42-Day Juice Therapy: What You Should Know About the Breuss Cancer Cure
The Breuss Cancer Cure, developed by Austrian naturopath Rudolf Breuss, is an alternative cancer regimen centered on a 42-day fast using specially prepared vegetable juices and herbal teas. Breuss believed that depriving cancer cells of solid food could cause tumors to disappear.
The idea has attracted attention for decades, but there is an important distinction between a historical alternative therapy and a scientifically proven cancer treatment.
Does the Breuss Cure Treat Cancer?
There is no reliable clinical evidence that the Breuss Cure can cure or control cancer.
A review by CAM-Cancer found no convincing clinical-trial evidence supporting its effectiveness or its proposed mechanism. Only very limited historical case information has been reported, which is not enough to establish that the therapy works.
The National Cancer Institute likewise states that there is no proof that a particular diet, food, vitamin, supplement, herb, or combination can slow, cure, or prevent cancer from returning.
Why Is a 42-Day Fast Concerning?
Cancer can increase the body’s nutritional demands, while treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can make eating difficult. A prolonged restrictive diet may therefore make it harder to obtain enough:
- Protein
- Calories
- Essential fats
- Vitamins and minerals
- Fluids
The CAM-Cancer assessment specifically warns that the prolonged fasting component of the Breuss regimen may put cancer patients at risk of malnutrition.
Malnutrition can lead to weakness, unintended weight loss and reduced ability to tolerate cancer treatment.
What About Vegetable Juice?
Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, and vegetable juices can provide some nutrients. But drinking vegetable juice is not the same thing as treating cancer.
A healthy diet can support general nutrition during cancer treatment, but it should not be presented as a replacement for surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or other evidence-based treatment.
Could It Be Used Alongside Cancer Treatment?
Anyone with cancer who is considering a restrictive diet or prolonged fast should discuss it with their oncologist and a qualified dietitian first.
Some complementary approaches may be used alongside conventional treatment, but replacing proven treatment with an unproven therapy can be dangerous. Cancer Research UK advises people considering alternative cancer diets to speak with their healthcare team because some approaches can be harmful or interfere with appropriate care.
The Bottom Line
The Breuss 42-day juice therapy is an interesting part of the history of alternative medicine, but it has not been scientifically established as a cancer cure. The prolonged fasting component may also create serious nutritional risks for someone who is already ill.
Vegetables and nutritious foods can support the body, but no juice regimen should be relied upon to eliminate cancer. If you or someone you love has cancer, talk with the treating medical team before beginning any prolonged fast, restrictive diet, supplement program, or alternative therapy.