Science is not “an exact science.” Any good, honest scientist will admit that every new discovery is only an approximation towards more definite answers that may not even exist. The infallibility of science is a myth that unfortunately causes problems like rigid, inflexible stances that preclude further progress. Consequently, any scientific dogma needs to be open to scrutiny and questioning, no matter how “established” or ingrained it may be.
This newsletter frequently deals with these issues as we report advances in science that often take time to dethrone older paradigms. Admittedly, this is done through the prism of a fallible and biased mind, a common finding that, unchecked, may cause more problems.
With this in mind I wish to share a paper published in a Physics journal questioning the Big Bang Theory.[1] It is a compelling example of the above. The authors feel the Universe has always existed, as hard as that may be to conceptualize. Well, conceptualizing a point of light exploding, and thus giving rise to the whole expanding Universe has never been easy to understand, either. It turns out that the Big Bang theory had a rocky birth. Even Einstein opposed it. The name itself, “Big Bang,” was first coined by an unbelieving, sarcastic physicist as a pejorative description of an incomprehensible hypothesis.
As you read the evidence presented in this newsletter keep a questioning mind. There may be “further light and knowledge” ahead.
Hugo Rodier, MD
Education and Health
Since its inception this newsletter has emphasized education of patients as a central integrative theme to stay health in mind, body and spirit. If properly educated and cleansed of “pride of knowledge” education helps us develop wisdom, which makes life sweeter and much more fun as we relate to others in healthier ways. The issues addressed above are mitigated when wisdom prevails. Education helps counteract serious situations that may compromise our health:
“The physiological consequences of early life socioeconomic adversity are attenuated by achieving high levels of schooling later on. The adverse consequences of childhood physical abuse, on the other hand, persist in multivariable-adjusted analysis.”[2]
Of course, there is nothing like love for the developing human brain,[3] but if that goes missing we still have a fighting chance with a “virtuous education, our endeavors and the blessings of God.”
“Dementogenics”
Just as we have dubbed certain chemicals in the environment “carcinogenics” because they are associated with cancer, many doctors feel we should do the same with chemicals associated with brain problems, particularly dementia (see March issue.) The same chemicals have also been associated with other brain inflammation/oxidation problems.
“Autism Spectrum Disorder and Particulate Matter Air Pollution before, during, and after Pregnancy: A Nested Case-Control Analysis within the Nurses’ Health Study II Cohort.”[4]
“Environmental Lead Exposure and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Domains in a Community Sample of South Korean School-Age Children.”[5]
We have herein documented several other environmental issues making these problems worse. For example, proximity to freeways, food additives, preservatives and colorants, plastics, heavy metals, pesticides, etc. Isn’t it time to pay attention to these issues, including processed foods?[6]
When I was in Medical School (1980-1984) Autism was a rare problem, one in 2,000. Now it is 1/54 in boys in Utah. Do you think our genes have mutated? Or, our awareness increased to diagnose these problems? Perhaps; I believe the main reason for this explosive growth is toxic environments, and poor diets. So, working on detoxification issues (as pointed out in previous issues), particularly in gut and liver may be helpful.
More research on helpful natural products for the brain:
“Metabolic response to epigallocatechin-3-gallate (green tea) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomized clinical trial.”[7]
“Cocoa flavanols and cognition: regaining chocolate in old age?” But, it has to be the cocoa over 73% and no sugar or milk.[8]
“Chronic consumption of flavanone-rich orange juice is associated with cognitive benefits: an 8-wk, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in healthy older adults.”[9]
Hormonal treatment gone wild
Despite clear evidence that we need to be conservative with hormonal treatment there are doctors who choose to “juice up” their patients with excessive hormonal replacement. Thyroid and sex hormones are overprescribed without regard for potential problems in the future. Their patients prefer this approach and seek out these types of doctors who are often quite busy since our society thrives on quick fixes regardless of the consequences.
We need to be more conservative with dosing of hormones, even in those patients who by legitimate laboratory findings need some hormonal replacement:
“Higher TSH and lower FT4 concentrations within the euthyroid (normal) range are associated with lower risk of multiple adverse events in older people, including mortality. This suggests tolerance for lower thyroid hormone levels in this age group. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate the risk-benefit profile of new thresholds for initiating treatment and optimal target concentrations for thyroid hormone replacement in older people.”[10]
Being conservative with testosterone for men and estrogen replacement for women has long been predicated. We now have good evidence that overtreatment of Diabetes (the hormone Insulin is involved) is also dangerous. We now recommend that the A1c or caramelized hemoglobin test be maintained around 7.0 in the elderly for best results.[11]
Endotoxemia update
As noted herein ad nauseum, imbalances of our gut flora can trigger practically all diseases. Some health providers think that the mechanism of action is an overgrowth of Candida and parasites in the gut. Then, these organisms are purported to invade the blood stream. This is not the case; you would be dead. What is more likely to be the case is ENDOTOXEMIA. Those organisms produce molecules and proteins that leak out of the gut and invade the blood stream. This triggers inflammation and oxidation throughout the body.
Endotoxemia also causes your constitutional proteins, the ones that make up your organs and connective tissues, to be considered “foreign.” For example, the “glycosylated hemoglobin” used to see how well you are handling sugars is a protein, hemoglobin “dressed” with sugar, a normal process that can be overdone when there is too much or too little sugar in your bloodstream. Proteins also get “dressed” with other micronutrients: arginine, sulfur, B vitamins, etc. If this process is compromised (poor diet, poor gut function, etc.) we manufacture proteins that will trigger more inflammation throughout our body by being attacked by our immune system since they do not appear to be part of the “self” anymore. The classic example of this problem is Fibromyalgia.
The following article adds to many others and clarifies these concepts quite well: “Human Experimental Endotoxemia in Modeling the Pathophysiology, Genomics, and Therapeutics of Innate Immunity in Complex Cardiometabolic Diseases.”
“Inflammation is a fundamental feature of several complex cardiometabolic diseases. Indeed, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic dyslipidemia, and atherosclerosis are all closely linked inflammatory states. Increasing evidence suggests that the infectious, biome-related, or endogenous activation of the innate immune system may contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Here, we describe the human experimental endotoxemiamodel for the specific study of innate immunity in understanding further the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disease. In a controlled, experimental setting, administration of an intravenous bolus of purified Escherichia coli endotoxin activates innate immunity in healthy human volunteers. During endotoxemia, changes emerge in glucose metabolism, lipoprotein composition, and lipoprotein functions that closely resemble those observed chronically in inflammatory cardiovascular disease risk states. In this review, we describe the transient systemic inflammation and specific metabolic consequences that develop during human endotoxemia. Such a model provides a controlled induction of systemic inflammation, eliminates confounding, undermines reverse causation, and possesses unique potential as a starting point for genomic screening and testing of novel therapeutics for treatment of the inflammatory underpinning of cardiometabolic disease.[12]
[1] “Cosmology from quantum potential,” J. Physics Letters B Feb 2015
[2] “Early Life Adversity and Adult Biological Risk Profiles,” J. Psychosomatic Medicine 2015;77:176-185
[3] National Geographic January 2015
[4] J. Environ Health Perspectives 2015DOI:10.1289/ehp.1408133
[5] J. Environ Health Perspectives 2015DOI:10.1289/ehp.1307420
[6] “Associations of Advanced Glycation End-Products With Cognitive Functions in Individuals With and Without Type 2 Diabetes: The Maastricht Study,” J. Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism March 2015 issue
[7] Am J Clin Nutr 2015 101: 487
[8] Am J Clin Nutr 2015 101: 423
[9] Am J Clin Nutr 2015 101: 506
[10] “Thyroid Function in the Euthyroid Range and Adverse Outcomes in Older Adults,” Journal Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism 2015;100(3), pp. 1088-1096
[11] “Potential Overtreatment of Diabetes Mellitus in Older Adults With Tight Glycemic Control,” JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(3):356.
[12] J. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 2015; 35: 525
