Brain cancer has been long known as the killer disease with very few lucky people actually recovering from it, but it seems that it is payback time for this disease. A new study conducted at Boston College suggests that ketogenic diet can kill brain cancer cells, stop brain tumor growth and restrict the spread of brain cancer. 

Ketogenic diet refers to a food plan that is high in fat content and severely restricts carbohydrate intake. This diet plan has long been used in the treatment and management of epilepsy, however many scientists believe that the virtues of ketogenic diet plan can be used to treat many other human illness. In keeping with this view a group of scientists lead by Laura Shelton investigated the growth and spread of tumor cells in mice suffering from a type of brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme (one of the most invasive forms of human brain cancer) as affected by varying dietary restrictions. They found that the mice put on a low carb and low calorie diet showed significantly reduced tumor growth.

The researchers believe this is because a ketogenic diet or a low carb diet lowers the blood glucose levels and increases the ketone body levels in the body. Though normal brain cells can use ketone bodies (derived from non-carbohydrate sources like fats and protein) for energy, the brain tumor cells depend heavily on glucose as their primary source of energy. As a result the brain tumor/cancer cells cease to thrive, helping the body fight the cancer better.

The researchers suggest these findings indicate to a new approach towards the treatment of brain cancer and brain tumor in humans with dietary restriction being a more natural and less expensive form of therapy. Ketogenic diet might also help increase the efficiency of other traditional brain cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The research has been published in the recent volume of the scientific journal 'ASN NEURO'. 

Hope more such studies are conducted and we soon find a definite cure for brain cancer.  

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