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Fasting, Immune Health in Myeloma
Does fasting improve immune health in myeloma patients? According to the article below, fasting can promotes NK cells. A type of immune cell that MM patients need but can deplete after high dose chemotherapy.
I’ve posted about fasting many times over the years. Unfortunately, the research wasn’t very specific about what fasting did for MM patients. While the study below talks about cancer patients in general, I thought the specifics about both inflammation and NK cells would be of interest to MM patients.
ChatGPT’s information was challenging-
How does fasting affect the immune system of myeloma patients?
Fasting can have complex and context-dependent effects on the immune system, and this is especially true for individuals with conditions like multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Here’s a breakdown of what is currently understood about how fasting might affect the immune system of myeloma patients:
🔬 General Effects of Fasting on the Immune System
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Short-term fasting (e.g., intermittent fasting or fasting-mimicking diets):
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May reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.
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Can temporarily reduce white blood cell counts, followed by regeneration of immune cells upon refeeding.
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May enhance autophagy (cellular cleanup) and immune cell rejuvenation.
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Long-term or prolonged fasting:
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Can lead to nutritional deficiencies, immunosuppression, and muscle loss, especially if not carefully managed.
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Might impair immune responses if done inappropriately.
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🧬 Fasting and Cancer/Multiple Myeloma Specifically
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In general oncology research, fasting has shown promise in:
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Sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapy (due to their higher nutrient demands).
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Protecting healthy cells (a concept called “differential stress resistance”).
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Supporting the regeneration of immune cells post-treatment.
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In myeloma specifically, there is limited direct clinical research on fasting. However:
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Some preclinical studies suggest that caloric restriction or fasting-mimicking diets may slow tumor growth in hematologic cancers.
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Fasting might enhance the effectiveness of certain therapies, but this is largely experimental and not yet standard care.
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⚠️ Risks for Myeloma Patients
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Immunocompromise: Myeloma patients already have weakened immune systems, and fasting could further suppress immune function if not properly monitored.
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Nutritional needs: Many patients are at risk for malnutrition, and fasting could worsen weight loss, anemia, or fatigue.
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Treatment interactions: Fasting could interact with chemotherapy, steroids, or other medications, especially those affecting metabolism or immune modulation.
✅ Takeaway
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Fasting or fasting-mimicking approaches might offer some benefits in cancer therapy and immune modulation, but in multiple myeloma, it’s still experimental.
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Medical supervision is crucial. Any fasting or dietary intervention should be discussed with an oncologist and a registered dietitian.
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Clinical trials are ongoing to explore how fasting may support therapy or immune function in blood cancers.
The Science Behind Intermittent Fasting (14 Studies) | Nutritional Science Explained
I am a long-term MM survivor. I believe that conventional cancer treatments such as chemo, radiation and surgery, while important, are only a small piece of the MM picture.
- Lifestyle Therapies such as Exercise
- Diet
- Nutritional Supplementation
- Mind-Body Therapies
Are central to managing your incurable blood cancer.
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com with questions about managing your MM- both conventional and non-conventional therapies.
Good luck,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Fasting reshapes tissue-specific niches to improve NK cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity
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