Dhru Purohit Show Can We Starve Cancer Cells Using the Ketogenic Diet, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, and Resistance Training?
Oct 27, 2025
Dr. Dominic D'Agostino, an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida, explores revolutionary ideas in cancer treatment through metabolic therapies. He reveals how the ketogenic diet can starve cancer cells by altering energy production. Lowering blood glucose to optimal levels is crucial before hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which can make tumors more susceptible to treatment. Additionally, Dr. D'Agostino emphasizes the importance of exercise and muscle mass in both preventing and combating cancer, offering a refreshing perspective on holistic health.
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Ketosis Creates A Tumor-Hostile Metabolic State
- A ketogenic diet limits glucose and raises ketones, creating a metabolic state that can hinder tumor growth and biosynthesis.
- Ketones also act as signaling molecules with anti-inflammatory and epigenetic protective effects on healthy cells.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction Explains Ketone Resistance
- Many cancer cells have damaged mitochondrial respiration and often cannot effectively use ketone bodies for ATP production.
- This mitochondrial dysfunction helps explain why tumors rely on glycolysis and become vulnerable when glucose is limited.
Lower Blood Glucose Before Oxidative Therapies
- Aim for therapeutic blood glucose near ~65–75 mg/dL using fasting or a clinical ketogenic approach before oxidative treatments.
- Use exogenous ketones and other strategies to rapidly lower glucose and improve the glucose-ketone index when needed.
