Study: Keto Diet Linked to Small Intestinal Tumors in Mice

Is the keto diet an overhyped trend driven by misinformation or a proven tool for fighting chronic disease?

Published JUL 16

Study: Keto Diet Linked to Small Intestinal Tumors in Mice

Story

Above: Raw Salmon and ingredients for meal preparation. Image credit: David B Townsend/Unsplash

The Facts

A study published in Nature by MIT researchers on Wednesday found that a ketogenic diet increased tumor formation in the small intestine of mice genetically predisposed to intestinal cancer, while simultaneously suppressing tumor development in the colon.
Nature
New York Post
Nature
Researchers determined that the tumor-promoting effect in the small intestine was driven by fatty acid oxidation rather than ketone bodies themselves. The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet which causes the body to use fat-based ketones, rather than glucose, as an energy source.
News Nation
News Medical
Fatty acid oxidation activates a family of proteins called PPARs, which signal stem cells to multiply more rapidly, raising the likelihood that some cells become cancerous. Stem cell proliferation can also aid intestinal repair after illness or injury.
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
Medicalxpress
Mice on a ketogenic diet did not become obese but developed small intestinal tumors at rates similar to or exceeding those of mice on a high-fat, high-calorie diet, according to the MIT research team. Since tumors feed on sugar, ketogenic diets have been studied for their cancer implications.
New York Post
MIT News
Because the diet's effects are driven by fat metabolism rather than ketones, commercial ketone supplements would not be expected to replicate either the cancer risks or benefits identified in the study, the researchers noted.
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
News Medical
Small intestinal tumors have risen in incidence over recent decades, with cases roughly doubling over the past 40 years in the U.S., and carry particular relevance for patients with inherited conditions such as familial adenomatous polyposis.
MIT News
New York Post

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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PRO
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The Spin

Narrative A

The keto diet is riddled with hype that outpaces the actual science. Research shows ketogenic diets are not superior to higher-carb diets for weight loss or metabolic health, and cycling in and out of keto creates a dangerous mix of high saturated fat and carbohydrates. Fewer than 5% of people actually need keto, and misinformation keeps pushing it beyond what evidence supports.

Seattletimes

Narrative B

Thousands of clinical trials back keto diets for reversing type 2 diabetes, cutting cardiovascular risk and sustaining weight loss far better than alternatives. Common fears about saturated fat, kidney damage and cholesterol lack strong scientific backing, with these cancer results being mixed and not related to the mechanism of ketosis itself. Keto is a legitimate, evidence-based tool for tackling chronic disease.

News Medical