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Journalism of Courage
While each cancer survivor’s journey is individual, actor Sonali Bendre’s advocacy of naturopathy and autophagy as a way to deal with her Stage IV cancer is misplaced. In fact, autophagy has started to become a popular topic in wellness circles, often described as the body’s way of cleaning itself, with claims of almost magical benefits. However, while the science behind autophagy is interesting, it cannot be seen as a quick or even reliable fix, especially when it comes to cancer treatment.
At its most basic, autophagy is the body’s natural way of recycling damaged parts, like old cells and improperly folded proteins. When the body is under stress, such as during fasting, exercise, or when cells are damaged, it turns on this process to keep things running smoothly and help protect healthy cells.
In medical terms, autophagy helps control inflammation, supports the immune system, and keeps cells healthy, which scientists believe is key to avoiding diseases. You can practice autophagy through methods like fasting, calorie restriction, intense exercise, and specific dietary choices.
But things get more complicated when autophagy is linked to cancer. Some wellness trends suggest that increasing autophagy through fasting or strict diets can help stop cancer cells from growing, the logic being that low sugar means you are starving cancer cells. However, studies on the potential impacts on cancer treatment from various forms of fasting or calorie restriction, including the possibility that they reduce side effects, have been limited.
While lab studies show that autophagy can affect how cancer cells behave, the connection isn’t clear-cut. In fact, doctors note that autophagy can both help protect the body and, at the same time, help cancer cells survive, especially when they’re under stress, like during chemotherapy. Tumours might use autophagy to keep growing even in tough conditions. That’s why autophagy can’t be used as a replacement for regular cancer treatments.
Treatments like chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy and radiation have been tested through clinical trials and are proven to work. On the other hand, methods that try to boost autophagy, like fasting or taking certain supplements, don’t have strong human studies showing they are safe or effective as cancer treatments. Relying only on these methods might lead people to put off necessary medical care, which could harm their chances of surviving cancer.
Stimulating autophagy can have risks, especially if you try it without professional guidance. Prolonged fasting or very low calorie intake may lead to issues like dehydration, imbalances in important minerals, feeling lightheaded, low blood pressure, and lacking essential nutrients. For those with conditions like diabetes, heart disease or a weak immune system, these practices might disrupt how the body manages metabolism. For people receiving cancer treatment, extreme fasting can reduce strength, make treatment harder to handle, and cause loss of muscle mass.
Experts suggest viewing autophagy as a way to support overall health rather than as a treatment for diseases. Activities like moderate fasting, eating a balanced diet, staying active and getting enough rest can naturally help cells function well. However, these should go along with, not replace, medical advice. As more people become interested, scientists are still researching how autophagy might be used to prevent or treat illnesses. Until more is known, keeping safety first is important. Any efforts to change autophagy levels should be based on scientific evidence, not just what you see online.
(Dr Agrawal is Director, Clinical Administrator and Program Coordinator, Radiation Oncology,
Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali)
