Major Problem with the Gerson Method: too much sugar, too little sodium
After having read Gerson's landmark book, Fifty Cases, here’s my quick take on the Gerson Method: (Please don’t quote me on any of this.)
I agree with most if not all of Dr. Gerson’s suppositions concerning the root causes of cancer, as well as the overall aim of his treatment (which is largely aimed at restoring the body’s ability to produce a healthy inflammatory response and restoring the function of the oxidative systems) but I do not agree with many of the methods he employed for accomplishing his aim.
In addition to employing a program of detoxification (which he believed was necessary to enable the body to produce a health inflammatory response) the mainstay of his program focused on remineralization, particularly supplying large amounts of potassium and avoiding of all forms of sodium (even natural forms, such as might be found in cucumbers). The potassium-sodium balance is one of the key balances in the body; the ideal balance, for intracellular fluid, is somewhere around 16: 1, potassium to sodium. In cancer patients it is usually the case that sodium levels in the cell are way too high and potassium levels way too low, thus impacting the sodium-potassium pumps and hampering the ability of the cell to maintain a high electrical charge. Gerson postulated that this imbalance could be corrected by providing tons of potassium (in many different forms, including fruit and vegetable juices and potassium supplements) and cutting out all forms of sodium. Sounds good―well, only if the body were an inert test tube. The problem here, as I see it, is that Gerson never really addresses the root cause of this imbalance: Why is the intracellular fluid of cancer patients logged with sodium? Is it just from eating too much sodium (and too little potassium) or is something in the cell attracting or pulling in that sodium more preferentially than potassium? If the later is the case, which I suspect it is, then radically shifting the diet toward potassium, and away from sodium, is not addressing the root problem but only dealing with the symptoms.
“According to Dr. Gerson’s research, the beginning of all chronic disease is the loss of Potassium (K) from the cells and the invasion of Sodium (Na) into the cells―and with it water. This causes edema and the resulting malfunctions―loss of electrical potential in the cells, improper enzyme formation, reduced cell oxidation, etc. “ (p. 393)
But what is the root cause?
Why is the cell bringing in all this sodium?
My guess is that, to a large extent, it’s due to too much glucose in the cell. In response to this excess glucose, the cell pulls in sodium (which then pulls in water) in an attempt to flush out the excess glucose. Perhaps there is another mechanism at work as to why the cell is becoming sodium-logged. If the root cause it not addressed, or if it is somehow related to an excess of glucose, then the Gerson program takes the patient one step forward and two steps backwards: it is lowin sodium but excessive on glucose and fructose. Raising potassium and eliminating sodium is not the answer then; the answer is to lower intracellular glucose levels, which cannot be done when a patient drinks 13 cups of fruit and vegetable juice per day. Blood-sugar levels are further imbalanced when employing Gerson’s dietary approach, which states that fresh fruit, “in large quantities,” including those fruits high in fructose and glucose, “should be used.” Such fruits allowed in the Gerson program include apples, bananas, cherries, grapes, mangoes, melons, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, tangerines, etc. Other high-sugar foods include potatoes, oatmeal, bread, flour, brown rice, corn starch, bread crumbs, raw sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.
Iron Stomach
The sheer quantity of intake of vegetables required by someone diligently following the Gerson program is rather staggering. On page 143 of Fifty Cases, it says:
"Here is a record of the average quantity of intake of some patients in the course of one year; a very great part of which is converted into juices.
1800 pounds of carrots
1300 pounds of apples
35-450 pounds of calf’s liver (juice)
145 heads of red cabbage
400 heads of lettuce
125 pounds of green peppers, etc., etc."
A major problem with this program, besides the high amounts of fructose and glucose is the large expense, both in terms of time and money. To diligently carry out this program you do not have time for a life; your every waking hour must be devoted to your food and juice intake, which would include, buying and preparing vegetables, juicing, drinking the juice, cleaning the juice equipment, etc.
Niacin
Besides the excess amounts of fructose and glucose the Gerson program employs large doses of niacin (50mg. six times per day). His rational, as stated, is: “niacin helps bring back sufficient glycogen into the liver cells. It helps, furthermore, in the protein metabolism and acts to open the small arteries and capillaries. It also raises the electrical potentials in the cells.” However, some health experts, including Paul Jaminet, advise against niacin, feeling that it puts too much strain on the liver. Many of the benefits of niacin can be accomplished by the use of coconut oil. Bottom line: more coconut oil and less niacin.
Another possible way to reduce sodium, if that is your intention
The Gerson program attempts to reduce intracellular sodium by the wholesale elimination of all forms of sodium and the loading up of potassium. However, if the reduction of cellular sodium is your aim, an alternative approach may be to get really hot, or spend some time in a far-infrared sauna (about three times a week). And how does this reduce sodium, apart from sweating it out? Well, according to Dr. Kervan the body can transmute sodium into potassium! And it does this when the body is very hot or overheating. The transmutation of sodium to potassium creates an endothermic reaction, which absorbs heat, prevents the body from overheating.
Lots of Good Stuff
Dr. Gerson’s program employs lots of beneficial supplements, most of which should be included in any comprehensive cancer program. Supplements recommended by Gerson include, iodine (Lugol’s solution), flaxseed oil, pancreatic enzymes, green drinks, thyroid extract, probiotics and pepsin, royal jelly, and potassium compounds (especially potassium citrate). All of these are beneficial. Also, Gerson’s emphasis on restoration of the liver is especially important and the intake of raw liver juice may be helpful in some cases, especially in cases of sever weakness. Dr. Kelley used to recommend this as well.
I am not sure why Dr. Gerson forbids berries: his only indication is, “their aromatic acids cause unfavorable reactions.” I do not know what those reactions are, perhaps they are some kind of allergic reaction or something that inhibits a healthy inflammatory response. He also shuns all fats and oils (apart from allowing a tablespoon of flaxseed oil at lunch and dinner). Perhaps this is to relieve some strain on the liver.
An Iron Analogy
The Gerson approach, which aims at supplying large amounts of potassium to overcome a sodium-potassium imbalance, can be likened to the iron approach, which aims to supply the body with large amounts of iron to remedy an iron deficiency, which is common in cancer patients. The thinking is that cancer somehow causes iron deficiency and thereby by supplying more iron the body will . . . ? But the facts point to the exact opposite: that a decrease in iron is the body’s response to cancer, the way that the immune system fights cancer. So, by supplying more iron, when the intelligence of the body is intentionally lowering the iron levels, goes against nature and may be harmful. The same may be true with Gerson’s overall aim: if the cell pulls in more sodium (to bring in more water) in an attempt to reduce high levels of glucose, then, if you remove the sodium (and the water intake) it only prevents the cell from correcting this critical situation. The primary intention, then, should not be to reduce sodium (by restricting its intake) but to reduce glucose and sodium at the same time by reducing the intake of glucose.
Some tidbits on iron, from Ray Peat:
“In the 1960s the World Health Organization found that when iron supplements were given to anemic people in Africa, there was a great increase in the death rate from infectious diseases, especially malaria. Around the same time, research began to show that the regulation of iron is a central function of the immune system, and that this seems to have evolved because iron is a basic requirement for the survival and growth of cells of all types, including bacteria, parasites, and cancer.
“During aging, our tissues tend to store an excess of iron. There is a remarkably close association between the amount of iron stored in our tissues and the risk of death from cancer, heart disease, or from all causes.
“An excess of iron, by destroying vitamin E and oxidizing the unsaturated fats in red blood cells, can contribute to hemolytic anemia, in which red cells are so fragile that they break down too fast.
“In one of Hans Selye’s pioneering studies, he found that he could experimentally produce a form of scleroderma (hardening of the skin) in animals by administering large doses of iron, followed by a minor stress. (Perhaps the reduction of iron softens the tissue surrounding the tumor mass thus allowing deeper penetration by the immune system.)
In Sum
In sum, Dr. Gerson’s writing and theories should be studied with care as there is much to be gained from his research and many of his recommendations. Many cancer pioneers, including Dr. William Kelley, employed many of Gerson’s insights in his own program. However, as to most of his dietary recommendations―which includes the intake of massive amounts of fruit and vegetable juices, as well as a total shunning of all forms of sodium, even naturally-occuring forms―well, all of that should be taken with a grain of salt.
>> Back to Cancer Page
After having read Gerson's landmark book, Fifty Cases, here’s my quick take on the Gerson Method: (Please don’t quote me on any of this.)
I agree with most if not all of Dr. Gerson’s suppositions concerning the root causes of cancer, as well as the overall aim of his treatment (which is largely aimed at restoring the body’s ability to produce a healthy inflammatory response and restoring the function of the oxidative systems) but I do not agree with many of the methods he employed for accomplishing his aim.
In addition to employing a program of detoxification (which he believed was necessary to enable the body to produce a health inflammatory response) the mainstay of his program focused on remineralization, particularly supplying large amounts of potassium and avoiding of all forms of sodium (even natural forms, such as might be found in cucumbers). The potassium-sodium balance is one of the key balances in the body; the ideal balance, for intracellular fluid, is somewhere around 16: 1, potassium to sodium. In cancer patients it is usually the case that sodium levels in the cell are way too high and potassium levels way too low, thus impacting the sodium-potassium pumps and hampering the ability of the cell to maintain a high electrical charge. Gerson postulated that this imbalance could be corrected by providing tons of potassium (in many different forms, including fruit and vegetable juices and potassium supplements) and cutting out all forms of sodium. Sounds good―well, only if the body were an inert test tube. The problem here, as I see it, is that Gerson never really addresses the root cause of this imbalance: Why is the intracellular fluid of cancer patients logged with sodium? Is it just from eating too much sodium (and too little potassium) or is something in the cell attracting or pulling in that sodium more preferentially than potassium? If the later is the case, which I suspect it is, then radically shifting the diet toward potassium, and away from sodium, is not addressing the root problem but only dealing with the symptoms.
“According to Dr. Gerson’s research, the beginning of all chronic disease is the loss of Potassium (K) from the cells and the invasion of Sodium (Na) into the cells―and with it water. This causes edema and the resulting malfunctions―loss of electrical potential in the cells, improper enzyme formation, reduced cell oxidation, etc. “ (p. 393)
But what is the root cause?
Why is the cell bringing in all this sodium?
My guess is that, to a large extent, it’s due to too much glucose in the cell. In response to this excess glucose, the cell pulls in sodium (which then pulls in water) in an attempt to flush out the excess glucose. Perhaps there is another mechanism at work as to why the cell is becoming sodium-logged. If the root cause it not addressed, or if it is somehow related to an excess of glucose, then the Gerson program takes the patient one step forward and two steps backwards: it is lowin sodium but excessive on glucose and fructose. Raising potassium and eliminating sodium is not the answer then; the answer is to lower intracellular glucose levels, which cannot be done when a patient drinks 13 cups of fruit and vegetable juice per day. Blood-sugar levels are further imbalanced when employing Gerson’s dietary approach, which states that fresh fruit, “in large quantities,” including those fruits high in fructose and glucose, “should be used.” Such fruits allowed in the Gerson program include apples, bananas, cherries, grapes, mangoes, melons, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, tangerines, etc. Other high-sugar foods include potatoes, oatmeal, bread, flour, brown rice, corn starch, bread crumbs, raw sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.
Iron Stomach
The sheer quantity of intake of vegetables required by someone diligently following the Gerson program is rather staggering. On page 143 of Fifty Cases, it says:
"Here is a record of the average quantity of intake of some patients in the course of one year; a very great part of which is converted into juices.
1800 pounds of carrots
1300 pounds of apples
35-450 pounds of calf’s liver (juice)
145 heads of red cabbage
400 heads of lettuce
125 pounds of green peppers, etc., etc."
A major problem with this program, besides the high amounts of fructose and glucose is the large expense, both in terms of time and money. To diligently carry out this program you do not have time for a life; your every waking hour must be devoted to your food and juice intake, which would include, buying and preparing vegetables, juicing, drinking the juice, cleaning the juice equipment, etc.
Niacin
Besides the excess amounts of fructose and glucose the Gerson program employs large doses of niacin (50mg. six times per day). His rational, as stated, is: “niacin helps bring back sufficient glycogen into the liver cells. It helps, furthermore, in the protein metabolism and acts to open the small arteries and capillaries. It also raises the electrical potentials in the cells.” However, some health experts, including Paul Jaminet, advise against niacin, feeling that it puts too much strain on the liver. Many of the benefits of niacin can be accomplished by the use of coconut oil. Bottom line: more coconut oil and less niacin.
Another possible way to reduce sodium, if that is your intention
The Gerson program attempts to reduce intracellular sodium by the wholesale elimination of all forms of sodium and the loading up of potassium. However, if the reduction of cellular sodium is your aim, an alternative approach may be to get really hot, or spend some time in a far-infrared sauna (about three times a week). And how does this reduce sodium, apart from sweating it out? Well, according to Dr. Kervan the body can transmute sodium into potassium! And it does this when the body is very hot or overheating. The transmutation of sodium to potassium creates an endothermic reaction, which absorbs heat, prevents the body from overheating.
Lots of Good Stuff
Dr. Gerson’s program employs lots of beneficial supplements, most of which should be included in any comprehensive cancer program. Supplements recommended by Gerson include, iodine (Lugol’s solution), flaxseed oil, pancreatic enzymes, green drinks, thyroid extract, probiotics and pepsin, royal jelly, and potassium compounds (especially potassium citrate). All of these are beneficial. Also, Gerson’s emphasis on restoration of the liver is especially important and the intake of raw liver juice may be helpful in some cases, especially in cases of sever weakness. Dr. Kelley used to recommend this as well.
I am not sure why Dr. Gerson forbids berries: his only indication is, “their aromatic acids cause unfavorable reactions.” I do not know what those reactions are, perhaps they are some kind of allergic reaction or something that inhibits a healthy inflammatory response. He also shuns all fats and oils (apart from allowing a tablespoon of flaxseed oil at lunch and dinner). Perhaps this is to relieve some strain on the liver.
An Iron Analogy
The Gerson approach, which aims at supplying large amounts of potassium to overcome a sodium-potassium imbalance, can be likened to the iron approach, which aims to supply the body with large amounts of iron to remedy an iron deficiency, which is common in cancer patients. The thinking is that cancer somehow causes iron deficiency and thereby by supplying more iron the body will . . . ? But the facts point to the exact opposite: that a decrease in iron is the body’s response to cancer, the way that the immune system fights cancer. So, by supplying more iron, when the intelligence of the body is intentionally lowering the iron levels, goes against nature and may be harmful. The same may be true with Gerson’s overall aim: if the cell pulls in more sodium (to bring in more water) in an attempt to reduce high levels of glucose, then, if you remove the sodium (and the water intake) it only prevents the cell from correcting this critical situation. The primary intention, then, should not be to reduce sodium (by restricting its intake) but to reduce glucose and sodium at the same time by reducing the intake of glucose.
Some tidbits on iron, from Ray Peat:
“In the 1960s the World Health Organization found that when iron supplements were given to anemic people in Africa, there was a great increase in the death rate from infectious diseases, especially malaria. Around the same time, research began to show that the regulation of iron is a central function of the immune system, and that this seems to have evolved because iron is a basic requirement for the survival and growth of cells of all types, including bacteria, parasites, and cancer.
“During aging, our tissues tend to store an excess of iron. There is a remarkably close association between the amount of iron stored in our tissues and the risk of death from cancer, heart disease, or from all causes.
“An excess of iron, by destroying vitamin E and oxidizing the unsaturated fats in red blood cells, can contribute to hemolytic anemia, in which red cells are so fragile that they break down too fast.
“In one of Hans Selye’s pioneering studies, he found that he could experimentally produce a form of scleroderma (hardening of the skin) in animals by administering large doses of iron, followed by a minor stress. (Perhaps the reduction of iron softens the tissue surrounding the tumor mass thus allowing deeper penetration by the immune system.)
In Sum
In sum, Dr. Gerson’s writing and theories should be studied with care as there is much to be gained from his research and many of his recommendations. Many cancer pioneers, including Dr. William Kelley, employed many of Gerson’s insights in his own program. However, as to most of his dietary recommendations―which includes the intake of massive amounts of fruit and vegetable juices, as well as a total shunning of all forms of sodium, even naturally-occuring forms―well, all of that should be taken with a grain of salt.
>> Back to Cancer Page