Health and Me

Ishita Srivastava

Keto Diet Could Increase The Risk Of Liver Cancer, Says New Study

Eating A Keto Diet May Increase Your Risk Of Liver Cancer, New Study Suggests

Following a <span>keto diet</span> may drastically increase your risk of developing <span>liver <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/cancer">cancer</a></span> by 20 years as it can alter cell function, a new US study suggests. 

This celebrity-loved diet involves consuming very low carb and high fat meals to help the body enter a state of ketosis. During this process, the body uses fat for fuel instead of sugar (glucose) which can help lose weight. Additionally, the diet also helps the body to fight against diabetes, <span>cancer</span>, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.

A keto diet often consists of 75 per cent fat, 20 per cent protein and only 5 per cent carbohydrates per meal however, the NHS's balanced diet advisory suggests eating meals with at least 30 per cent fat, 15 per cent protein and over 50 per cent carbohydrates.

However, researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have now found that when the liver is repeatedly exposed to a high-fat diet, its cells change in nature and are more likely to turn cancerous within two decades. 

"If cells are forced to deal with a stressor such as a high fat diet over and over again, they will do things that will help them to survive, but at the risk of increased susceptibility to tumorigenesis [when normal cells mutate and become cancerous]," Professor Alex Shalek, director of the Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences, and study co-author <a href="https://scitechdaily.com/mit-reveals-how-high-fat-diets-quietly-prime-the-liver-for-cancer/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" rel= "noopener nofollow noreferrer" target= "_blank">noted</a>. 

As a result of the discovery, the doctors have now begun to look for ways to reverse liver damage by either returning to a healthier, well-balanced diet or using GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as <span>Ozempic</span>, Wegovy and Mounjaro to restore normal liver cell function. 

<h2>What Did The Study Find?</h2>In this mice study, researchers fed the rodents a high-fat diet and used single-cell RNA-sequencing to analyze liver cells at multiple stages to track disease development, from early inflammation to tissue scarring and, lastly, liver cancer for a year. 

Early on during the experiment, the scientists noticed that liver cells called hepatocytes began activating genes to help them survive which reduced the likelihood of cell death and promoting growth, paving the way for them to become cancerous. 

However, on the other hand, the cells essential for normal liver function such as metabolism and protein secretion began to simultaneously shut down. By the end of the study, nearly all of the mice that were fed a high-fat diet had developed liver cancer.

Constantine Tzouanas, Harvard-MIT graduate and study co-author said of the results, "These cells have already turned on the same genes that they’re going to need to become cancerous. They’ve already shifted away from the mature identity that would otherwise drag down their ability to proliferate. Once a cell picks up the wrong mutation, then it’s really off to the races and they’ve already gotten a head start on some of those hallmarks of cancer."

<strong>READ</strong>: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/nutrition/what-keto-really-does-to-your-body-article-152253029" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">What Keto Really Does To Your Body?</a>

<h2>Can The Same Happen In Humans?</h2>After noting these results in mice, the scientists began to examine liver tissue samples from patients at various stages of liver disease, including individuals who had not yet developed cancer.

Thorough examination showed that over time, cells required for healthy liver function also began to decline and turn cancerous in humans as they did in mice. Using these common gene expression patterns, the researchers were able to conclude that the humans are also at a high risk of developing liver cancer due to a high-fat diet. 

While the cancer developed within a year in the rodents mice, the researchers noted that the same happens over the span of roughly 20 years in humans due to a variety of factors including overall diet, alcohol use and viral infections, all of which can caused other changes to liver cells.

Apart from reversing liver damage through the use of GLP-1 drugs and returning to a nutritionally balanced diet, the experts are also looking to develop drug treatments that will specifically target liver cells.

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Following a keto diet may drastically increase your risk of developing liver cancer by 20 years as it can alter cell function, a new US study suggests. This celebrity-loved diet involves consuming very low carb and high fat meals to help the body enter a state of ketosis. During this process, the body uses fat for fuel instead of sugar (glucose) which can help lose weight. Additionally, the diet also helps the body to fight against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease.A keto diet often consists of 75 per cent fat, 20 per cent protein and only 5 per cent carbohydrates per meal however, the NHS's balanced diet advisory suggests eating meals with at least 30 per cent fat, 15 per cent protein and over 50 per cent carbohydrates.However, researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have now found that when the liver is repeatedly exposed to a high-fat diet, its cells change in nature and are more likely to turn cancerous within two decades. "If cells are forced to deal with a stressor such as a high fat diet over and over again, they will do things that will help them to survive, but at the risk of increased susceptibility to tumorigenesis [when normal cells mutate and become cancerous]," Professor Alex Shalek, director of the Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences, and study co-author noted. As a result of the discovery, the doctors have now begun to look for ways to reverse liver damage by either returning to a healthier, well-balanced diet or using GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro to restore normal liver cell function. What Did The Study Find?In this mice study, researchers fed the rodents a high-fat diet and used single-cell RNA-sequencing to analyze liver cells at multiple stages to track disease development, from early inflammation to tissue scarring and, lastly, liver cancer for a year. Early on during the experiment, the scientists noticed that liver cells called hepatocytes began activating genes to help them survive which reduced the likelihood of cell death and promoting growth, paving the way for them to become cancerous.  However, on the other hand, the cells essential for normal liver function such as metabolism and protein secretion began to simultaneously shut down. By the end of the study, nearly all of the mice that were fed a high-fat diet had developed liver cancer.Constantine Tzouanas, Harvard-MIT graduate and study co-author said of the results, "These cells have already turned on the same genes that they’re going to need to become cancerous. They’ve already shifted away from the mature identity that would otherwise drag down their ability to proliferate. Once a cell picks up the wrong mutation, then it’s really off to the races and they’ve already gotten a head start on some of those hallmarks of cancer."READ: What Keto Really Does To Your Body?Can The Same Happen In Humans?After noting these results in mice, the scientists began to examine liver tissue samples from patients at various stages of liver disease, including individuals who had not yet developed cancer.Thorough examination showed that over time, cells required for healthy liver function also began to decline and turn cancerous in humans as they did in mice. Using these common gene expression patterns, the researchers were able to conclude that the humans are also at a high risk of developing liver cancer due to a high-fat diet. While the cancer developed within a year in the rodents mice, the researchers noted that the same happens over the span of roughly 20 years in humans due to a variety of factors including overall diet, alcohol use and viral infections, all of which can caused other changes to liver cells.Apart from reversing liver damage through the use of GLP-1 drugs and returning to a nutritionally balanced diet, the experts are also looking to develop drug treatments that will specifically target liver cells.