Oncologist reveals if giving up sugar starves cancer or weakens the patient: Here’s the truth

There is a growing belief that sugar feeds cancer. Because of this, many people think that completely stopping sugar and carbohydrates can starve cancer cells and help defeat the disease. Is that the truth?

Dr Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Director of Oncosciences at CK Birla Hospital, New Delhi, warns about the side effects of this trend. He emphasises that this half-truth is becoming dangerous for many patients, making it harder for patients to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.

“This fact is not entirely unscientific, but it is incomplete. In 1924, the German scientist Otto Warburg found that cancer cells consume more glucose than normal cells. This phenomenon is known as the Warburg Effect. This finding has subsequently been validated in numerous studies. This is also the reason why cancer cells appear clearly in PET-CT scans. They absorb glucose-like substances more aggressively than normal cells,” explains the Robotic Surgical Oncologist, who is also Chief Mentor at the Art of Healing Cancer.

He further explains that this does not mean cancer can be “starved” by reducing sugar in food. Glucose is an essential fuel for the human body. The brain, heart, red blood cells, and immune system all depend on it. If a person completely stops eating carbohydrates, the body starts producing glucose on its own. It breaks down muscles and proteins to make energy. This process is known as gluconeogenesis. This means the cancer cells still receive fuel, but the patient’s body becomes weaker day by day. This condition is described as ‘cancer cachexia‘.

What is cancer cachexia?

In this condition, body weight and muscle mass reduce rapidly. Such patients often cannot tolerate chemotherapy and surgery properly. In some cases, their protein levels and white blood cell counts drop too much. As a result, doctors have to delay treatment, reduce medicine doses, or even stop some treatment cycles.

“The irony is painful,” says Dr Malhotra. In trying to starve cancer, patients sometimes end up weakening their own bodies so much that proper treatment becomes difficult.

Recalling such a case, he said, “In my clinic, I see it almost every week. In one such case, a cancer patient walked in visibly frail. She almost had lost several kilograms over the past month. When I asked about diet, her IT professional son said that she had cut out sugar entirely for the past few months. The reason behind this was the same reel-based knowledge about sugar and cancer cells. His son strictly follows this half-truth. Due to her weakness, we had to push back her treatment for few weeks.”

Healthy diet for cancer patients

Doctors simply suggest patients avoid foods that rapidly increase blood sugar levels. These include refined sugar, sweets, soft drinks, maida, and highly processed foods.

“We advise cancer patients to eat complex carbohydrates, whole grains, pulses, vegetables, healthy fats, and enough protein. The best way is not to cut sugar entirely, but to lower the glycemic load,” says Dr Malhotra.

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Some animal studies have shown the benefits of fasting during cancer treatment. However, there is still not enough evidence in humans.

For patients who are already weak or losing weight rapidly, long fasting can become harmful. He clarifies that cancer cells use more glucose, but starving the body cannot stop cancer.

“If you want to help your body, avoid refined sugar and junk food, but continue eating balanced meals. Sufficient protein and calories are extremely important. Practising long fasting without medical advice is harmful. The goal should be to keep the body stable and strong, not weak,” he adds.