How Fasting May Reshape Metabolism and Activate Immune Defenses Against Cancer
How Diet Can Strengthen Immune Cell Function
To support their rapid growth, cancer cells consume a large amount of glucose and generate energy through anaerobic respiration, but they also rely on nutrients such as fatty acids and amino acids. Therefore, Liao suggested that adjusting the diet to influence metabolism could be a feasible strategy. Even though it might not be able to completely block cancer cells from obtaining sugar, fatty acids, and proteins—because these are also nutrients required by normal cells—modifying the proportion, content, and timing of the diet can help the body activate its own defense mechanism.
During dietary adjustments that limit energy supply, normal cells have the ability to undergo cellular breakdown or autophagy—a process that allows cells to clean out waste and repair themselves. These are especially beneficial attributes for enhancing immune cell function. In contrast, cancer cells are more susceptible to damage because of problems with their mitochondria—the parts of cells that produce energy—and they cannot adapt easily to metabolic stress, making them more likely to be eliminated during chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy.
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