Scientific Evidence Supporting the Metabolic Theory of Cancers

1. Otto Warburg’s Research

• Warburg Effect: Warburg discovered that cancer cells primarily generate energy through aerobic glycolysis, converting most pyruvate into lactic acid instead of using oxidative phosphorylation (which is normal metabolism) like normal non-cancerous cells use to create ATP. This metabolic shift supports rapid tumor growth.

2. Mitochondrial Dysfunction Studies

• Mitochondrial Role: Studies suggest that normal mitochondria can suppress tumorigenesis (the growing of new tumors), indicating that mitochondrial health is crucial in preventing cancer. Poor function in mitochondrial metabolism is linked to an increase in the formation of tumors.

3. Glucose Metabolism Alterations

• Insulin, sugar’s door way into the cells and glucose (sugar) uptake: Research shows that insulin plays a significant role in glucose (sugar) uptake by tumor cells. In individuals with obesity and insulin resistance, tumor cells continue to absorb glucose, fueling tumor growth. Insulin resistance occurs when Insulin is chronically high and eventually does not do it’s job of assisting glucose in getting into the normal cells. If this condition goes on long enough an individual may become diabetic with chronically high blood sugar levels. The concern here is that individuals who are obese and have diabetes have an increase incidence of cancer. 

4.  Identification of Metabolic Types 

• Breast Cancer Studies: Investigations using quantitative mass spectrometry have identified specific metabolic types in breast cancer patients, which can predict cancer risk with high accuracy.

5. Therapeutic Manipulation of Metabolism

• Targeting Metabolic Pathways: Studies demonstrate that inhibiting glucose (sugar) transporters and other metabolic pathways can decrease tumor growth, highlighting the potential for metabolic interventions in cancer treatment.

Conclusion

These studies collectively support the view that cancer is significantly influenced by metabolic processes, particularly mitochondrial function and their metabolism of glucose (sugar) and glutamine (an amino acid). This understanding opens new avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting the metabolic aspects of cancer.  

Many physicians practice within established clinical guidelines and institutional policies. Some have expressed concern that departing from those guidelines could expose them to professional, legal, or employment consequences. As a result, they may be reluctant to recommend treatments that fall outside accepted standards of care in their institutions. The following discussion features three physicians sharing their perspectives on these challenges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVG4HT1UZbw

Mitochondria: The Powerhouses of the Cell

What are Mitochondria & why do I need them?

1. Mitochondria are organelles, or small structures, among the many structures inside the cells.

2. Mitochondria are the energy producing structures in cells. The energy or fuel that mitochondria produce is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial also have their own DNA, a small portion of the DNA contained in a normal cell in humans. In humans, mitochondrial DNA contains 37 genes, all of which are essential for normal mitochondrial function. Finally, mitochondria turn on various cellular processes including cell death (apoptosis), gene expressions are turned on or off as are metabolic regulations, primarily through the release of proteins and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondria play a crucial role in communicating the health and energy status of the cell to ensure proper functioning. Mitochondria also produce substantial quantities of H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) which takes part in keeping any infecting agents population low.  And, they have the amazing ability to communicate with their fellow mitochondria. You can see from this very complex chart below that there is a lot of metabolic action going on in the cells and you have nothing to do cause it happens automatically if you feed them properly. The complexity of the mitochondria reminds me that we truly are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The more we learn about these remarkable structures, the more amazing creation of the human body becomes!  Some might even say you are a lot more expensive than you look!  https://mededucation.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FullSubwayMap_V1023_Web.pdf

3. Cells in your body must have a good supply of the ATP in order to perform their designed functions for your body. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V2kRH0K8QU

4a. The number of mitochondria in a cell depends on how much ATP (the cell’s energy currency) the cell needs to do its job. Muscle cells, for example, have many mitochondria because they need to produce enough energy to move the body. Red blood cells, which carry oxygen to other cells and carbon dioxide away from the cells have none; their transportation activity is passive. Mitochondria are similar to a furnace or a powerhouse in the cell because, like furnaces or powerhouses, mitochondria produce energy, ATP, from basic components (in this case, from molecules from foods that have been broken down so that they can be used). A correctly functioning mitochondria uses oxygen to make the ATP from glucose (sugar) in a process that is called cellular respiration in what is called the electron transport chain with 4 separate steps explained in the 2 videos below. 

4b. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxbodI60OT4&ab_channel=StudyAnimated
4c. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CLfLEUu-1o&ab_channel=JonasKuehneMD

4d. To drill down a little more on the electron transport chain, try this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJNx1DDqIVo&ab_channel=BioManBiology

Can the mitochondria break and NOT produce adequate ATP?

1. Yes, mitochondria can fail and the result is poor performance in terms of the amount of ATP produced for the cell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5CM573Y1ek&ab_channel=Dr.PaulAnderson

Doctor Thomas N. Seyfried – Cancer as a Metabolic Disease— This is a MUST VIEW!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OgWi1H-2Zs

2. This leads the cell with broken mitochondria, into poor performance in terms of its own needed functions for the cell and body.

3. An essential enzyme, cytochrome c oxidase, used to produce the ATP energy in the 4 part electron transfer chain can become bound by the pollutant, nitric oxide. This then blocks the electron transfer chain from producing adequate amounts of ATP. This lower ATP production leaves the cell with insufficient ATP to perform its duties in the body. Wherever this occurs in the body, cells produce lactic acid that causes a decrease of the pH to the acidic range below 7.0. The whole pH range goes from 1 which is very acidic to 14 which is very alkalotic. 1 is the very acidic end like hydrochloride acid and 14 is the extreme alkalotic range like lye (sodium hydroxide). The body’s chemistry functions best in a very narrow alkalotic window when the blood pH is in the range of 7.35 to 7.45. This is the range in which all the ongoing chemical and electronic reactions in your body work best.

4. Several solutions are being suggested to improve ATP production in the mitochondria by breaking the bond between cytochrome c oxidase and nitric oxide which is a pollutant and  a damaging free radical. This bond can be broken by Methylene Blue (MB) and Red-Light Therapy RLT. Both are covered in more detail later in Chapter 2. When this bond is broken between the critically needed enzyme, cytochrome c oxidase, and nitric oxide, the electron transport chain can again function fully to produce the needed ATP/Energy which is required for healthy metabolism in each cell.

5. When the pH of urine is brought back up into the alkaline range greater than 7.4 with the use of soda bicarbonate found in Chapter 4 (baking soda), the mitochondria have shown to revert back to their normal production of ATP energy. They begin to produce ATP in adequate amounts for the cell to function according to its originally designed purpose precisely because of the corrected metabolism within the mitochondria in the cells.

6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7PA1uMYWYY

Apoptosis:  Part of Your Body’s Natural Recycling System Apoptosis is the normal, planned death of damaged or worn out cells in your body. It’s an important process that helps keep you healthy. However, if it doesn’t happen often enough, you can develop problems like cancer. Apoptosis is your body’s way of getting rid of damaged or worn out cells through a process called programmed cell death. “Programmed” means your body knows these cells need to die and manages the process from start to finish. Instead of growing and dividing like healthy cells, the cells that go through apoptosis follow a set of steps that lead to their breakdown. Their useful parts are used to build new cells.

Apoptosis is a normal process that supports your health. Your body needs to get rid of cells that are too old or damaged to work properly. If those cells are allowed to remain in the body, they can harm you. Cells with damaged DNA can make copies of themselves and build up inside your body, leading to cancer cells that grow into tumors. Apoptosis helps to prevent this from happening. Many cancer cells develop ways to avoid apoptosis, allowing them to survive and continue multiplying when they would normally be eliminated.

What is the purpose of apoptosis?
Apoptosis supports your health by clearing out cells your body doesn’t need. It starts before you’re even born. Certain cells die at the right time so different parts of a fetus, like the fingers, can form properly. After birth, apoptosis plays an important role in:
Supporting your body’s constant need to replace old cells with new ones
Helping your immune system fight infections.
Ridding your body of damaged cells that can’t be repaired.
Ensuring that damaged cells don’t multiply.
Supporting balance in your body’s tissues (homeostasis) including burning fat.

Can I naturally promote apoptosis in my body?

Yes, by trying intermittent fasting defined as extending your time of NOT eating to 16 hours. It’s important to check with your doctor before starting intermittent fasting. You can try a daily or weekly approach, which restricts daily eating to one 8 hour period each day. For instance, you may choose to try an 8/16 system: eating in an 8 hour period and fasting for 16 hours. In this case, water or coffee or tea without sugar or cream will NOT break your fast. You could further extend your fast to eating in a 4 hour window and fasting for 20 hours. If you want to go further, you could venture out into 3-day water fast. Seek medical advice if you want to try.

Several natural approaches have been investigated for their potential to influence apoptosis in certain laboratory or clinical settings. These include resistance and endurance exercise, and other approaches discussed later in this website. The strength of the evidence varies, and readers should review the information and references before deciding whether any approach is appropriate for their situation.

Understanding Inflammation

Inflammation is your body’s normal response to injury, infection, or other harmful conditions. In the short term, it protects and heals. When it becomes long term and chronic, it can contribute to many diseases, including cancer.

Short-Term(Acute) Inflammation–Your Friend

• Definition: A short-term kicks in quickly within minutes or hours to respond to injuries or infections.
• Duration: Lasts from a few days to weeks.
• Purpose: Helps heal injuries and fight infections. Without this response even minor infections or injuries could become life-threatening.
• Symptoms: Redness, swelling, warmth, pain and some times loss of function at the injury site. These are signs that the system is working.
• Your body turns short-term inflammation OFF when the threat is gone.

Long-Term(Chronic) Inflammation–Your Enemy

• A long-term low grade inflammatory response can last for months, years or even a lifetime.
• Causes can arise from persistent infections, autoimmune diseases, obesity, exposure to toxins and certain foods described by these threes physicians. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sv0sZYxGyE
• Consequences can lead to serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. This often happens without an obvious injury or infection, or the immune system fails to fully shut off after a threat is gone. You might not notice dramatic symptoms; it simmers quietly in the background. There are very few direct benefits in most cases—chronic inflammation isn’t designed to help; it’s more of a malfunction or overreaction in your immune system

Benefits of Short Term Inflammation

• Healing: Acute inflammation helps repair tissues and eliminate pathogens. It speeds up healing by bringing immune cells, blood, and repair materials to the damaged area while clearing out dead cells and starting tissue repairs.
• Defense: Acts as a protective mechanism against infections and injuries.

Dangers of Long Term Inflammation

• Tissue Damage: Chronic inflammation can cause ongoing damage to tissues and organs. It’s like a leaky faucet that never gets fixed.
• Disease Links associated with various chronic diseases, including arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer’s and cancers.
• It damages healthy tissues over time because immune cells and chemicals keep attacking even when there’s no real threat.
• It contributes to or worsens many serious long-term diseases, including:
  
  • Heart disease and damaged blood vessels (atherosclerosis).
  • Type 2 diabetes (by promoting insulin resistance). To understand insulin resistance, often referred to as prediabetes, let’s first talk about what insulin does. When you eat food, your body converts that food into dietary sugars. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas that tells your cells to open up to those sugars to allow it to be  converted it into energy by the mitochondria in the cells to ATP which the (fuel for the cells). When you are in insulin resistance, your body does not allow this sequence to occur resulting in very high blood sugar levels because the sugars are not getting into the cells where it is needed. The cells resist allowing the insulin to open the doors of the cells to let the sugars in.
  • Certain cancers.
  • Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
  • Neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and accelerates aging.
  • Obesity-related issues (fat tissue can fuel more inflammation, creating a vicious cycle).

Managing Inflammation

To maintain a healthy balance, consider the following:

• Diet: Incorporate anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Exercise: Regular physical activity and maintaining normal weight can help reduce chronic inflammation.
• Stress Management: Techniques like prayer and Bible reading can lower stress related inflammation.
• Sleep: Ensure adequate rest (7 to 9 hours) to support strong immune function. Some people report that glycine supplements help improve sleep quality. If you’re considering supplements, discuss them with your healthcare provider, especially if you have medical conditions or take prescription medications. Glycine turns off cortisol, the ‘fight or flight’ hormone. Cortisol can keep you thinking about things you can’t do anything about when you’re trying to fall asleep.
• Astragalus has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation in various tissues, making it beneficial for conditions like autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. Its active compounds, particularly polysaccharides, are believed to play a significant role in modulating the immune response and reducing inflammation. Astragalus has been studied for its potential anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties. The evidence varies depending on the condition being studied. It is available as a supplement in capsule, liquid or tea.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqTDvDGAKnM&t=196s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dzmFAjQyzY

Understanding these two types of inflammation is crucial for maintaining overall health.

Movement, Stretching and Sunshine
These actions appear obvious however, in today’s society they need to be much more intentional due to the increased sedentary lifestyles both at work and home.
1. Body movement is crucial for maintaining physical health, as it strengthens muscles and bones, improves cardiovascular function, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. Additionally, regular movement enhances mental well-being by alleviating stress, anxiety, and depression, while promoting better cognitive function.

2. Stretching the muscles before they’re warmed up can actually hurt them. When everything is cold, the muscle fibers aren’t prepared and may be damaged. If you exercise first, you’ll get blood flow to the area, and that makes the tissue more pliable and amenable to the stretch. All it takes to warm up the muscles before stretching is 5 to 10 minutes of light activity. You can also stretch after an aerobic or weight-training workout. But, it’s most important to focus on the body areas needed for critical for mobility like your lower extremities, your calves, your hamstrings, your hip flexors in the pelvis and quadriceps in the front of the thigh. 

Hold a stretch for 30 seconds. Don’t bounce, which can cause injury. You’ll feel tension during a stretch, but you should not feel pain. Stretching once today won’t magically give you perfect flexibility. You’ll need to do it over time and remain committed to the process. It takes weeks to months to get flexible, and you’ll have to continue working on it to maintain it.

3. Getting outside every day—even for 15 to 30 minutes—can benefit both your physical and mental health. Natural sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, supports healthy sleep cycles, improves mood, and encourages regular physical activity. Spending time outdoors also provides an opportunity to reduce stress and appreciate the beauty of God’s creation. My Dad told me once that ‘green’ is one of the best colors you can look at.  

Stem Cells Normal and Cancerous
Normal Stem cells are special cells in the body that can develop into different types of cells, such as blood, skin, bone, and muscle cells. They play a crucial role in repairing tissues and maintaining the body’s systems by replacing old, damaged or worn out cells with new ones.

Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are a specific sub-population of cancer cells that have the ability to self-renew and change into various cell types within a tumor. They are thought to be responsible for tumor growth, metastasis, (spreading of cancer) and relapse after treatment failure due to their unique properties that allow them to survive conventional therapies. CSCs are therefore tumorigenic (tumor generating). CSCs generate tumors through the stem cell processes of self-renewal and differentiation (changing) into many other cell types.

When normal stem cells migrate to damaged tissue, the tumor’s abnormal microenvironment may influence their behavior. Some researchers believe this environment can interfere with normal tissue repair and, under certain conditions, contribute to tumor growth rather than healthy healing. This remains an active area of cancer research.

Several of the approaches discussed later in this website, including aspirin (Chapter 3) and metformin (Chapter 4), have been studied for their potential effects on cancer stem cells and tumor metabolism. The scientific evidence for these approaches is discussed in the appropriate chapters.OK

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