Welcome to Straight Talk on Health. I’m your host Dr. Chet Zelasko. Straight Talk on Health is a joint production with WGVU in Grand Rapids MI. I examine the practical application of health information. Nutrition. Exercise. Diet. Supplementation. I look at the science behind them, and let you know whether it’s something to consider or not. You can check out other things that I do on my website Drchet.com and sign up for my free emails.
In my moments of frustration, there is one question I ask myself. Why is it so easy for people to believe in medical and health products that are based on concepts that are unbelievable, at best, and ridiculous at their worst. I’ve selected to talk about in this podcast. I’d wager you’ve heard about some of them. My purpose is to explain the concept behind these products, provide the science as the promoters claim exists, and to raise questions that I think should be answered. Let’s begin with this one about a theory of cancer I've been asked about.
The theory is proposed by a purported physician who suggests the tumors are a natural part of the disease and elimination process. They do not contain cancer cells but rather, they contain toxins which the body will eliminate all by itself without damaging the human host. The caution along with the theory was to never get a biopsy because a biopsy would release cancer cells into the bloodstream, or maybe it was the toxins, and have the cancer spread throughout the body.
From one perspective, it sounds plausible in that some forms of toxins, especially metals of all sorts, can be the cause of cancers. We know that that's true. Inhaling asbestos, iron, silica, and many other types of metal toxins do contribute to the development of cancers. But they don't collect inside tumors so that the body can eliminate them later. Cancer cells will continue to grow. If a tumor is not treated and it gets large enough that it can put up a defense mechanism, the body can't handle it. We get cancer cells, or abnormal cells, every day. The body's immune system eliminates the invader or the abnormal cells. Until the day occurs, for whatever reason, it doesn't. And then a growth begins. An abnormal growth. At that point, it may impact the body in some way triggering the normal diagnostic protocol which can include biopsies.
That's one example. I began with that one because that individual has continued to spread that theory throughout the Internet world. He doesn't appear to have been trained as a physician nor has any degrees at all. While it has one small element of the potential truth, that's that there are toxins that can cause cancer, that's where reality ends and fiction begins. And yet people believe it.
Another example that is still all the rage is a product that claims to use phototherapy in the form of a patch placed at strategic parts of the body. The benefits are supposedly an increase in stem cells, more energy, reduction of inflammation, and even and improvement in athletic performance. How is it supposed to do that? Examining the patent(s) on which the product is based, it seems like it’s left handed molecules, which include many amino acids. Those left-handed molecules are supposed to reflects specific wavelengths of light back into the body to stimulate a person’s stem cells to begin growing.
Fine. What kind of stem cells? Pluripotent stem cells, which can be turned into any type of cell in the body, or adult stem cells which are location specific. Placing the patch on the base of the neck as they illustrate would stimulate what type of stem cells? Skin? Bone? Muscle? Nerve? That could do wonders for all types of pain.
As far as I could find, there are no studies which have examined the stem cells question. More than that, there are no placebo-controlled trial to answer even the simplest question. Besides measuring stem cells, they could assess energy levels, quality of life, pain indices, measure cortisol or other hormones or just do a variety of exercise tests. Something that provides hard numbers for some effect. I know many people who use them but it’s not based on proven science of any type that I could find. I don’t need major clinical trials but at least one decent well-controlled trial would be something.
Here's another one. I was asked about it by a physician because someone had asked them whether it could be used as a diagnostic tool. If it were, it could be covered by Health Savings Account. I found the product pretty easily. It is a device that is supposed to scan the body to determine whether the frequencies emitted by the body are in harmony or not. From a machine that was the size of a single bed. It
is now able to do that with a cell phone app and a specialized listening device that fits over the ears. Are you getting a little suspicious?
In the About section, it refers to a section that the technology is based on the efforts of European physicists. That triggered a thought about a device from 20 years ago that was supposed to determine energy flowing through the body using the Meridians concept. The device had a couple of handles that could measure energy flow along the meridians when held by an individual.
Again, where is the research to support that it can actually test any thing? I have no doubt that there can be energy fluctuations or neural activity in relation to pain or inflammation. But there has to be some evidence based on science somewhere to support these devices. While they all claim not to be medical devices, it sure appears that there are diagnosing something—which of course is against the FDA rules unless it is an approved device. That means it can measure what it says it measures and has some application to health. But I’m not an FDA lawyer. I just don’t want anyone to spend money on questionable devices such as these. If you can’t have base tests that are measurable and comparable, you don’t have anything to assess a person’s health.
The final product is Hydrogen enhanced water available from a variety of companies. Essentially, it is a device that can add hydrogen ions to water or a lozenge you can place in tap water that will do the same thing. The logic seems sound. More hydrogen ions can be used in the mitochondria in the electron transport system to make energy. There are some small studies that showed benefit for everything from increased energy, helping those undergoing treatments for disease, and lowering cholesterol in smokers. But there are no definitive studies—just a lot of interest.
I have questions. How do the H+ ions know where to go? I know it sounds silly but really—how? With exercise, there is an obvious need for long-term energy production. But the studies on exercise are not conclusive as to who would benefit—new exercisers or competitive athletes. What determines where the H+ go in people with liver disease or undergoing cancer treatment? How about this one. What happens to everyday healthy people when they drink H+ water? There’s nothing wrong so what happens? That basic testing hasn’t been done insofar as I could find.
Let’s go a step further. What happens to the digestive system? People who overproduce H+ might end up with even worse digestive issues. Proton pump inhibitors try to limit the production of H+ because it makes the stomach in some people too acidic. What would adding H+ into the stomach do? How about making the blood too acidic which can impact the alkaline balance. I’m not suggesting it will but no one knows at this point.
There’s my look at the current theories and product trends. Whether any of the products actually works can be solved by doing one thing: asking the right questions. Remember when I reviewed the GLP-1 Receptor Agonists a couple of shows ago? 30 years of research to figure out the what and the how was done in a way that actually provided answers to the right questions? As I see it, the real problem with these products is trying to capitalize on them before putting in the work to see if it is based on science or not.
That’s all the time I have for this episode. If you like this podcast, please hit the share button and tell your friends and colleagues about it. Until next time, this is Dr. Chet Zelasko saying health is a choice. Choose wisely today and every day.
Refs: Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jan 12;25(2):973. doi: 10.3390/ijms25020973
