How Metabolic Health Shapes Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Unlocking the Power of Diet, Mitochondria, and Lifestyle to Fight Cancer at Its Root
Cancer remains one of the most challenging health issues worldwide, with over 1.9 million new cancer cases and more than 600,000 cancer deaths projected in the U.S. alone in 2025 (1). While the billion-dollar cancer industry continues to invest heavily in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation—treatments that primarily target the tumor itself—these conventional approaches overlook a crucial factor: the underlying metabolic environment that allows cancer to thrive in the first place.
According to recent estimates, the global oncology drug market alone is projected to surpass $289 billion by 2030 (2). Yet despite this massive investment, the five-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined remains around 69% in the U.S., and much lower for certain types such as pancreatic or brain cancer (1).These sobering statistics highlight the need to look beyond tumor reduction and toward addressing the metabolic terrain that fuels cancer growth.
Emerging research and clinical experience suggest that cancer is not just a genetic or localized disease, but often has metabolic roots. Insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction all play significant roles in cancer development. By addressing these root causes, we can enhance both cancer prevention and the effectiveness of conventional treatment.
At Denver Sports and Holistic Medicine (DSHM), we offer patients a more comprehensive approach to cancer prevention and support. Here's how optimizing metabolic health can be the missing link in the fight against cancer.
The Metabolic Theory of Cancer: A New Perspective
What Is the Metabolic Theory of Cancer?
The metabolic theory of cancer, first proposed by Dr. Otto Warburg, challenges the notion that cancer is purely genetic. Warburg discovered that cancer cells generate energy differently than healthy cells. Instead of using oxygen in the mitochondria to efficiently produce energy (aerobic respiration), cancer cells rely heavily on sugar fermentation (glycolysis), even when oxygen is present—a phenomenon known as the Warburg Effect (3,4).
How the Warburg Effect Fuels Cancer Growth
This abnormal energy production leads to:
Excessive Glycolysis: Cancer cells are sugar-hungry and use fermentation to meet their energy needs, making them highly dependent on glucose.
Acidic, Anaerobic Environment: Fermentation creates lactic acid, leading to acidity in the tumor microenvironment—a condition in which cancer thrives.
Increased Insulin and IGF-1 Levels: Elevated insulin levels, often from poor diet and lifestyle, promote cell proliferation and inflammation, feeding cancer growth.
High Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: Free radical damage and chronic inflammation further mutate cells and weaken immune surveillance.
Root Causes: How Metabolic Disease Contributes to Cancer
Metabolic disease increases cancer risk by disrupting blood sugar regulation, immune signaling, mitochondrial function, and cellular repair. When metabolic systems are impaired, the body creates an internal environment that promotes abnormal cell growth, inflammation, oxidative damage, and malignant transformation.
Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar Imbalance
Insulin resistance raises cancer risk by keeping insulin and glucose chronically elevated. Insulin acts as a powerful growth signal, while excess glucose fuels cancer cell metabolism and proliferation, accelerating tumor development (5).
Chronic Inflammation’s Role in Cancer Development
Chronic inflammation contributes to cancer by damaging tissues, suppressing immune surveillance, and supporting tumor initiation and progression (6). Common drivers include ultra-processed foods, environmental toxins, persistent infections, gut dysfunction, and unmanaged stress.
Oxidative Stress and Free Radical Damage
Oxidative stress promotes cancer by causing DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and sustained inflammatory signaling (7). When antioxidant defenses are overwhelmed, cells become more vulnerable to mutation and malignant transformation.
Poor Diet and Nutrient Deficiencies
Poor diet increases cancer risk by driving inflammation and metabolic breakdown (8). Deficiencies in key protective nutrients—including magnesium, vitamin D (9), omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants—impair cellular repair, immune regulation, and mitochondrial health (10,11).
Because these metabolic drivers are modifiable, cancer prevention and risk reduction depend on restoring metabolic flexibility, insulin sensitivity, and mitochondrial health.
Zooming In: How Ketogenic Diets and Fasting Can Starve Cancer Cells
Ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting work against cancer by lowering glucose and insulin while shifting the body into a fat- and ketone-based metabolic state. Because many cancer cells are metabolically inflexible, this shift creates a hostile environment for tumor growth while supporting healthy cells (12,13).
Why Ketogenic Diets Work Against Cancer
Cancer cells are heavily dependent on glucose and often struggle to use fat or ketones for fuel. When carbohydrate intake is sharply reduced, the body enters ketosis—a metabolic state in which fat and ketones become the primary energy source.
This shift:
Deprives cancer cells of their preferred fuel source (glucose)
Lowers insulin signaling that promotes tumor growth
Provides ketones that healthy cells can efficiently use
→ Ketosis: What It Is, the Science Behind It, and When It Works Best
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting complements ketogenic strategies by extending periods of low insulin and enhancing metabolic repair processes. Research shows fasting can:
Lower insulin and IGF-1 levels that drive cancer growth (14)
Reduce systemic inflammation
Activate autophagy, the body’s cellular cleanup and recycling system (15)
→ Is Intermittent Fasting Right for You? A Safety-First Guide to Sustainable Weight Loss
Important: Always consult a qualified practitioner before starting ketogenic or fasting protocols—especially during cancer treatment. At Denver Sports & Holistic Medicine, plans are personalized using metabolic labs, treatment history, and individual health goals.
While ketogenic diets and fasting reduce cancer’s fuel supply, long-term cancer prevention depends on restoring the cellular engines responsible for efficient energy production.
Mitochondrial Health: The Cellular Power Shift That Matters
Why Mitochondria Are Key to Cancer Prevention
Mitochondria play a central role in cancer prevention by regulating energy production, apoptosis, and cellular signaling. When mitochondria function properly, cells generate clean, efficient energy (ATP) through oxygen-dependent pathways.
In many cancer cells, mitochondrial machinery is impaired, forcing a metabolic shift toward inefficient glucose fermentation—even in the presence of oxygen. This phenomenon, known as the Warburg Effect, supports rapid tumor growth while bypassing normal cellular control mechanisms (1,16).
How to Support Mitochondrial Health
Supporting mitochondrial health helps prevent this metabolic shift and strengthens cellular resilience. At Denver Sports & Holistic Medicine, metabolic optimization strategies commonly focus on:
Optimizing mitochondrial nutrients such as CoQ10, magnesium, B vitamins, carnitine, and alpha-lipoic acid (17,18)
Improving oxygen utilization through breathwork, ozone therapy, red light therapy, and appropriate movement
Reducing oxidative stress that damages mitochondrial membranes and DNA
Healthy mitochondria create a metabolically flexible, resilient internal terrain that is far less favorable for cancer development.
Once metabolic and mitochondrial drivers are identified, objective lab data becomes essential for uncovering hidden risks and guiding personalized cancer prevention strategies.
What to Test: Key Labs That Reveal Your Metabolic Risk
Essential Lab Tests for Metabolic Health
Targeted lab testing reveals early metabolic dysfunction long before disease appears on standard screening. These markers go beyond a basic checkup and help identify insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired detoxification—key contributors to cancer risk.
Core labs we frequently assess include:
Fasting Insulin – Early indicator of insulin resistance, even when glucose appears normal
Hemoglobin A1c – Reflects average blood sugar control over the past three months
hs-CRP – Sensitive marker of systemic inflammation linked to cancer and cardiovascular disease
Homocysteine – Reflects methylation efficiency and vascular risk
LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase) – Associated with cellular stress and altered cancer metabolism
Vitamin D3 – Essential for immune regulation and cancer prevention
Omega-3 / Omega-6 Ratio – Imbalance toward omega-6 promotes inflammation
Ferritin – Elevated levels may reflect inflammation and oxidative stress
Uric Acid – Linked to metabolic syndrome and inflammatory burden
Triglyceride / HDL Ratio – Strong surrogate marker for insulin resistance
GGT (Gamma-glutamyl transferase) – Marker of oxidative stress and liver detox capacity
Comprehensive Thyroid Panel (TSH, FT3, FT4, rT3, Anti-TPO, Anti-TG) – Thyroid dysfunction can impair metabolism, immunity, and cellular repair
→ Advanced Functional Lab Testing
Advanced Testing Options
For a deeper, systems-level view, advanced functional testing can uncover contributors that routine labs miss. Depending on your history, goals, and risk profile, additional testing may include:
Advanced lipid particle analysis (ApoB, LDL-P) for refined cardiometabolic risk assessment
DUTCH hormone testing to evaluate cortisol patterns, adrenal resilience, and sex hormone balance
Comprehensive stool testing to assess gut dysbiosis, pathogens, inflammation, and immune signaling
Organic Acids Testing (OAT) to evaluate mitochondrial function, nutrient status, and metabolic bottlenecks
Mycotoxin testing to detect mold exposures that suppress immunity and disrupt metabolism
Food sensitivity panels to identify delayed immune reactions driving systemic inflammation
Environmental toxin panels to assess heavy metals, pesticides, and endocrine disruptors burdening detox pathways
These insights allow for highly personalized metabolic and terrain-based protocols aimed at reducing cancer risk and supporting long-term resilience.
→ Integrative Oncology
→ Chronic Illness & Complex Case Care
Once testing reveals where metabolic systems are strained, targeted lifestyle and clinical strategies can be used to restore balance, resilience, and cancer-protective metabolic function.
Supporting Metabolic Health: Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Practical Steps to Optimize Your Terrain
Metabolic health can be improved through targeted, evidence-based interventions that reduce inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and support mitochondrial and immune function. At Denver Sports & Holistic Medicine, prevention and treatment strategies are personalized based on lab findings, clinical history, and individual goals.
Core pillars commonly include:
Low-Glycemic, Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition
Emphasis on whole foods, healthy fats, quality proteins, and fiber-rich vegetables to stabilize blood sugar and reduce inflammatory signaling.Intermittent Fasting or Ketogenic Diets
Used strategically to lower insulin, improve metabolic flexibility, and reduce glucose availability to cancer cells.Targeted Nutritional Supplementation
Personalized protocols to correct deficiencies and support mitochondrial health, immune regulation, and detoxification pathways.Detoxification and Toxic Load Reduction
Identification and reduction of exposures such as pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals that impair metabolic and immune resilience.Stress Management and Sleep Optimization
Nervous system regulation, mindfulness practices, and sleep hygiene to support immune surveillance and lower chronic inflammation.
Beyond metabolism and mitochondria, the gut microbiome plays a central role in regulating inflammation, immunity, and cancer risk.
The Gut–Cancer Connection: Why Your Microbiome Matters
How Gut Health Influences Cancer Risk
Gut health influences cancer risk by shaping immune function, inflammation, metabolic signaling, and detoxification capacity. Approximately 70% of the immune system is housed in the gut, and the microbiome plays a critical role in determining how the body responds to inflammation, toxins, and abnormal cells (19).
When the gut microbiome becomes imbalanced—a state known as dysbiosis—it has been associated with:
Chronic, low-grade inflammation
Impaired blood sugar regulation and metabolic dysfunction
Increased cancer risk, particularly in the colon, breast, and liver
Restoring Gut Balance
Restoring microbial balance supports immune surveillance, metabolic health, and detoxification pathways that protect against cancer development. At Denver Sports & Holistic Medicine, gut health is assessed using advanced stool testing and addressed with personalized protocols that may include:
Targeted probiotics and prebiotics
Herbal antimicrobials when overgrowths are present
Gut-healing nutrients to support intestinal barrier integrity
→ Gut Health & Digestive Restoration
→ Advanced Functional Lab Testing
Because cancer risk is shaped by multiple interconnected systems, effective prevention requires an integrated, personalized functional medicine approach.
Integrating Functional Medicine for Cancer Prevention at DSHM
Our Comprehensive Approach
Functional medicine supports cancer prevention by identifying and addressing each individual’s unique metabolic, inflammatory, immune, and detoxification risk factors. Rather than focusing on a single marker or diagnosis, this approach evaluates how systems interact to influence long-term resilience and disease risk.
At Denver Sports & Holistic Medicine, this integrative framework commonly includes:
Comprehensive Lab Testing
Advanced metabolic, inflammatory, hormonal, gut, and environmental assessments to uncover hidden risk patterns.Personalized Nutrition and Lifestyle Planning
Targeted dietary strategies, metabolic interventions, and lifestyle guidance tailored to lab findings and individual physiology.Gut and Detoxification Support
Restoring microbiome balance and reducing toxic burden to support immune regulation and metabolic efficiency.Metabolic Coaching and Cancer-Adjunctive Care
Ongoing guidance to support metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial health, and terrain optimization—whether for prevention or alongside conventional treatment.
→ Functional & Integrative Medicine
→ Integrative Oncology
Whether the goal is proactive cancer prevention or supportive care during treatment, the focus remains on building a strong metabolic foundation that supports long-term health and resilience.
A New Path for Cancer Prevention and Metabolic Health
Your Path to Cancer Prevention Starts Here
Cancer prevention begins by optimizing the metabolic systems that regulate inflammation, immunity, and cellular repair. At Denver Sports & Holistic Medicine, care is focused on addressing the full terrain—nutrition, metabolic health, gut function, toxin exposure, stress physiology, and lifestyle—so the body becomes less hospitable to cancer development and progression.
Whether your goal is proactive prevention or supportive care alongside conventional treatment, this integrative approach is designed to provide clarity, personalization, and long-term resilience.
→ Functional & Integrative Medicine
→ Integrative Oncology
If you are ready to explore a personalized, systems-based approach to cancer prevention and metabolic health, the next step is a guided conversation.
Request a complimentary consultation with Dr. Martina Sturm to discuss your goals, risk factors, and next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions About How Metabolic Health Shapes Cancer Prevention and Treatment
What is metabolic cancer?
Metabolic cancer refers to the understanding that cancer is primarily a disease of disrupted cellular metabolism rather than solely a genetic disorder. In this model, cancer cells rely heavily on glucose and glutamine for energy due to impaired mitochondrial function, making them metabolically inflexible compared to healthy cells.
How does cancer metabolism differ from normal cell metabolism?
Healthy cells primarily generate energy through mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Cancer cells, by contrast, often depend on aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect), even in the presence of oxygen. This metabolic shift allows rapid growth but creates vulnerabilities that can be therapeutically targeted.
Can cancer be influenced by metabolic interventions?
Yes. Metabolic strategies such as ketogenic nutrition, fasting protocols, insulin reduction, mitochondrial support, and inflammation control may help create an internal environment that is less favorable for cancer growth. These approaches are used as complementary strategies alongside conventional care, not replacements.
Is cancer caused by sugar?
Cancer is not “caused” by sugar, but elevated glucose and insulin levels can fuel cancer growth and signaling pathways. Chronically high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction increase cancer risk and may worsen outcomes.
What is the Warburg effect?
The Warburg effect describes cancer cells’ preference for fermenting glucose into lactate for energy, even when oxygen is available. This inefficient energy process supports rapid growth and survival but reflects underlying mitochondrial dysfunction.
Can fasting or ketogenic diets starve cancer?
Certain cancers appear metabolically dependent on glucose. Fasting and ketogenic strategies can lower glucose and insulin while increasing ketones, which healthy cells can use efficiently but many cancer cells cannot. These strategies must be personalized and medically supervised.
Is metabolic cancer therapy safe during conventional treatment?
When appropriately supervised, metabolic therapies can often be safely integrated with chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy. Timing, nutritional status, body composition, and treatment goals must be carefully considered to avoid unintended stress or weight loss.
Does metabolic health affect cancer prevention?
Yes. Insulin resistance, obesity, chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and poor metabolic flexibility are all associated with increased cancer risk. Optimizing metabolic health is a powerful long-term prevention strategy.
What role do mitochondria play in cancer?
Mitochondria regulate energy production, apoptosis, immune signaling, and oxidative balance. When mitochondrial function is impaired, cells shift toward fermentation-based metabolism, a hallmark of cancerous behavior.
Is metabolic cancer therapy the same for everyone?
No. Cancer type, stage, genetics, metabolic status, hormonal environment, and treatment history all influence the appropriate strategy. A personalized, systems-based approach is essential.
Resources
American Cancer Society – Cancer Facts & Figures 2025
Market Research Report – Global Oncology Cancer Drugs Market Revenue Projected To Surpass $289 Billion By 2030
PMC – The Warburg Effect: How Does It Benefit Cancer Cells?
National Cancer Institute (NCI) – New Clarity on the Warburg Effect
PubMed – Physical Activity, Insulin Resistance, and Cancer: A Systematic Review
PMC – Inflammation and Cancer
PMC – Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Cancer: How Are They Linked?
PMC – Nutrition and Cancer: A Review of the Evidence for an Anti-Cancer Diet
National Cancer Institute (NCI) – Vitamin D and Cancer
National Cancer Institute (NCI) – Risk Factors: Diet
PMC – Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Cancer-Related Complications
PMC – Ketogenic Diets and Cancer: Emerging Evidence
ScienceDirect – Ketogenic Diet as a Treatment and Prevention Strategy for Cancer: A Therapeutic Alternative
ScienceDirect – The Influence of Fasting and Energy-Restricting Diets on IGF-1 Levels in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Institut Pasteur – Intermittent Fasting: Cellular Cleansing to Improve Health?
PubMed – Understanding the Warburg Effect: The Metabolic Requirements of Cell Proliferation
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements – Dietary Supplements for Primary Mitochondrial Disorders: Health Professional Fact Sheet
ScienceDirect – The Role of Coenzyme Q10 as a Preventive and Therapeutic Agent for the Treatment of Cancers
PMC – Gut Microbiota and Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapy