Intermittent Fasting with a Special Diet for Prostate Cancer and Metabolism
Intermittent Fasting using a Fasting-Mimetic Diet to Improve Prostate Cancer Control and Metabolic Outcomes
This work explores if a special diet that mimics fasting can help men with prostate cancer manage their disease and improve their overall health, especially when undergoing hormone therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144437 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Prostate cancer is very common in men, and while treatments like hormone therapy are effective, they can lead to side effects like increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. These metabolic changes might even make the cancer harder to treat. This project looks at whether a specific eating plan, called a fasting-mimicking diet, can help reduce these side effects and potentially slow cancer progression. The diet involves eating very low-calorie plant-based meals for five days, followed by regular eating for the rest of the month, with guidance for healthy choices. We hope this approach can improve health outcomes for men with prostate cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are men with prostate cancer, especially those undergoing hormone therapy, who may be at risk for or already experiencing metabolic issues like insulin resistance or diabetes.
Not a fit: Patients who are not able to follow a strict dietary regimen or those whose prostate cancer is not linked to metabolic factors may not receive direct benefit from this specific intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a new way for men with prostate cancer to better control their disease and reduce serious side effects from their treatments, improving their quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human studies have shown that this fasting-mimicking diet can positively affect insulin, glucose, and other related markers, and it has also delayed tumor growth in mouse models.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freedland, Stephen Jay — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Freedland, Stephen Jay
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.