course I am just guessing. I notice that I get symptoms on Calquence when I leave too long an interval between meals. When I eat they go away. I wonder if this fasting mimicking diet or simply water diet interferes in some way with Calquence (acalabrutinib).

[LeoPa in reply to onu1tadi2]

There are competing theories regarding this. One says that only a water fast can put the body into survival mode, opening up the taps of stored energy from our subcutaneous fat reserves. Eating any carbs or protein will lead to insulin release which will shut down the release of energy from store body fat. Insulin is a storage hormone. As long as we continue eating even small amounts of food, the body will think that famine is approaching, it will drastically reduce the energy expenditure and will try to shuffle away as much energy as possible from even that reduced amount of food into our fat cells to get ready for the day when there is no more food available. When this happens the person will be cold, lethargic and sit around all day feeling like doing nothing. On the other hand in case of a full water fast the body will realize that the famine is finally here. Now is the time to open the taps of stored energy in order to go hunting to secure food or else death by starvation is on the horizon. Exactly for this reason after around a day or two of a full water fast one's energy levels rise markedly. Of course a bit of hunger remains , but the lethargy is over. This is of course a simplified version of what's happening inside the body and directed at the lay person. But it makes intuitive evolutionary sense. Why it is like this can be explained on the cellular level too. My favorite book of late explains it well.

[81ue]

One meal a day and no snacks is the only way I can fast on venetoclax due to food is required with the dose to help absorb the medicine.

[LeoPa in reply to 81ue]

Do you know which part of the meal is required to help absorb the medicine? The reason I'm asking is because if it is the fat then I can imagine myself eating pure fat only. That would be very similar to a full water fast during which the body Burns body fat. It doesn't matter where the fat comes from. From the meal or from our own subcutaneous fat reserves.

[81ue in reply to LeoPa]

I don't know that. What I do know is if I eat fatty food with venclexta then I'm less likely to get nausea. If I eat high carb low fat, then I feel sick within the hour of the medication, so for me I make sure to add butter or cheese if the meal looks too lean

[SofiaDeo in reply to 81ue]

Since fats give more complete absorption of Venclexta, that means less drug is not absorbed, sitting in the stomach/intestines to irritate or cause nausea/vomiting. So I would recommend always eating a fatty meal if possible, and consider decreasing total daily dose down from 400mg if one is experiencing excessively decreased cell counts like neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or anemia. And eating a similar "type" of meal consistently, to avoid nausea/vomiting from inadvertently eating low or no fat foods with the drug.

[LeoPa in reply to SofiaDeo]

Then a few ounces of butter with the pill would do it and the patient would still remain in fasting mode. Good to know.

[onu1tadi2]

Thank you for posting this interesting study.

[LeoPa]

Cool article thanks. Just what I needed to boost my resolve to do another 5-day course of fmd 😄. The last time I did it I had a small piece of fatty meat when I felt a little hungry. The interesting thing is that it happened only about twice a day and even then the hunger was very mild. Nothing like the hunger one feels after a sugar crash. Mental preparation is the most important part. To focus on the next full meal which is 5 days away. And to consider the small bites till that time comes as a must-have nuisance.

[Splash24]

I have been doing the FMD for over 3 years, it had a very positive impact for me.