Life is Biological, but Biology is Also Alive A Renewal of - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Life is Biological, but Biology is Also Alive A Renewal of Vitalism in Medicine by Dave Foster Inspired by the work of Raymond Peat, PhD and Hans Selye, CC

About Me

A New Paradigm of Coherence

A Paradigm Shift You don’t choose your thoughts. ● You experience them from your environment ○ ...but you’re not determined by your ● environment. You change your environment ○ ...and you’re not determined by your ● genetics Your epigenetics change. ○

Health as the Center Healthy people live longer. ● Healthy people have less disease. ● Sick people work poorly. ● Happy people work more productively. ● Happiness births creativity. Creativity breeds efficiency. ● Happy people live longer. ● Sick people die young. ● Sad people die young. ● Sick people are sad. ● Sad people are sick. ●

Health as the Center

Biological Coherence and Parallel Therapies Biological substance > artificial surrogate ● T3 (thyroid hormone) treats depression ○ Fluoxetine (the drug Prozac ) treats depression ○ Which should we prefer? (one’s patentable for $$$) ■ Evolutionarily... ● Thyroid hormone - hundreds of millions of years old ○ Fluoxetine (Prozac) - Less than 50 years old ○ To which are we better adapted? ■

Lifestyle

The Inefficiency of Stress Efficiency = function with an asymptotic minimization of damage ● to structure Stress places an energetic demand ● If the person cannot meet that demand, catabolism ensues ○ The breakdown of the body’s structure ■ Therefore stress = inefficiency ●

You Can Judge Your Health Happiness is biological ● a maximization of regenerative, anabolic processes, and a ● minimization of catabolic breakdown High cortisol (the stress hormone) ○ Patients self-report health ● more accurately than tests Well-being = health ○

Breathless Exercise Grip strength as a marker for health ● Long, intense exercise mimics shock ● Marathon runners prematurely ● Age due to... chronic energy depletion ○

Mental Illness as Energy Deficiency ADHD ● Insufficient energy reserves to expend on a given task ○ Depression ● Succumbing to overwhelming stress ○ Limited energy production ■ Maximal energy expenditure ■ Comorbidities and ● commonalities of psychiatric disorders

Light and Its Applications

Light Opposes Stress “Penetrating red light is possibly the fundamental anti-stress factor for all organisms. The chronic deficiency of such light is, I think, the best explanation for the deterioration which occurs with aging. Enzyme changes, free radical changes, structural and respiratory changes are all involved as consequences of darkness stress.” - Raymond Peat, PhD

Blue Light (400-440 nm) Stressful (downregulates thyroid) ● Blocks melatonin secretion ● Damaging to the eyes ●

Red Light (610-700 nm) Supports metabolism and stimulates energy production ● Can also block melatonin secretion ● Beneficial component of ● sunlight

Red Light (610-700 nm) Pro-metabolic effects ● Hair regrowth ● Skin regeneration ● Superior mood and well-being ●

What About Sunlight? Sunlight supports metabolism ● Vitamin D ○ Works like thyroid ■ The effects of ○ red light > blue light UV radiation damages ○ skin and eyes

Bright Light (SAD Light) Light with high amount of ● emitted lumens (~10k): Alleviates depression ○ Must hit retina ■ for at least 15 min

Circadian Rhythm, Not Just Lighting Circadian rhythm determined by: ● Light exposure to the retina ○ Light exposure to skin ○ Riboflavin (B2) metabolite FAD ○ Increases glucose metabolism ■ High metabolic rate needed for proper ● circadian rhythm regulation Not just a light cycle ● Hormonal cycle ○

Summary of Light Avoid blue, pursue red ● Avoid all light ~2-3 hrs before bed ● Use bright incandescents for red light ● Use f.lux or blue light minimization software ● Wear blue-light blocking glasses ●

Digestion and Mood: Overlapping Disease

Serotonin as an Inflammatory Mediator In the animal models: ● Serotonin influences behavior by increasing excitation and ○ aggression Stress elevates the hormone CRH (responsible for anxiety) ● Inflammation signals serotonin production ○ Serotonin acts on (ACTH) to produce cortisol ■

Things that Raise Serotonin Intestinal irritation ● Endotoxin ● Hypothyroidism ● T3 degrades serotonin ○ Social or psychological stress ● Endurance exercise ●

Serotonin as Acute Adaptation “If we think biologically, starting with the role of serotonin as a damage-induced inflammatory mediator, we can speculate that an infinite number of irritating substances will be ‘serotonin reuptake inhibitors.’ The particular history of the ‘third generation antidepressants’ is one that should disturb our tranquility.” - Raymond Peat, PhD

Why Do Antidepressants Work? Elevate neurosteroids (allopregnenolone) ● Increase GABA ● Other ways to increase neurosteroids ● Thyroid hormone ○ Progesterone ○ Pregnenolone ○ Adaptogens with similar effects: ● Caffeine (allopregnenolone) ○ Nicotine (allopregnenolone and GABA) ○ THC (allopregnenolone) ○ Alcohol (GABA) ○

Dietary Things that Reduce Serotonin Easy to digest foods ● Saturated fat ● Anti-leaky gut; tight junction integrity! ○ Protein (for liver detoxification) ● Salt (to taste) ● Carbohydrate (sugars digest better than starches) ●

Drugs of Abuse

Opioid Abuse, Cocaine, and (Alcoholism) Blocks the short-term stress response ● Increases it in the long-run ○ Similar to alcohol ■ Progesterone and DHEA prevent ● cocaine addiction Estrogen amplifies addiction ○

Opioid Abuse (and Alcoholism) "The fact that a taste of chocolate can provoke a wild lust for more chocolate, or that once cigarette renews the addiction, does not mean that the presence of chocolate or nicotine in the blood creates a craving. Rather, it is that an organism in an unstable state perceives the availability of something which promises to partially restore the desired stability. " - Raymond Peat, PhD

Adaptogens

Novelty is Key; Parkinson’s as a Model People with Parkinson’s have decreased ioie de vivre ● What we’re after when we think “happiness” ○ Long train ride alleviates symptoms ● Novelty is a need ○

Coffee (Caffeine) Promotes allopregnenolone ● synthesis Acts like thyroid hormone ● Enhances bile secretion ● Promotes serotonin uptake in ● nerves Shifts the dopamine/serotonin ratio favorably ○

Tobacco (Nicotine) Thyromimetic ● Lowers serotonin ○ Aromatase inhibitor ○ (lowers estrogen) Pro-metabolic ○ Increases DHT ○ Allopregnenolone and ● progesterone prevent addiction

Alcohol Lowers progesterone, raises ● estrogen Short-term gabergic effects ● Can precipitate increased ○ rebound anxiety if not taken in context

Cannabis (THC) Promotes allopregnenolone ● and possibly progesterone Also raises serotonin ○ In higher concentrations Antidepressant effect at smaller ● dosages

Alcoholism, An Anecdote “ I knew someone who had been addicted to morphine and alcohol for 30 years, who was drinking quarts of beer and wine daily when he didn't have morphine, who had an opportunity for a good job if he could get sober. Starting progesterone at bedtime (and stopping the wine), he said it was the first time he didn't have a hangover in the morning. He used enough progesterone to neuter most people, but said it didn't affect his sex function; he was taking a lot of Cytomel and magnesium, but wasn't drunk again as long as I knew him, and his general health improved.” - Raymond Peat, PhD

Centenarians Tobacco ● Coffee (moderate) ● Alcohol (moderate) ● Saturated fat (ice cream, ● chocolate, etc.) Social lifestyle ● Richard Overton (109) ● Ice cream ○ Cigars, coffee, and whiskey ○ Soup ○ Church ○

Coherence in Context Concentric exercise (weight lifting) ● Light ● Progesterone ● Pregnenolone ● Thyroid hormone ● Coffee ● Eat delicious foods ● Minimize PUFA, iron ○ Shift the calcium/phosphorous ratio to favor calcium ● Dairy, fruits, stews, etc. ○

References Milivojevic V, Fox HC, Sofuoglu M, Covault J, Sinha R. Effects of progesterone stimulated ● allopregnanolone on craving and stress response in cocaine dependent men and women. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2016 Mar;65:44–53. Larson EB, Anker JJ, Gliddon LA, Fons KS, Carroll ME. Effects of estrogen and ● progesterone on the escalation of cocaine self-administration in female rats during extended access. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol. 2007 Oct;15(5):461–71. Valentino RJ, Van Bockstaele E. Endogenous opioids: opposing stress with a cost. ● F1000Prime Rep [Internet]. 2015 May 12;7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4447041/