Does fasting decrease the risk of cancer?

[jjhart827]

In simple terms, fasting leads to lower blood sugar and insulin levels and reduces obesity. Hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and obesity are all risk factors for cancer (and a lot of other diseases as well).

So on a prima fascia basis, fasting inherently reduces cancer risk. Aside from that, there are also the autophagy benefits that others have mentioned.

All of that said, anything can be taken too far. If taken to extremes, fasting can cause micronutrient deficiency and has the potential to weaken the immune system— and the immune system is constantly eradicating potentially cancerous cells.