Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
Do Antioxidant Supplements Promote Cancer? | Isaac Harris | 296
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New research finds that excess antioxidants can support tumor growth in preexisting cancers.
TOPICS DISCUSSED:
- Oxidative Stress: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by mitochondrial metabolism cause damage; context determines whether they promote or suppress cancer.
- Glutathione Biology: Primary cellular antioxidant made from cysteine, glycine, and glutamate; works with peroxidase enzymes to protect against ROS.
- Antioxidant Paradox: Clinical trials (SELECT vitamin E, beta-carotene) showed supplements increased cancer rather than preventing it.
- Cancer Antioxidant Hijacking: Tumors ramp up antioxidant systems to handle high metabolic rates and survive stress including metastasis.
- Extracellular Glutathione Catabolism: Cancer cells break down external glutathione into amino acids, particularly cysteine, to fuel growth (new findings).
- Therapeutic Window: Blocking glutathione breakdown slows tumors in models while sparing normal cells.
- Diet vs Supplements: Balanced diets support glutathione needs; excess isolated antioxidants may enrich the tumor microenvironment.
ABOUT THE GUEST: Isaac Harris, PhD is a biologist working on the role of antioxidants in health, disease, and cancer metabolism.
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