1. Is intermittent fasting recommended if you have cancer?
There is a lack of scientific evidence based on clinical studies to recommend intermittent fasting for the general population and more specifically for cancer patients. Also, it is important to tell the population that it is not safe for any citizen and every cancer patient must consult their oncologist before undergoing it.
2. What are its most notable advantages and disadvantages?
The best known benefits are related to reduction in overweight, obesity and related diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, excess cholesterol and other heart diseases.
In addition, during periods of fasting, markers of cell damage and cancer-related inflammation are reduced.
It is important to remember that the best maneuver in general and the one whose weight control benefits are best known is to follow a healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables and low in processed and hypercaloric foods. Are. The Mediterranean diet has demonstrated its antitumor properties in several studies.
3. Are there cancer patients who should not do intermittent fasting?
The most important thing to know is that based on the scientific evidence, it cannot be recommended for cancer patients looking for an antitumor effect that intermittent fasting has not yet been shown to achieve.
Patients with cachexia from cancer, those who are extremely thin or emaciated, diabetics, or those with liver or kidney disease should not do intermittent fasting. These patients will be at risk of not getting energy from stores during fasting periods.
4. Is there any evidence that can help strengthen the effectiveness of treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and hormone therapy?
It has been speculated about its benefits regarding antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects and cancer treatment, but this has not been demonstrated by any experimental or observational studies.
5. And before cancer, can intermittent fasting help prevent cancer as its advocates claim?
The known effect of intermittent fasting on cancer risk reduction has not been established. This has been attributed to the control of excess weight and the reduction of inflammatory processes. However, this has not been demonstrated through clinical trials or other studies, so it lacks scientific rigor to recommend it in cancer prevention.
At present, there is sufficient evidence to recommend a healthy diet and lifestyle with daily physical exercise, smoking cessation and reduction of alcohol consumption as more effective actions against cancer.
