Written by Vinjar Fønnebø and the CAM-Cancer Consortium.
Updated December 10, 2010

Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet

Abstract and key points

The lacto-ovo vegetarian diet has not been studied sufficiently with regard to its influence on gastrointestinal cancer. It is therefore not possible to indicate whether the approach is effective or not.

A lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is an often recommended for the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Proponents claim that the therapy can slow down disease development. Several case histories were identified, but no cohort studies or trials. The lacto-ovo vegetarian diet has not been studied sufficiently with regard to its influence on GI cancer.

What is a Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet?

Description of treatment method

In order to slow the progression of a GI cancer, patients are advised to switch to a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet.

Inventor

Unknown. The treatment is well known in the field of complementary and alternative medicine.

Theory

There are a number of theoretical potentials for a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet to influence the development of gastro-intestinal cancer 1. Lacto-ovo vegetarians consume more fibre and antioxidants when compared to meat eaters. They also consume more phytochemicals (special compounds found in plants). Many phytochemicals have a wide range of protective effects in the human body. They help to detoxify carcinogens, stimulate the immune system, regulate cell growth (which helps to fight cancer), and reduce some of the harmful effects of excessive exposure to hormones.

Vegetarians do not eat red meat. Red meat stimulates the production of mutation-causing compounds in the colon and is linked to increased damage to DNA.

Claims by the inventor

It is claimed that switching to a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet will slow the progression of GI cancer.

Treatment

The treatment involves the elimination of all fish, other sea foods, poultry and red meat from the diet. Intake of milk and other dairy products and eggs is permitted.

Providers

Self-treatment.

Prevalence of use

The exact extent of use in GI cancer patients is unknown, but it was reported in 1988 that 11% of Canadian colon cancer patients had used diet as a treatment 2. Some of the diets used implied lacto-ovo vegetarianism.

Legal issues

Non-applicable.

Costs

The cost of adopting a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet will vary between countries. In general, the cost is not much different from the local common diet.

Does it work?

Systemic efficacy

Although there are a number of case histories3-5 especially for patients following a macrobiotic diet, no cohort studies or controlled trials have been performed in this area. There is therefore a lack of evidence 6; 7.

Component efficacy

Not applicable. A lacto-ovo vegetarian diet cannot be dissected into separate components in order to assess separately their efficacy.

Biological mechanism

No scientific studies have been carried out to examine the biological mechanisms involved in the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet as such. There is, however, an abundance of laboratory studies describing proposed beneficial mechanisms of components of a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet on cell cultures, animals, and risk factors in humans.

Is a Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet safe?

Although certain problems can arise with extreme vegetarian diets, such as B12, iron, and protein deficiency, the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet does not involve such risks.8,9

Citation Vinjar Fønnebø, CAM-Cancer Consortium. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet [online document]. http://www.cam-cancer.org/layout/set/print/CAM-Summaries/Dietary-approaches/Lacto-ovo-vegetarian-diet. December 10, 2010.

References

  1. Hubbard RW, Mejia A, Horning M. The potential of diet to alter disease processes. Nutr Res. 1994;14:1853-95.
  2. Tough SC, Johnston DW, Verhoef MJ, Arthur K, Bryant H. Complementary and alternative medicine use among colorectal cancer patients in Alberta, Canada. Altern Ther Health Med 2002;8:54-+.
  3. Carter JP, Saxe GP, Newbold V, Peres CE, Campeau RJ, Bernalgreen L. Hypothesis - Dietary-Management May Improve Survival from Nutritionally Linked Cancers Based on Analysis of Representative Cases. J Am Coll Nutr 1993;12:209-26.
  4. Kushi LH, Cunningham JE, Hebert JR, Lerman RH, Bandera EV, Teas J. The macrobiotic diet in cancer. J Nutr 2001;131:3056S-64S.
  5. Hildenbrand G. Five-year survival rates of melanoma patients treated by diet therapy after the manner of Gerson: a retrospective review. Altern Ther Health Med 1995;4:29-37.
  6. Ernst E, Cassileth BR. How useful are unconventional cancer treatments? Eur J Cancer 1999;35:1608-13.
  7. Ernst E, Cassileth BR. Cancer diets, fads and facts. Cancer Prevent Int. 1996;2:181-7.
  8. Imoberdorf R. Sense and nonsense of cancer diets. Aktuel Ernahrungsmed 2001;26:164-6.
  9. Weitzman S. Alternative nutritional cancer therapies. Int J Canc Suppl 1998:11;69-72.
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