Keto diet promotes small intestine tumors
Analysis based on 11 articles · First reported Jul 15, 2026 · Last updated Jul 20, 2026
The study may affect consumer perception of ketogenic diets and ketone supplements, potentially impacting companies in the weight loss and supplement industries. However, the findings are preliminary and based on animal models, limiting immediate market disruption.
A study by MIT researchers published in Nature found that a ketogenic diet promotes tumor growth in the small intestine of genetically predisposed mice, while suppressing colon tumors. The effect is driven by fatty acid oxidation and PPAR signaling in stem cells, not by ketone bodies. The findings highlight tissue-specific effects of the diet and caution against generalizing its cancer impact. The research was funded by NIH, Pew-Stewart Trust, American Federation for Aging Research, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, and United States — National Cancer Institute.
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