Alkaline Diet for Cancer

No single food or food group is known to prevent cancer. Likewise, no single food or food group is known to cause cancer, either. But researchers have confirmed that in addition to providing numerous health benefits, eating a nutritious diet can potentially lower the risk of cancer. Proper nutrition is especially effective as a cancer deterrent when incorporated into a healthful lifestyle that also includes avoiding tobacco products, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Many people are understandably interested in reducing their cancer risk by adopting healthy eating habits, which can be controlled relatively easily. Lately, the alkaline diet has been generating a lot of interest in that regard.

The body’s pH balance and cancer

For proper function, the human body requires a tightly controlled balance of acid and alkaline in the bloodstream. The blood’s normal pH range is 7.35 to 7.45, which is slightly alkaline.

The goal of the alkaline diet is to reduce the level of acidity within the body. This involves consuming foods and beverages that are categorized as alkaline because they have a pH between 7 and 14. Some alkaline-rich foods include:

• Leafy green vegetables
• Cauliflower and broccoli
• Root vegetables
• Citrus and seasonal fruits
• Nuts
• Onions, garlic and ginger

Another example of an alkaline substance is baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). When used as an antacid, baking soda can neutralize the effects of excess stomach acid and relieve heartburn, acid indigestion and sour stomach.

At the other end of the spectrum, acidic foods include:

• Red meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Processed foods
• Foods that contain refined sugar, such as white bread, soda and candy

Do cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment?

Some research studies suggest that tumor cells may thrive in an acidic environment. More specifically, scientists have discovered that oxygen-starved cancer cells become increasingly acidic, which in turn causes them to become dormant. This occurs when acidic conditions in the body shut down the cells’ production of proteins, disrupt their metabolic activity and circadian clocks and force them into dormancy. Because cellular dormancy can lead to both drug resistance and cancer recurrence, it is problematic.

Some researchers believe it may be possible to reverse the dormancy by counteracting the acidity and the resulting effect on the cancer cells. This has led some people to wonder whether baking soda or the alkaline diet—which is high in alkaline foods and low in acidic foods—could help prevent or treat cancer. Based on what is currently known about pH levels and cancer, this is unlikely for two main reasons.

First, the studies performed to date involved cancer cells in a lab and did not account for the complex behavior of tumors in the human body. And second, it would be impossible to consume enough alkaline foods and beverages to significantly alter the pH level of the blood.

The Moffitt Cancer Center difference

Before starting the alkaline diet or any other new eating plan, it is important to speak with a medical professional. Everyone is unique, and the same diet can produce different effects in different people. After evaluating your individual circumstances, a physician or dietitian can determine if a specific diet can help you achieve your health goals. Also, keep in mind that if you have been diagnosed with cancer, your health goals will likely change over the course of your treatment. For instance, a physician or dietitian can help you cope with new food sensitivities you develop after your diagnosis and limit any adverse effects of your diet on your treatment.

If you are interested in learning more about the link between nutrition and cancer, you can talk with an experienced specialist at Moffitt Cancer Center. Our clinical dietitians and other supportive care specialists are available to help our patients at all stages of their cancer journey. Request an appointment by calling 1-888-663-3488 or submitting a new patient registration form online, and we will connect you with an expert as soon as possible.