The Curious Case of Campbell’s Rats

Zeroing In on the Myths Purveyed in Chapter 3 of The China Study

Chris Masterjohn, PhDPortland Regional Wise Traditions, September, 2013

“A Revelation to Die For”

“A Revelation to Die For”

“Turning Off Cancer” With Diets Low in Protein, as Depicted in The China Study

Campbell’s Research Showing “Dairy” Protein Promoting Cancer as Depicted in Forks Over Knives

The China Study: Dietary Protein, Not Carcinogens, Promote Cancer

The China Study: Low Dietary Protein “Turns Off” the Dose Response Between

Carcinogens and Cancer

Campbell Mocks the Unrealistic Doses of Carcinogens Used in Cancer Experiments

Campbell Mocks the Unrealistic Doses of Carcinogens Used in Cancer Experiments

Campbell Mocks the Unrealistic Doses of Carcinogens Used in Cancer Experiments

The China Study: Milk Protien (Casein), But Not Wheat Protein (Gluten), Promoted Cancer

The China Study: “Plant Protein” Does Not Promote Cancer

The China Study: Plant-Based Nutrients Protect Against Cancer, Animal-Based Nutrients

Promote Cancer

Revisiting the “Revelation to Die For”

A Toxic Revelation: Rats Fed Low Protein More Vulnerable to Aflatoxin Toxicity

A Revelation Rats Fed Diets Low in Protein Could Die For

A Revelation Rats Fed Diets Low in Protein Could Die For

The China Study: The MFO Drug-Detoxifying Enzyme Turns Aflatoxin Into a Carcinogen

The China Study: Low Protein Decreases the Activity of the Dangerous Drug-Detoxfying MFO Enzyme

Does “Protein Deficiency” Protect Against Cancer? Quotes From Campbell in 1972

“A deficiency of dietary protein was shown to increase the

toxicity of aflatoxin for rats.”

“The effect of protein deficiency in male weanling rats on the activity of the hepatic microsomal enzyme system was studied.”

Campbell’s Low-Protein Rats Ate Less Food

Campbell’s Rats Should Have Grown From 50 to 100 Grams

Campbell’s Low-Protein Rats Had Very Low Body Weight

Campbell’s Low-Protein Rats Hardly Grew at All

Campbell’s Low-Protein Rats Were Malnourished and Had Fatty Liver –

Quotes From Campbell, 1972“First, the reduced DNA content could be indicative of a lower cell number per gram of liver and would accordingly imply larger cells in the protein-deprived group. These cells could be larger in response to lipid infiltration since the livers of the low protein group were observed to be very fatty. Consequently, the normal rate of cell proliferation would have been decreased during protein deprivation, which is similar to the retardation of brain cell growth of young malnourished animals described by Winick and Rosso.”

A Toxic Revelation – Quotes From Campbell, 1983

Some degree of bile duct proliferation was observed in all animals dosed with [aflatoxin]. However, the groups fed the 5% casein diet during the dosing period had relatively severe bile duct proliferation and cholangiofibrosis [fibrosis of the bile duct]. In these groups, the architecture of the liver was often distorted by fibrous septa. Groups fed the 20% casein diet during the dosing period had mild bile duct proliferation and no cholangiofibrosis.

Protein Deficiency Disappears Down the Memory Hole – Quotes From Campbell, 1991

“Although a 5% casein diet is not generally considered nutritionally adequate (i.e., it does not support maximal growth), for every health index we have thus far measured, the 5% casein diet supports better health in rats than does the 20% casein diet.”

But Don’t We Want Low Protein to Avoid Making Aflatoxin Toxic?

Aflatoxin Detoxification Depends on Protein and Glutathione

Campbell’s Low-Protein Rats Had 40-71% Lower Glutathione

The China Study: Dietary Protein, Not Carcinogens, Promote Cancer

The Protein vs. Aflatoxin Dose Study Was Much More Complex Than Presented in The China Study

How Different Are the High-Protein Low-Aflatoxin and the Low-Aflatoxin High-Protein Groups?

How Accurate Is This Dose Vs. Protein Simplification After All?

This Chart Is a Little Closer to the Truth But Still Pretty Far…

Campbell Showed That Dose Does Matter After All…

The Higher Doses Campbell Used Were Highly Lethal

Highly Carcinogenic Doses of Aflatoxin Are Highly Lethal

Aflatoxin Detoxification Depends on Protein and Glutathione

Depleting Glutathione Pharmacologically Makes Aflatoxin Much More Carcinogenic to Rats

What Percentage Protein Is Used for the Initiation Period?

?

High Protein During Initiation to Complete the Detoxification of Aflatoxin

Protein Promotes the Growth of Cancer Already Formed, But Prevents Its Initiation

Chronic Dosing in Monkeys: Protein Protects Against Toxicity at High Doses and Cancer at

Low Doses

As in Rats, in Monkeys Fed Chronic Doses of Aflatoxin, Protein Is Protective

This Graph is Missing Something…

Lysine supplementation of wheat gluten during the postinitiation period enhanced the gamma-glutamyltransferase-positive response to a level comparable with that of the high-quality protein. These results suggest that one can inhibit the development of foci either by decreasing the quantity of protein intake and holding the quality of the protein constant or by decreasing the quality and holding the quantity constant.

It’s a General Effect of Protein, Not Animal Protein – Quotes From Campbell, 1989

[I]n 1945 Larsen and Heston found that the incidence of spontaneous pulmonary tumors was doubled in strain A mice fed low-casein diets supplemented with cystine (the most limiting amino acid). Silverstone and Tannenbaum (14) showed that the development of spontaneous hepatomas was enhanced in C3H mice fed a gelatin-containing diet when methionine and cystine were added.

It’s a General Effect of Protein, Not Animal Protein – Quotes From Campbell, 1989

A review of the somewhat limited data from these and earlier studies (1) indicated that inhibition of tumor development as a result of marginal intakes of various proteins could be abolished by supplementation with the respective limiting amino acid for each protein. . . .

[O]ur results suggest that the enhancement of focus development by lysine supplementation of gluten is due to a general improvement in dietary protein quality and not to any particular metabolic effect peculiar to lysine. This conclusion is supported by previous work (1, 12-14) showing that various low-quality proteins are better able to enhance tumor development when they are supplemented with the amino acid in greatest deficit.

It’s a General Effect of Protein, Not Animal Protein – Quotes From Campbell, 1989

Campbell’s Curious Rats – Conclusions

Adequate protein is necessary for detoxification and other roles of glutathione such as antioxidant defense.

Protein protects against cancer in the experiments most closely resembling contexts experienced naturally.

There may be a role for restricting protein in someone who already has cancer.

There is no qualitative difference between animal and plant protein except that animal protein is more abundant and of higher biological quality.