Beneath is an approximation of this video’s audio content material. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, photos, and quotes to which Dr. Greger could also be referring, watch the above video.
In my video on pomegranates and prostate most cancers, pomegranate tablets appeared ineffective within the remedy for prostate most cancers. And, the identical disappointing outcomes with a “pomegranate beverage”—however that was only a “pomegranate extract” as properly. So, perhaps the “pomegranate [itself] can’t be blamed for the ineffectiveness seen within the research…however [rather] the low dose of the pomegranate lively precept[s in the extract].” However what’s the lively precept? Extracts will boast concerning the degree of ellagic acid—”[d]efinitely…one of many [more] potent of the phytochemicals present in pomegranate. Nonetheless, it isn’t as robust as [the] pomegranate [itself].”
What they imply is that the elements might act synergistically; the entire could also be better than the sum of its components. Listed here are human prostate most cancers cells in a petri dish, churning away at 100% progress. However drip on this pomegranate fraction and the most cancers progress price is lower 30%. However, this different fraction appeared ineffective. So, in the event you add them each collectively, what do you suppose would occur? 30% suppression plus zero suppression equals 70% suppression! That’s synergy, the place 1 + 1 is bigger than 2. Right here they’re beneath a microscope—that’s what prostate most cancers cells appear like. Right here’s with the 30% compound. Right here’s with the ineffective one, and right here’s with each.
So, “[a]ny try and characterize the…energy of a medicinal meals by standardizing a single chemical is lacking the complete level of [plant-based] medication.” So, the standardized extracts “signify[s] a cynical, [money]-driven try to switch the ability of the pomegranate with the ability of ellagic acid.” However, “[t]he pomegranate wants no such methods or enhancements.” It’s highly effective as is. So, why don’t they only strive the fruit out on most cancers sufferers?
As a result of you may’t stuff a pomegranate in a capsule. So, you may’t evaluate it to an indistinguishable sugar-pill placebo. Medicine are simple to review; individuals don’t know if they’re taking the lively drug or the placebo. However they have a tendency to note in the event that they’re consuming a pomegranate or not. So, in the event you gave a bunch of most cancers sufferers some pomegranates to eat, and the most cancers slowed down, you wouldn’t know if it was the pomegranates or simply the placebo impact. In fact, the sufferers wouldn’t care—in the event that they acquired higher, who cares? However to vary medical observe, we need to know if the fruit is really one thing particular. I suppose you may create some type of pomegranate smoothie versus some pretend smoothie, however that sounds logistically troublesome. So, researchers tried powdering it. 199 males with prostate most cancers both acquired a placebo or a pill, thrice a day, containing 100mg of entire powdered pomegranate. Now, this was the entire fruit, simply with the water taken out. Besides, how a lot can you slot in a pill? Comes out to be about six pomegranate seeds’ value a day. That’s about 1/100 of a pomegranate a day!
Since they may match so little in a capsule, they tried to maximise their probabilities of beating again the most cancers utilizing variety. In case you have two teams of individuals consuming roughly the identical quantity of vegatables and fruits, however one group ate a comparatively low organic variety food plan, the place they ate tons of actually wholesome meals, however simply much less selection than smaller servings of a high-diversity food plan, which group would win when it comes to defending their DNA from free radical injury? The high-diversity group. This means that “smaller quantities of many phytochemicals might have a better potential to exert helpful results than bigger quantities of fewer phytochemicals.”
Similar consequence for irritation. Higher selection in fruit and vegetable consumption is related to decrease irritation, even in the event you eat the identical variety of servings. Similar with bettering cognitive operate. “[G]reater selection in fruit and vegetable consumption was related to a greater [mental status], government operate, consideration, [and] reminiscence operate [in some cases]—even after adjustment for whole amount.”
So, in case you have two individuals consuming the identical variety of servings of wholesome meals, the one consuming a better selection might do higher. So, the researchers didn’t simply put in some pomegranate powder, they added some powdered broccoli too, and a few powdered turmeric, and a few powdered inexperienced tea focus. So, a fruit, a vegetable, spice and leaf, however tiny quantities—that’s like one floret of broccoli a day, lower than an eighth-teaspoon a day of turmeric, and about one-sixth of a tea bag value of inexperienced tea. All nice vegetation, however might such tiny quantities really have an effect on the development of most cancers?
Sure. Within the group of males with early-stage prostate most cancers attempting to keep away from surgical procedure, the PSA ranges rose within the placebo group; rose almost 50%—indicating the most cancers continued to flourish, whereas within the pomegranate/broccoli/turmeric/inexperienced tea Meals Complement group, the PSAs didn’t rise in any respect. And, in these with extra superior illness—already had surgical procedure or radiation, and attempting to keep away from chemo—a 70% better rise within the placebo group. That was sufficient to considerably delay a few of the extra poisonous remedy. So, vital short-term, favorable results—see, they solely had sufficient cash to run the research for six months, as a result of it was a non-commercial endeavor, funded by charity. This wasn’t some complement firm—in truth, there was no complement till the investigators dreamed it up from scratch.
In fact, now there’s a complement, given the research’s extraordinary outcomes, however the one cause the researchers put the meals in capsule type was to match it with a placebo. In my thoughts, what this research ought to inform most cancers sufferers is to eat curried broccoli with fruit for dessert, and sip some inexperienced tea. A totally plant-based food plan might even shrink the tumor, not simply gradual it down. However there’s no cause we are able to’t do each, a plant-based food plan chock-full of particularly highly effective vegetation.
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