The Muse in the Middle

Dr. Rand McClain on June 3, 2021

Stem cell replacement therapy— A gift from the gods or the end of our ethics?

When it comes to stem cell news, there seems to be no middle ground. It’s reported that either stem cell replacement therapy is a gift from the gods or it’s the end of our ethics as we know them. Very few news articles have taken the time to step away from the hype and answer some very basic questions. So, if you will, please allow me.

What’s in a Name?

Regenerative medicine focuses on regaining lost or impaired body function. Adult stem cells can replace cells that have died or just stopped working effectively. Athletes have found that they help to heal or prevent injuries. Research has also shown stem cells can help fight certain diseases and serve as an anti-aging treatment. And, of course, stem cell transplants have been used since 1957 to restore the immune system after chemotherapy for cancer and these treatments continue to be improved and used today. It’s all good stuff.

Part of the controversy surrounding stem cell replacement, pounced on by the media, is the idea that stem cells must be retrieved from human embryos or specifically the umbilical cord, which has raised ethical concerns. But the reality is that all approved therapies in the United States do NOT include cells harvested from fetal tissue and are either performed using adult stem cells or those collected from donated (and otherwise typically discarded) umbilical cords of successful healthy births. And yes, more investigation into adult stem cell use needs to be done, but the idea that medical researchers are looking to “frankenstein” the human body or scavenge for stem cells is hyperbole, to say the least. One impetus for stem cell treatments is the success observed using what one person already has an abundance of to give someone else a new lease on life, much like a transplant but much less invasive and more accessible. It’s a procedure that dates back to 1948 and was expanded in 1968 when the first adult bone marrow cells were used in clinical therapies for blood disease.

There are different kinds of adult stem cells, categorized differently depending upon their capability or potency, their use and their derivation (as well as by the branch of science or medicine that is doing the categorizing): three main types found in the blood and bone marrow called hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial stem cells, but there are other types found throughout the body, and each of these has a predilection to replace a particular type of cell. One of the most versatile types of cells is called a Muse cell – a type of cell that resembles a stem cell that increase in number under conditions of considerable stress, and exist in the blood, bone marrow, and connective tissue of various organs. So, when an organ isn’t working properly, stem cells and Muse cells collected from a donor can be administered to a patient through an IV infusion, intramuscular or intraarticular injection to regenerate tissue and restore functionality. Some might call them a doctor’s muse for healing. Too much? 

Why is the FDA Being Cautious?

The FDA is in the middle of the debate over these new therapies. They are tasked with regulating regenerative medicine products to ensure that they are safe for patients. Just like any other type of drug or medical procedure, the FDA must be cautious because they have to protect the best interest of the patient. They demand strict testing and evidence to show that these treatments aren’t harmful. But sometimes oversight can be a slow process, and, while use of stem cells and even Muse cells have been proven safe and often efficacious in many other countries, the process of proving the efficacy and safety here in the United States has not been completed. Meanwhile, patients should be wary of unqualified doctors trying to take advantage by marketing therapies that have not yet been approved or for which they have not undergone proper training.

It’s important to be your own medical advocate and do your homework. Know what regenerative therapies have been approved and what products or services are undergoing legal clinical trials. Work in consultation with your physician, and don’t take any unnecessary risks. Seek advice as if you were undergoing any other medical procedure.

Options Available Now

So, what’s available now for those interested in stem cell therapies? First, you can ask your doctor if there is a trial in your area or a reputable clinic in another country. Look for studies that mention “IRB Approval” or are part of an “IND Study” since these are those that have FDA oversight and approval to be undertaken. Take advantage of websites that provide an overview of trials and clinics throughout the world.  One of the best sites is run by The International Society for Stem Cell Research. It provides links to a wide range of other resources too. Depending on your ailment, you could also try to work on the reverse by matching your issue with a potential stem cell treatment. 

Educate yourself about whether a given clinic or treatment has been the subject of lawsuits, controversy, or negative (and well researched) publicity. Some stem cell purveyors exaggerate claims, take shortcuts with their techniques, and engage in other practices that are morally dubious. Look for clinics run by individuals with strong science and medical credentials.  Ask your doctor about the validity of their methods and specific stem cell extraction and infusion approaches.  Beware of any clinic that is selling stem cells like a late-night TV pitchman hawking slicers-and-dicers.  

Then, set a budget and determine how much, if any, insurance is willing to cover. Currently, most insurance plans will only cover stem cells collected through bone marrow transplants. Be mindful that different methods have different associated costs. In many cases, liposuction is the most cost-effective option, and those stem cells can be expanded, offering more bang for the buck.

Finally, keep track of emerging treatment developments.  Stem cells represent a rapidly evolving field, not just scientifically but from a regulatory perspective.  Invariably, new and more effective treatments will emerge for a wide range of conditions. At the same time, stem cells will gain greater acceptance overall—while the media continues to play catch up. 

Ingenious Cancer Devices

Dr. Rand McClain on March 11, 2022

Many diseases are curable or at least manageable if caught early. This means that we can improve our health span if we monitor the signs and symptoms regularly and accurately. The good news is that technology has helped produce several tests and devices that can help us with these goals. The bad news is that awareness of them is low and access to them is limited. 

Though I can certainly help raise awareness, it will take time, education, consumer demand, and technological advances before the promise of early detection and highly effective health monitoring are achieved.

So, let’s first focus on the medical devices that can aid in detecting cancer.

PSA Cancer Screening

Doctors have used the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test for prostate cancer screening for years. Even though it’s still in widespread use, its effectiveness is questionable at best. It’s telling that the inventor of the test, Richard Ablin, has admitted that it can show false positives and negatives and, therefore, is unreliable. 

Part of the problem is that a high PSA level may indicate prostate cancer, so it can save lives. But at what cost? 

Biopsies of the prostate can result in incontinence and impotence. It is worth it when approximately 15% of men with normal PSA tests have prostate cancer and when a significant percentage with abnormal PSA levels don’t. We know that PSA levels can be elevated by a variety of factors unrelated to prostate cancer, from chronic prostatitis to bike riding before the test.  

Yet the Urological Association still recommends PSA tests, and insurance companies still pay for it, incentivizing its use. For legal reasons, I’ve had to use it with patients.

The biggest problem I have with PSA tests is that a much better testing procedure exists: Multiparametric MRIs. Most people are familiar with Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which is a non-radiation-based, non-invasive test that uses a powerful magnet to align the body’s protons with the magnetic field. 

The Mighty MRI

As the name implies, multiparametric uses sequences from three different techniques to provide a more detailed view than a traditional MRI. The three techniques—T2-weighted imaging, diffusion-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhancing imaging—enable doctors to identify tissue types in the prostate, receive functional and anatomical data, and track blood flow using a contrasting agent (cancer shows up more readily using the contrasting material). All this communicates a tremendous amount of information that allows doctors to gain more insight into what’s happening with the prostate as well as make better decisions based on what they see.

While some people complain about the noise and feelings of claustrophobia in an MRI tube (the patient must remain relatively still for 20 minutes or so), it is a safe and accurate procedure—far more accurate than both a PSA test and a digital rectal exam. The latter has little value since it’s such an imprecise, subjective test, and many doctors who administer it—palpating the prostate through the anus with a gloved finger—lack the years of experience necessary to detect subtle, telltale signs of problems with the prostate. 

Because of false positives, people often undergo invasive procedures like a biopsy that can cause unnecessary harm. A multiparametric MRI can detect lesions as small as 5 millimeters, which is quite tiny. As a result, multiparametric MRIs can help physicians assess whether watchful waiting is a viable option when a cancerous lesion is spotted but is small. 

Given all these benefits, why isn’t this technology widely available?

The Culprit in Slow Adoption of New Devices 

Ultimately, the culprits are a lack of awareness and cost. The former is a problem not only for patients but for physicians—the information about multiparametric MRIs and prostate cancer communicated here isn’t widely known even in the medical community. 

Because of this lack of awareness, insurance companies generally don’t cover the cost of this test, which can be considerable. Again, I hope that this situation will change as the medical community becomes more open to alternatives and aware of how these alternatives can save their patients’ lives or at least prevent painful and unnecessary procedures.

I know I’m harping on this point, but for a good reason: Early detection of cancer often turns it into a manageable, non-fatal disease. The problem has been that we catch cancer too late, and by then, it has spread, and it’s much more difficult to control.  

Detecting Cancer Earlier

But what if we had a test that could serve as an early warning system for cancer? Such a test exists—or at least it did. Let me explain.

Dr. James Morre was a professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics. He, along with his wife, Dr. Dorothy Morre, began studying how an herbicide created uncontrolled growth in a plant. He assumed that if he could understand the process by which the plant grew abnormally, he might gain insights into how cancer grows and spreads.

ENOX2 is a protein that is found only in cancerous tissues and fetal cells. Dr. Morre identified this protein, and he spent 35 years studying it, publishing a textbook on ENOX2 proteins. Based on this extensive knowledge, he was able to invent a test that identified 25 cancers using ENOX2, including bladder, colon, esophageal, breast, kidney, lung, lymphoma, melanoma, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid, testicular, and others. It was called the Oncoblot.

By using antibodies to the ENOX2 protein, the Oncoblot creates a plot on a Western blot that identifies the weight and PH of the ENOX2 protein. This process allows the Oncoblot to figure out the cancer of origin, and it can do so even for cancers as small as 1 millimeter—that’s roughly the size of the tip of a needle. In other words, it can find cancers in their early stages—even earlier than the Multiparametric MRI, which, even with the most advanced software, can only spot at 3 millimeters.   

Given the almost miraculous capability of the Oncoblot test, then it’s tragic that it’s no longer available. Fortunately, another group has been working on replicating the Oncoblot process, and indications are that their process will be a new and improved version. This test can make a huge difference in how we treat cancer. 

It’s been estimated that if everyone had regular colonoscopies starting at the age of 50, we could cure or prevent the vast majority of colon cancers. While it’s premature to make the same statement about an Oncoblot-like test, it potentially can have an enormously positive effect on treating and preventing a wide range of cancers if widely adopted. We need a lot more studies once this test is available, but it’s tremendously positive news from a health span perspective.

Polyphenols, Cancer, and Alternative Thinking

Dr. Rand McClain on February 11, 2022

As I’ve mentioned previously, research has linked diets rich in plant foods to a lower risk of cancer, and many experts believe that polyphenols are partly responsible for this. So, let’s focus on one of the most studied polyphenols and what we’ve learned.

Got Green Tea?

As I noted, the polyphenol in green tea is epigallecatechin-3-gallate or EGCG for short. While many studies identify this polyphenol’s anti-cancer effect, let’s look at one particular study, titled, “Cancer prevention trial of a synergistic mixture of green tea concentrate plus Capsicum (CAPSOL-T) in a random population of 110 subjects ages 40-84.” This study was conducted by Claudia Hanau, Dr. James Morre and Dr. Morre’s wife, Dorothy, and one reason the study is notable is that Dr. Morre spent almost 40 years studying ENOX2 proteins and their presence in cancer. I always respect when a study represents a scientist’s life’s work.  

These proteins are only found in two places, cancer and fetal development, which is significant from a testing perspective. Dr. Morre developed a test to detect the presence of ENOX2 and called it an ONCOblot Tissue of Origin Cancer Test. In fact, testing the ENOX2’s molecular weight and isoelectric point (pH), the tissue where the cancer originated can also be identified. The test is highly sensitive, able to spot as few as 800,000 cancer cells—that sounds like a big number, but from a physiological standpoint, it’s actually a small one.  No other method can identify cancer based on this small number of cells.  

Cancer forms when mutating cells begin to grow rapidly and out of control. Cell mutations occur in our bodies all the time, but they don’t become cancers because we have a natural process that destroys these mutations. But when this process fails, cancer starts.  In these instances, we still possess the capacity to control and even reverse cancer. But we need to intervene early, and chemotherapy light can be a highly effective intervention, as the Dr. Morre study demonstrates.

More Than a Single Cup

This study also reveals that it takes more than a cup of green tea daily to control or reverse cancer. The amount of green tea concentrate used in the study was the equivalent of 16 cups of green tea. The green tea was combined with concentrated capsaicin to facilitate the polyphenol’s availability to cells, dramatically increasing its cancer-killing power. When they treated patients who were re-tested for the ENOX2 proteins, they were absent, indicating how effective the treatment was.

I’ve used the ONCOblot test in my practice, and it has identified a number of patients with ENOX2 in their blood. We followed up with additional testing, such as a multiparametric MRI for prostate cancer and mammography and biopsy for breast cancer. I also gave myself the ONCOblot test, and to my surprise, I discovered I had ENOX2 proteins in the prostate, and subsequent tests confirmed early-stage cancer. I and the other patients who tested positive underwent 90 to 180 days of treatment with CAPSOL-T use (green tea extract); some of us also combined CAPSOL-T with doses of metformin, depending on the type of cancer and patient circumstances. Some patients also had surgery.

Every patient (including myself) tested negative for ENOX2 proteins after these treatments, and additional, traditional testing confirmed that the cancer was gone.

Proceed with Caution 

As positive as I am about polyphenols, I also know that even seemingly “harmless” products such as over-the-counter medicines come with a warning. With polyphenols, the warning has to do with toxicity. Too much of anything can be a bad thing, and liver toxicity is a concern with polyphenols if you take too much or are fasting.

Perhaps more significantly, they also can have overall systemic and cellular toxicity when used as chemotherapy light. Like traditional chemotherapy, polyphenol treatments disrupt DNA beneficially in cancer cells but also in healthy cells. Chemo’s goal is to target cancer cells while sparing (through wounding) healthy cells. Thus, the polyphenol dose needs to be calibrated judiciously. Too high a dose of polyphenols, like too high a dose of traditional chemo, can devastate healthy cells while it’s destroying cancer cells.

Also, not all polyphenols are created equal. Put another way; one polyphenol may be better for a particular type of cancer than another. In addition, one polyphenol may work particularly well with another polyphenol—or you may want to avoid a particular combination because of potential toxicity or one canceling out the effects of another.  

In addition, absorption can be a problem with polyphenols. Fortunately, we can improve their bioavailability by combining them with an extract of pepper—an alkaloid extract of the black pepper family (Piper nigrum). We can also combine polyphenols with phospholipids to facilitate absorption.  

The good news is that polyphenols aren’t expensive and don’t require prescriptions. They do require consultation with a doctor who has experience using them to treat particular types of cancer to figure out the right ones to use and the doses. From a preventative medicine standpoint, however, everyone can take advantage of their cancer-fighting properties. Empirically, there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that because the French drink so much red wine and the Japanese so much green tea, they have better health and longevity than many other populations.

The Business of Medicine 

None of my enthusiasm for polyphenols blinds me to the continued need for surgery, chemo and radiation, especially for advanced forms of cancer. At the same, I’m also aware that the business of medicine causes doctors to be less aware of and enthusiastic about polyphenols as they might be.

There isn’t as much financial incentive for scientists to research anti-cancer treatments using polyphenols as there are for other, more lucrative approaches. At the same time, we’re also seeing greater medical community recognition of alternative methods and the value of naturally occurring chemicals like polyphenols. As someone who began my career studying nutrition, moved on to naturopathic and orthomolecular medicine, studied traditional Chinese medicine and then went to medical school, I’ve witnessed a shift in attitude and practice regarding alternative and complementary methods.  

Admittedly, it’s difficult to create credibility for forms of medicine such as acupuncture, where you can’t do the double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies that provide scientific validity.  Polyphenols, however, are chemicals that can be studied and should be studied more using rigorous scientific methods. 

Interestingly, traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine use herbs and herbal formulations containing polyphenols to fight cancer.  

It’s time we become even more open-minded about how we treat the illnesses and disorders that confront us, whether they are viruses, aging-related issues or cancer.

Healing and Hope

Dr. Rand McClain on January 12, 2022

It’s an exciting time as we see the emergence of a wide range of preventative and healing therapies that offer great hope, now and especially in the future. These alternative treatments represent a huge field, and it’s encouraging, particularly in terms of cancer.

Chemotherapy and radiation are effective, traditional medical tools, and I’m in no way suggesting that people should ignore them in favor of alternatives. But I want to discuss the ones I’m most excited about and explain how and why they work.  

The Power of Polyphenols

The best place to begin is with a discussion of what polyphenols are and why they’re beneficial.

The science behind polyphenols is important in that it explains why some polyphenols are so useful in treating cancer and why some can be harmful. 

Polyphenols are a group of chemicals consisting of connected phenols that are usually sufficiently large in number to form a single chemical structure. Based on the number and nature of phenols in this structure, unique properties develop. For example, they can act as antioxidants, meaning they can neutralize harmful free radicals that would otherwise damage your cells and increase your risk of several conditions such as heart disease. Polyphenols are also thought to reduce inflammation, which is considered the root cause of many chronic illnesses.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring, and they’re in fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, teas, coffee, wine, and some grains.  As a general rule, the more colorful the food is, the more polyphenols it contains. Specific, well-known polyphenols are resveratrol found in red wine, epigallcatechin-3-gallate in green tea, and curcumin in turmeric.  

Flavonoids are sub-classes of one type of polyphenol, and as you can see, they too have their own sub-classes—flavonols, isoflavones, and others. The polyphenol in green tea and curcumin in turmeric, for instance, are flavonoids. Red wine’s resveratrol, on the other hand, is a non-flavonoid polyphenol.  

Regularly consuming polyphenols is thought to boost digestion and brain health. The polyphenol-rich plant extract Ginkgo biloba is thought to boost memory, learning, and concentration. It has also been linked to improved brain activity and short-term memory in those with dementia. Polyphenols also protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. 

To demonstrate the validity of polyphenols, try this experiment: Type “Polyphenols, cancer” into the Google search box. You’ll receive almost eight million results.  If you narrow down your search to “green tea extract, cancer,” you’ll receive over 33 million hits.  About 174,000 of those are peer-reviewed or scholarly articles testifying to its effectiveness. The first result is from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website, and it recognizes that green tea extract has proven to be a promising anti-cancer treatment.

Waging War on Cancer

Now let’s dig down into how polyphenols work to fight cancer. My friend, colleague, and former college professor, Gagik Melikyan, deserves credit for first explaining to me the process by which polyphenols function. What he pointed out then and what has stuck with me since is that polyphenols convert to orthoquinones, and as such, they can do both harm and good through their effect on cellular DNA. This is especially true of polyphenols that contain ortho-hydroxy groups, such as catechins found in green tea—they oxidate easily, facilitating their ability to destroy cancer cells. It’s a similar process to traditional chemotherapy.  

For instance, Daunorubicin is a chemotherapy drug produced naturally by bacteria and is used to treat leukemia.  Like drugs such as doxorubicin, idarubicin, and epirubicin, they are highly effective anti-cancer drugs that depend on orthoquinones like those in green tea. In addition, anti-cancer research is focusing a significant amount of effort studying quinones and certain derivatives, attempting to create effective synthetic preparations.

Other naturally-occurring quinones such as juglone (from henna) and emodin (from rhubarb) also have anti-cancer activity. Still, as I alluded to earlier, the downside is that they exhibit toxicity and attack healthy cells. This has been an issue with traditional chemotherapy as well.

Where Toxicity and Effectiveness Meet

The key, therefore, is to find the sweet spot between toxicity and effectiveness. Polyphenols such as EGCG are less powerful than other ortho-quinone methide derivative drugs for cancer, such as anthracyclines, so they’re less toxic and safer.  

As such, they are useful as preventative measures for early-stage cancers. Because of this less powerful chemotherapeutic trait, many polyphenols are essentially “chemotherapy light.” Admittedly, the studies that demonstrate the viability of polyphenols for this purpose are epidemiological rather than more thorough, more rigorous studies.  Still, epidemiological studies backed by laboratory investigation suggest the effectiveness of polyphenols in the prevention and treatment of early-stage cancers.  

Ideally, medical researchers will undertake more studies of this type, but because polyphenols are not proprietary, pharmaceutical companies’ financial incentive isn’t to research these chemicals.  We really need research about how to improve the absorption of polyphenols—they’re generally poorly absorbed. 

It may be that some enterprising scientists will be motivated to develop improved absorption methods.

At this point, though, studies have correlated specific polyphenols with reducing the risk of specific cancers or preventing them. In next week’s blog post, we’ll focus on one of the most studied polyphenols and what we’ve learned.

Dr. Rand on the best and worst ways to get electrolytes this summer

TGC on August 17, 2021

Summertime driving in Houston means a new wave of billboards — often for beverages. Many are for alcoholic seltzer, which remains one of the buzziest drinks of the past few summers. But there’s a burgeoning billboard trend for electrolyte-filled sports drinks.

But what exactly are electrolytes, and why do human bodies need them?

Electrolytes are minerals, including potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium, that become ionized when we ingest them in a polar solvent, such as water, said Dr. Rand McClain, a doctor who works with professional athletes and founded LCR Health.

For instance, cells need plenty of stored sodium chloride to help the body stay hydrated.

“With sodium chloride, or table salt, it will separate and become an ion, so there’s sodium ions floating around in the water in your body,” McClain said. “When you ingest them, they go into the cell, which is where the osmosis comes in. They’re called electrolytes because of the whole electron situation going on.”

Electrolytes enter our cells throughout the day. Diets rife with milk and yogurt are sources for the electrolyte calcium, while bananas promote the electrolyte potassium. Watermelon, avocado and coconut and many other fruits and vegetables offer electrolyte boosts when we eat them regularly.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Want to fight fatigue? Start with tweaking your diet.

On days indoors with little to no physical activity, our kidneys excrete unused salt or electrolytes at a natural pace, he added. But on extremely hot days or during exercise or athletic competition, our bodies crave electrolytes because we sweating them out at a faster rate, McClain said.

For runners on race day or athletes before competitions, he recommends upping electrolyte intake, either through a diluted sports drink or by adding more regular table salt with dinner the night before.

“You don’t need fancy electrolyte drinks; I used to make my own,” McClain said. “I would get a liter of water with a quarter to half teaspoon of table salt, add lemon and honey, and voilà — you have a sports drink.”

Gatorade, the first nationally marketed electrolyte-filled sports drink, was developed in 1965 by scientists at the University of Florida hoping to create “synthetic sweat” for the Gators football team.

More than 55 years later, Gatorade has released a sweat patch, which is supposed to scan the body during a workout and relay that information to a cellphone app that will notify the person when they need to hydrate.

Sports drinks work to replenish electrolytesbecause they give you energy through added minerals potassium and magnesium, which are lost during intense workouts, he said. But our cells’ electrolyte balance is important on days when we sweat more than normal.

Sodium in our bodies controls our water balance, and electrolytes such as calcium, potassium and magnesium activate proteinsthat make our cells work properly, said Dr. Michelle Udayamurthy, managing physician at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic’s Berthelsen main campus.

When our cells have an electrolyte imbalance, we can feel nauseated, lethargic and have fluid retention in our hands and feet, Udayamurthy said. Sweat is mainly sodium chloride and water; we lose electrolytes when we sweat, which can leave us feeling wiped out.

“You 100 percent need electrolytes in your body, but it has to be a balanced amount,” Udayamurthy said. “It’s person-to-person dependent, depends on what activity you’re doing and whether you’re out in the hot sun.”

Though sports drinks contain electrolytes, many also contain too much sugar to be considered a healthful option, she said. All that sugar can make dehydration symptoms worse, too.

The American Health Association recommends adults limit their sugar intake to 24 grams a day, but a 20-ounce bottle of Gatorade Thirst Quencher contains 34 grams. Powerade has 21 grams of sugar, and Vitamin Water has 13 grams. The newer Pedialyte Sport has 14 grams of sugar per liter, and Electrolit contains 12 grams.

When it comes to drinking sports drinks marketed with electrolytes, Udayamurthy recommends diluting them withwater. Halving the sports drink mixed with half water will keep the benefits of the electrolytes while weakening the harmful effects of the sugar.

“Diluting it is better for hydration because you’re diluting the sugar but still getting the good electrolytes in that you’ll need for all that sweating you’ve been doing,” she said.

Katherine Wright, co-founder of Bounce Hydration, says sports drinks are not a long-term solution for people who dehydrate easily or are looking for an electrolyte boost. Her Houston-based company is a mobile IV clinic that services people at their homes or offices when they need additional hydration.

“The average person does not drink enough water in a day, so they feel dehydrated,” Wright said. “Sometimes you feel the effects of that dehydration with a minor headache and feeling low all around.”

Typical IV drips included saline and electrolytes, but additional vitamins are added depending on what the customer wants. The most sought-after drips are geared toward boosting the immune system, slowing the effects of aging and getting over hangovers, Wright said.

Udayamurthy does not recommend IV drips unless they’re prescribed by a doctor.

“If you have any underlying medical conditions that you may not know about, and you pump yourself full of potassium or sodium, it could be damaging to your health,” Udayamurthy said. “With IV hydration, it’s better to stick with a medical professional at a clinic or hospital setting than doing IV services.”

Both McClain and Udayamurthy agree that plain water and some salt packets can work wonders for basic hydration and electrolyte replenishment. The key is to not go overboard and be wary of sugar content and substitutes.

“When you’re sweating and working up a good pace, a little sugar can be good for you, but you don’t want a huge amount,” Udayamurthy said. “Diluting them is the easiest way to go.”

Article reposted from:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/renew-houston/nutrition/article/From-Pedialyte-to-IV-drips-here-are-the-best-and-16313851.php

Dr. Rand Dismisses Theory On How McGregor Broke His Tibia

TGC on August 17, 2021

Another doctor of sports medicine isn’t sold on a theory regarding Conor McGregor‘s broken tibia.

McGregor headlined UFC 264 alongside Dustin Poirier. This was a trilogy fight and the score was even at 1-1 going into UFC 264. Poirier emerged victorious in the trilogy bout, defeating McGregor via doctor’s stoppage in the first round when McGregor suffered the lower leg injury.

There have been many theories when it comes to McGregor’s injury. Some pinpoint preexisting leg issues as the reason for McGregor’s tibia break. Others blame the checked leg kick from Poirier, which “The Diamond” believes is the true cause.

Dr. David Abbassi recently dismissed the notion that McGregor had stress fractures ahead of UFC 264. Abbassi has served as a ringside physician for the UFC, Bellator, and ONE Championship.

One interesting case that has been made is that the “Notorious” one’s shin came in contact with Poirier’s elbow off a kick, which ultimately led to the tibia break.

FanSided reached out to Dr. Rand McClain, who specializes in sports medicine and has treated numerous athletes. He dismissed the idea that McGregor’s injury was the result of his shin coming in contact with Poirier’s elbow.

“With the supposed kick to the elbow, if you look closely, and again you don’t have to be an expert to have a great view. That was a glancing blow and it really didn’t hit the elbow, it’s more of the inside of the arm and it wasn’t enough energy or force, you can see there wasn’t an abrupt stoppage. It’s just so obvious if you look at those two scenarios (the other being a checked leg kick) on video, that’s not what happened.

“He does seem to roll his ankle because the fracture occurs and he loses his balance. And of course, basic physics takes over and he rolls it laterally and probably to jump to the next question you might be asking me: so what was it? It’s hard to tell but it could have been cumulative. These are fighters and there’s a lot of contact with a tibia to multiple body parts that could have led to a weakening.”

McGregor has undergone successful surgery. He’ll be on crutches for a few weeks.

Republished from:
https://www.mmanews.com/2021/07/another-doctor-dismisses-theory-on-how-mcgregor-broke-his-tibia/

Dr. Rand on the 3 hardest Olympics Sports

TGC on August 17, 2021

What’s the hardest summer Olympic sport? That question is just as much up for debate as the answer. 

“What’s harder?” Dr. Rand McClain, chief medical officer of LCR Health who treats elite and amateur athletes, rhetorically asked Insider.

“Holding your breath under water while pushing most of your lower body above water? Continuing to bicycle right at your anaerobic threshold for as long as possible? Standing opposite an opponent who just hit you squarely in the jaw … in fear of being permanently injured or dying?” 

At the Olympic level, it’s all superhuman-level hard. But a few sports stand out as the most difficult of them all.

Insider asked six sports medicine professionals to name the toughest sports we’ll see in Tokyo based on the physical, technical, and mental strength needed. 

Water polo was named the most physically strenuous Olympic sport 

Water polo often tops lists of most difficult sports. In 2016, Bleacher Report declared it to be “the toughest sport in the world” based on six parameters: strength, endurance, speed, agility, skill, and physicality. 

On top of treading water for 30 minutes and swimming up to a mile per game, athletes “sneak in blows to each other similar to ice hockey and soccer, while trying to not touch the ground, not drown, and score points all at the same time,” Nandini Collins, a trainer and exercise physiologist who works at Noom, told Insider. “Water polo is played with reckless abandon and is more violent than spectators assume.”

Dr. Naresh Rao, an osteopathic primary care physician who serves as the head physician for the US men’s water polo team, told Insider water polo is strenuous because it requires both aerobic (used for endurance) and anaerobic (used for sprints) capacity. https://c8a3deca1419a2287313b38e913db356.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

McClain was unequivocal about his vote for water polo: It’s “the ‘hardest’ summer Olympic sport,” he said. “Why? It requires the highest VO2 max of any of them.” However, the data on that theory is mixed, with many top swimmers, distance runners, and cyclists all having exceptional VO2 maxes, or a measure of how efficiently your body exchanges oxygen. 

Gymnastics won the most points for technical and mental strength 

Simone Biles.

Four of the seven experts named gymastics the most demanding sport in at least one of the categories: physical, technical, and mental strength. 

“There is a high level of risk with the elements, and gymnasts are required to master balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance of both upper and lower extremities in order to achieve Olympic-level greatness, Dr. Kathleen Davenport, the director of Physiatry HSS Florida who works with dancers, told Insider. 

They also need “power and explosiveness” Nandini said. And mentally, Davenport added, they need “an extreme level of focus” to perform dangerous stunts — even after a crushing fall. ADVERTISING

A few other sports took bronze  

Swimming earned one vote for overall toughness and another for mental strength, since it’s a “sensory deprivation sport,” HSS’s Dr. Tate Greditzer, a former professional water polo player, told Insider. 

Boxers, decathletes, and 800-meter sprinters each got a vote as the most physically challenging sport. 

In the 800, “runners literally have to run at 90% of their full speed for well under two minutes,” trainer Jon P of Stop Crying Studios told Insider. The one time he ran it, he felt “complete numbness, inside and out” afterwards. “My vision blurred, I couldn’t catch my breath, or gather enough oxygen to stand upright for a while,” he said. 

Surfing and pole vault each got a vote for the most technically difficult sport. 

For mental strength, tennis, and the marathon earned a vote, though all Olympians are exceptional in that department, Dr. Kevin Bernstein, the chief medical officer at Peaks Coaching Group, told Insider.

“Most of those that lack mental strength do not get this far solely with raw physical talent, regardless of sport.”

Article reposted from:
https://www.insider.com/the-3-hardest-olympic-sports-according-to-experts-2021-7

Dr. Rand on Conor McGregor’s Rehab

TGC on August 17, 2021

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and UFC fighter Conor McGregor are rehabbing together in Los Angeles.

The Atlanta Braves‘ chances of winning are always greater when star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is in the lineup. However, the Braves will now have to go the remainder of the season without Acuña after he tore his ACL during a game against the Miami Marlins just before the All-Star break. Now, Acuna is on the road to recovery, alongside a huge star in his own right. Guillermo Arcay of Meridiano TV posted a photo on Twitter showing Acuña alongside UFC fighter Conor McGregor in Los Angeles rehabilitating their respective injuries.

Braves: Ronald Acuña Jr. rehabbing alongside UFC star Conor McGregor

McGregor, like Acuña, suffered a devastating injury on the very same weekend. During his rematch against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264, McGregor broke his tibia and fibula in the first round, resulting in him losing via technical knockout.

While there is no official timetable for McGregor’s return, Dr. Rand McClain recently spoke with FanSided MMA and discussed when he would clear the fighter if he were treating him.

“Looking at him as an exceptional athlete, I would be more likely to give him the okay to get back in the ring sooner than your average person,” McClain said. “He’s young, he would likely heal. I would probably say he can resume training as long as he’s not jumping up and down, he can start hitting the bag as early as three weeks. And then bicycle work, continuous bag work, and ring work at six weeks, and then again if everything’s going well, he would have full clearance. Most likely by 12 weeks to do everything else he feels like doing.”

Acuña suffered his knee injury when attempting to catch a fly ball hit by Marlins rookie Jazz Chisholm Jr. Acuña attempted to walk off the field, but sat down on the field to wait for a cart to drive him to the dugout. After undergoing testing, it was determined that Atlanta’s star outfielder is done for the season with a torn ACL. It is possible that Acuña could miss the start of the 2022 season due to him being sidelined between 9-to-10 months.

While Acuña’s injury is massive, the team tried their best to fill the void in the outfield by acquiring Joc Pederson from the Chicago Cubs. It remains to be seen what other moves, if any, the Braves will make as the trade deadline approaches this Friday.

Reposted from:
https://fansided.com/2021/07/27/ronald-acuna-jr-conor-mcgregor-rehabbing-together/

Expert: people who wear non-medical grade masks should consider doubling up for better protection

Dr. Rand McClain on June 9, 2021

PHOENIX – Masks have become a part of our lives during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as studies prove that masks help minimize the virus’ transmission.

At President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, all in attendance were wearing masks, and some were even seen wearing two. Wearing two masks is starting to become more common, as more people are looking to do so, as a way to provide themselves another layer of protection.

Medical experts, including Dr. Rand McClain with LCR Health, say it actually isn’t a bad idea.

“The idea of doubling up on the mask is to up the mesh, if you will,” said Dr. McClain. “Those who have made their own out of cotton fabric will get and give better protection.”

Due to the shortage of the N95 masks, many people had to get creative by making their own face coverings out of cotton materials, or use bandanas for protection.

“The problem with those is the filter, if you will, isn’t as tight as an N95 mask,” said Dr. McClain. “More virions can pass through the mask that way, and this is where the second mask may come in handy. You are limiting the number of particles so you might not come down with it.”

Dr. McClain says those who wear surgical masks probably won’t need to double up, but those using non-medical grade masks or homemade masks should consider doubling up.

COVID-19 symptoms

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu. 

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

COVID-19 resources

CDC Website for COVID-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus

https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html (In Spanish/En Español)

AZDHS Website for COVID-19

https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home

https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/es/covid-19/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home (In Spanish/En Español)