Thomas Seyfried Cancer Treatment Protocol: Ketogenic Diet That Starves Cancer - A Comprehensive Guide (2025)
Standard of Care: The Cut and Burn Method and Its Miserable Success Record
“Cancer is the only disease I know where you’re poisoning and irradiating people to make them healthy. It makes absolutely no sense. Why are you subjecting patients to all this toxicity when you don’t have to do it?” asks Seyfried. “You can get the same results by reducing glucose and glutamine, but without the toxicity of chemo and radiation.”
Cancer cells are in nearly every case normal cells that have merely lost their way because they were exposed to the factors we’ve talked about that destroy mitochondrial cellular energy production.
The loss of this cellular energy prevents cells from being able to repair themselves, thereby causing them to go rogue and eventually kill their host. One of their key treatment approaches - chemotherapy – is nothing more than a potent mitochondrial poison.
In recent years, the metabolic approach has emerged as a prominent alternative cancer therapy. Based on molecular biology, it embraces the work of Otto Warburg – or the Warburg effect.
Dr Thomas Seyfried developed very compelling arguments that cancer is a metabolic disease and not a genetic anomaly. According to Seyfried, the root of cancer lies in dysfunctional cellular energy metabolism.
A Better Way: Cutting Off Cancer’s Food Supply
Research has shown that cancer thrives on glucose and glutamine. In fact, cancer cells obtain as much as 95 percent of their energy by breaking down these two fuels through a process called glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. Conversely, one way to starve ravenous cancer cells is to simply deny them their preferred fuel.
The diet that does this quite effectively is the ketogenic diet. It is a diet which severely restricts carbohydrates (particularly refined carbohydrates), while promoting higher levels of healthy fats and adequate protein to bring about a state of ketogenesis. Healthy cells, which can survive on ketone bodies and fatty acids, continue to function normally while tumors may shrink or even disappear.
Science has shown that glioblastoma responds especially well to a ketogenic diet. Seyfried: “No tumor cell can survive in the absence of both glucose and glutamine, especially when ketones are used to support the viability of normal cells.”
The Benefits of Fasting and Calorie Restriction
Seyfried asserts that the fastest way to achieve optimal ketosis is to begin with a 3-5 day water-only fast. And research backs him up. One such study published in Cancer Science (2022) states, “Emerging evidence suggests that fasting could play a key role in cancer treatment by fostering conditions that limit cancer cells’ adaptability, survival, and growth. Fasting could increase the effectiveness of cancer treatments and limit adverse events.”
If such a water-only fast is prohibitive for you, consider intermittent fasting. It’s a method in which you restrict your meals to a certain number of hours per day, with as much as 18 hours between dinner and breakfast the next morning. It’s not as difficult as it may sound, especially if you’re not a breakfast person. Just put off your first meal of the day until, say, noon. Then eat your last meal of the day before 6 pm.
Dr. Eric Berg is also a proponent of the ketogenic diet as well as intermittent fasting. You can learn more about this method of healing and how it turns on cancer suppressive genes and turns off genes that express cancer here:
Dr Thomas Seyfried Press Pulse Therapy and Keto Diet: Adjust Cancer Cell Metabolism to Improve Condition
Thomas N. Seyfried, a well-known scholar in cancer research and a Professor of Biology at Boston College, believes the existing cancer treatment system is “broken.” He said once people understand the metabolic theory of cancer, treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy will be replaced by new treatments.
Based on the theory, Seyfried and his team developed the “press pulse therapy” [9][10][11], which is a cocktail treatment consisting of the ketogenic diet, glutaminase inhibitor medicine, and stress management.
The ketogenic diet is adopted because cancer cells have defective mitochondria and impaired metabolism, so they can only rely on fermented sugars and glutamine for energy. Cancer cells cannot obtain energy as ketone bodies cannot be fermented. As for cells with normal metabolic function, they can obtain energy by metabolizing ketone bodies [12].
The purpose of a ketogenic diet combined with basic drugs is to control the ratio of glucose and ketone bodies in the blood to an ideal range while inhibiting the ability of cancer cells to acquire glutamine. In this way, we can “starve” cancer cells from a metabolic perspective, thereby achieving the same effect as cancer treatments.
An important aspect of “press pulse therapy” is stress control and emotional management. Seyfried emphasized in the interview that people’s mental stress has a direct relationship with the development of cancer. When patients are diagnosed with cancer, they experience extreme panic and cannot rest or eat in peace. Excessive stress can raise blood sugar levels, which can feed cancer cells into rapid growth. As a result, cancer cannot be controlled. Easing the emotional and stress levels of the patient and his or her family can further stabilize the patient’s psychological and physical condition.
There have been many successful cases of cancer control by managing metabolism. Moreover, many patients use this method when traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are ineffective, or when cancer has spread.
A 38-year-old man developed symptoms in February 2016 and was subsequently diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (the most common and malignant form of primary adult brain cancer). After 20 months of ketogenic diet therapy and completion of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the patient’s tumor decreased by approximately 1.5 cm in diameter. He seemed in good health with no apparent clinical or neurological deficits [13].
Another 54-year-old man was diagnosed with lung cancer; the cancer cells had metastasized and tumors were found in his brain. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy had no effect, so the patient opted for a ketogenic diet. Two years later, the tumors in his brain and lungs shrank; after nine years of treatment, the brain and lung cancer tumors remained stable in size [14].
A 45-year-old woman in Ohio was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2016. In August 2018, the cancer had spread and she developed tumors in her brain, lungs, mediastinum, liver, abdomen, and bones. Her doctor expected her to have less than a month to live. The patient began receiving stress pulse therapy in November 2018. In April 2019, the scan report indicated that the treatment was effective. According to the published study, her last check-up was in March 2021 and the results showed a stable condition, no recurrence, and improved quality of life [15].
In a study published in the Clinical Nutrition journal, 80 patients with locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer were randomly assigned to a ketogenic diet or a control group for a 12-week treatment test. Patients in the ketogenic diet group had lower serum insulin levels, and their tumors shrank [16].
Two papers published in Nature: Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Disease describe the therapeutic benefits of a low-carb diet and a fasting-mimicking diet for patients with prostate cancer [Chi 2022][Watt 2022]. A ketogenic diet, which requires fasting and has low carbohydrates, can lower blood sugar levels and control tumor growth. These findings support the hypothesis that elevated ketone bodies are associated with reduced tumor growth [19].
Safety Note: A strict ketogenic diet might cause liver failure due to the omega-6 fats in the diet. It's crucial to make sure the fats you eat are actually healthy. For details, check out "How Linoleic Acid Wrecks Your Health".
Could the Metabolic Approach to Treating Cancer Be Wrong?
While the ketogenic diet has been shown to help with weight loss, which can be good for your health, doing it long-term may put your health at risk. In the review, the researchers cited a study wherein two sets of obese people were given either a balanced diet or a keto diet. Results showed "no significant difference in body mass index (BM) between them. Moreover, the ketogenic diet led to a significant loss in lean muscle mass."
Today, I agree with everything in his theory up until he claims a ketogenic or low carb diet is the answer to treating and preventing cancer.
For years, I followed the experts like Seyfried and adopted these recommendations of engaging in a low carb diet to optimize my biology.
During this time, I wrote the best-selling book “Fat for Fuel” and strongly endorsed a low carb keto diet along with fasting. I fully embraced the concept that carbs needed to be avoided like the plague and I consumed less than 100 grams of carbs a day – and frequently under 50 grams.
Things did not go well for me, but this was before I discovered Dr. Ray Peat’s bioenergetic approach. That’s when I began to understand the serious metabolic dangers of low carb diets...
Largely through studying the work of Dr. Peat’s bioenergetic model of health, I have come to realize that not only cancer, but virtually every disease is a result of impaired mitochondrial function and an inability to create enough cellular energy.
I had previously interviewed many of my peers and influential figures in the low carb space who advocated and promoted the idea that a low-carb, high-fat diet could effectively treat conditions like obesity and diabetes.
However, I began to observe a common issue among these individuals. Many of them suffered from high fasting glucose levels and alarmingly low testosterone levels.
When I started to shift my recommendations from low carb to including at least 200 grams of carbs a day – based on Dr. Peat’s teachings – many of these individuals expressed violent opposition to my new position.
I sought to dialog with them but I found them to be too entrenched in their belief in these restrictive diets to discuss the evidence with me. All these low carb leaders believed like I did previously that we have no minimum daily requirement for carbs because our body can create the carbs we need.
While this may be partly true, it is a serious misinterpretation of the facts.
We discuss this topic in depth – and much more – in Your Guide to Cellular Health: Unlocking the Science of Longevity and Joy to help you understand why I believe following a low-carb diet is a prescription for metabolic disaster.
Worse, it could even cause you to die prematurely, as this type of ultra-restrictive diet can hinder your body’s ability to create the cellular energy it needs for optimal health.
Refined carbohydrates or sugars, which are also sometimes referred to as free sugars, include those that are added to ultra-processed foods and drinks. High-fructose corn syrup is an example of a refined sugar. These sugars are linked to health problems such as dental decay and heart disease, as well as cancer.
Intrinsic sugars, also known as naturally occurring sugars, are those found within the cellular structure of foods, including whole fruits and vegetables. These sugars are part of the food's natural composition, not added during processing, and come with the beneficial nutrients and fiber found in whole foods, which can slow down sugar absorption and mitigate its impact on blood sugar levels.
One of the primary differences between these two types of sugars is that refined sugars, as well as many starches, are a common cause of endotoxin production in your gut, which destroys mitochondrial function and results in cancer metabolism.
The fructose present in whole foods does not typically result in the production of endotoxin. This is one of the primary differences between refined sugar and fructose from ripe fruit and helps explain why refined sugars fuel cancer. However, adding healthy carbs to your diet can be beneficial.
The key to remember is that optimal health is an ongoing journey and you must listen to your body to determine the best macronutrient ratio for you. You’ll also get a dramatically different outcome if your macronutrients come from highly processed fake foods — like processed foods high in Linoleic Acid (Omega-6) — compared to those from healthy whole foods.
To Fast vs Not to Fast Dilemma
Dr Joseph Mercola used to intermittently fast and eat a ketogenic diet until he discovered the work of the late Ray Peat, which convinced him the high-fat/low-carb science had it all backward. When you don't have enough glucose to fuel the mitochondria, when you deplete your glycogen level, then stress hormones — adrenaline and cortisol — are released to trigger endogenous production of glycogen.Those stress hormones are pathologic, and if they’re continuously released at high levels to compensate for insufficient glucose, it will accelerate disease and premature death. There's no question in my mind that these stress hormones are bad news. Cortisol, for example, drains the amino acids, the protein, from your tissues, thereby decreasing bone density and muscle mass, which is bad news.
So, to rephrase, a key part of the answer to this to-fast-or-not-to-fast dilemma is that your liver stores glycogen, and if you have sufficient glycogen stores, you can easily intermittently fast for 16 hours and not activate your stress response hormones like glucagon, cortisol and adrenaline.
If you go for a lot longer, certainly after two or three days, then your glycogen stores will be completely depleted and your stress hormones will be activated, because that’s the only route left to remain alive. The stress hormones will prevent your glucose level from dropping too low, as that could cause you to go into a coma and eventually die.
The problem is that 30% of adults in the U.S. have non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which impairs your body's ability to produce glucose through gluconeogenesis. You also can’t store as much. If your liver function is impaired, you will not be able to store as much glycogen in your liver. Then you have to be more careful about not letting your glucose level drop for too long, because then the stress response will kick in as there is less reserve glucose in your liver.
Carbs Made Simple: A Color-Coded System to Guide Your Gut Health Journey
Instead, it suggests that the relationship between your gut health and carbohydrate metabolism could be key to unlocking improved overall wellness. It's not about following a one-size-fits-all diet, but rather about understanding how your unique gut biology interacts with different types of carbohydrates.
Surprisingly, for many people, this approach favors simple carbs over complex ones. This is because they usually have less-than-optimal gut health. If you have a compromised gut system and you consume complex carbs, the fiber and prebiotics in these carbs can feed oxygen-tolerant gut bacteria and worsen your symptoms.
The following chart breaks down several types of carbohydrate sources and how they fit into this plan. We can categorize them into three groups: green, yellow and red.
In the green category are the most easily digestible simple carbs that provide quick energy without overtaxing your compromised digestive system. You will focus on these carbs initially, because simple carbs provide a quick energy boost for your cells and mitochondria. It's like giving your body's energy factories an immediate fuel injection, while allowing your gut to rest and heal at the same time.
Next is the yellow category, which includes carbs that offer more nutrients and fiber compared to the green category, yet are still relatively easy on the digestive system. Finally the red category, the most complex carbs, offers many health benefits but can be challenging for a compromised gut to handle.
So how can you begin implementing this approach? If you have severely compromised gut health, start with pure sugar water. This is a temporary measure to jumpstart the healing process. Mix one-half pound, up to a full pound, of pure dextrose (glucose) into a half gallon of water and sip it slowly all day. Don't drink more than an ounce at a time to avoid spiking your insulin.
Once your gut health has improved, you can switch your primary carb source to whole foods. More than likely, you'll also need to eat more frequently than you're used to during this transition to avoid hypoglycemia. Eating every three to four hours, with snacks throughout the day, is crucial when relying on simple carbs for energy.
As your mitochondrial energy production continues to improve and your gut starts to heal, you will begin the transition back to complex carbs. This is a slow and steady process — don't rush it.
Once you're able to include more complex carbohydrates in your diet, you'll start to notice significant benefits. You'll be able to extend the time between meals to between four and six hours, and many people find they can comfortably switch to a three-meals-a-day approach. This is because complex carbs digest more slowly, providing a steady stream of energy.
Key Takeaways
As for how an average person can maintain a healthy metabolism and prevent cancer, Thomas Seyfried said that by keeping the mitochondria in cells healthy, people are less likely to get cancer. He said this can be achieved through a certain period of fasting (drinking only water), a low-carb diet, and exercise.He also emphasized that high carbs and unnutritious foods such as junk food can cause cancer, and advised to stay away from such foods. It’s not just cancer, diseases like Alzheimer’s, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity, among others are all related to the Western diet.
“As soon as the Western diet comes into the population, you get cancer … and diabetes and things like this.” He also joked, “The bottom line is don’t eat anything and you’ll get very healthy. Just drink water.”
Their findings suggest that people should pursue a balanced diet rather than heavily restricting their carbohydrate or fat intake.
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