Johanna Budwig facts for kids

Johanna Budwig (born September 30, 1908 – died May 19, 2003) was a German biochemist and writer. She was also a pharmacist. She earned doctorate degrees in both physics and chemistry.

Based on her studies of fatty acids, she created a special diet. She believed this diet could help in the treatment of cancer. However, there is no scientific proof that her diet, or other similar "anti-cancer" diets, actually work. In fact, the Budwig diet might even be harmful.

Her Work and Discoveries

While working as a researcher in Germany during the 1950s, Johanna Budwig noticed something interesting. Many cancer drugs being tested at the time contained special chemical groups called sulphydryl groups.

Budwig thought these sulphydryl compounds were very important for how cells work and breathe. She developed a theory. She believed that if these sulphydryl groups or certain fatty acids were missing, cells might not get enough oxygen. This low-oxygen environment, she thought, could help cancer cells grow.

With another scientist named H.P. Kaufmann, she created new ways to study fatty acids. They used a method called paper chromatography. This helped them find and measure different fatty acids. Budwig used these methods to compare the fatty acids in sick people versus healthy people. This made her one of the first scientists to think about how eating fats affects our health.

The Budwig Diet

In 1952, Johanna Budwig described a diet that she claimed could fight cancer. She called it the "Budwig protocol." This diet mainly focuses on changing the types of fats people eat.

The diet includes a lot of flaxseed oil mixed with cottage cheese. It also suggests eating many fruits, vegetables, and foods high in fiber. On the other hand, it tells people to avoid sugar, animal fats, salad oil, meats, butter, and especially margarine.

It is important to know that there is no reliable scientific evidence that this diet helps against cancer. It does not help people with cancer in any meaningful way. Doctors do not recommend using "anti-cancer" diets like this one. They can even cause problems. These problems might include not getting enough nutrients (malnutrition), stomach aches, gas, and allergic reactions.

If people with cancer use diets like the Budwig Diet instead of proven treatments, they might get worse. Their cancer could spread, and they might continue to suffer from cancer symptoms. It is always best to follow treatments recommended by doctors.

See also

In Spanish: Johanna Budwig para niños