Keeping Death at Bay | Dr. Adeel Khan | EP 409

29 Dec 2023 (12 months ago)

Announcement of a new tour for 2024.

Coming up

Discussion of genetic reprogramming to revert cells back to an embryonic stem cell state for regenerative medicine.

Intro

Introduction of Dr. Adil Khan, a Canadian physician specializing in regenerative medicine.
Potential of new treatment protocols for depression, chronic pain, degenerative diseases, gene therapy, stem cell usage, and tissue engineering.

Treating Tammy and Jordan

Dr. Khan treated Jordan's wife, Tammy, using regenerative medicine to address chronic pain caused by osteoarthritis and small tears in the tendons around joints.

Using ultrasounds to diagnose

Ultrasound is used for diagnosis and intervention by guiding the needle directly to the damaged area.

Using AI to combat MS and other autoimmune diseases

Development of a machine learning neural net to distinguish ultrasound images.
Ultrasonographers specially trained to guide physicians in diagnosing and treating tissue issues.

Exosomes and Stem cells

Use of exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells to repair and regenerate tissue.
Exploration of different sources of stem cells and their potential for tissue repair and regeneration.

What’s the difference between a Stem cell and a cancer cell?

Cancer cells lose the ability to stop replicating and undergo apoptosis, leading to uncontrolled growth.
Targeting cancer stem cells is an active area of research.
Not all stem cells are safe, as undifferentiated tissue in the wrong place can lead to tumor growth.
Mesenchymal stem cells have a finite ability to grow and differentiate, making them safe for therapeutic use.

Why MS is so tricky

Multiple sclerosis (MS) requires a holistic approach as it involves autoimmune and various other components.
Second-generation stem cells, termed Gene edited stem cells, are being developed to treat MS, allowing the reprogramming of somatic cells into an embryonic stem cell state.

Junk DNA and blind fruit flies

Genetic information stored in junk DNA can lead to the regeneration of lost traits, as seen in the case of blind fruit flies regaining their eyes over generations.
Regenerative medicine aims to use customized cell and gene therapy to restore the body to a previous healthy state.

Regenerative medicine versus standard medicine

Regenerative medicine offers a shift from giving pills for chronic diseases to providing customized cell therapies that treat the root cause.
Gene-edited CAR T-cells have shown success in putting patients with lupus into remission, offering promising results for chronic disease management.

How we will treat cancer

CAR T-cells and natural killer cells are being gene-edited to target and kill cancer cells, showing promising results in treating various types of tumors.

Why is there a 10 year lag?

Cell therapies for cancer have been used in Japan for over 10 years but are new to the US, showing a disconnect in medical advancements.
Regulatory bodies in North America make it difficult for cell and gene therapies to be approved, whereas Japan has a framework for regulated medicine since 2014.
Pharmaceutical companies in the US may influence decision-making due to their significant lobbying and advertising to doctors.

How Dr. Khan entered the field of regenerative medicine

Dr. Khan's interest in regenerative medicine stemmed from his experience as a personal trainer, witnessing the impact of exercise on chronic diseases.
He questioned the lack of nutrition education in medical school and pursued functional and integrated medicine alongside allopathic medicine.

The Temple of Asclepius, how we’re going to look back on this era of medicine

Dr. Khan visited the Temple of Asclepius in Greece, noting their multi-dimensional approach to health involving vision, drama, exercise, and massage, which he saw as more sophisticated than current medical practices.
Predicts that in 30 years, people will recognize the failures of the current healthcare system and the challenges of promoting healthy living in an obesogenic environment. Aiming to build body resilience through gene therapy to counteract the environment's negative effects.

Why behavioral changes are nearly impossible for most people, social determinism (36m13s)

Behavioral changes are difficult, even for small changes like New Year's resolutions.
Asking people to make radical lifestyle changes is challenging.
Low socioeconomic status is a predictor of long-term health issues.
Diets involving food restriction are likely to fail and may lead to weight gain post-diet.

Why most diets fail, and how eating disorders form (38m13s)

Diets involving chronic hunger are doomed to fail.
Ketogenic or Carnivore diets are beneficial as they do not require hunger.
Diets with chronic hunger may lead to the development of eating disorders.
Developing a healthy relationship with food requires cognitive behavioral therapy and strategic planning.

Disillusioned in medical school, “medicine is more than giving pills to people” (40m0s)

Disillusionment with the medical system due to the focus on giving pills rather than addressing root causes of illnesses.
Most surgical specialties treat end stages of chronic diseases, many of which are related to lifestyle.

Learning to read like a scientist (43m42s)

Self-taught process of reading scientific literature relevant to regenerative medicine.
Highlighting the difference in training between physicians and research scientists.

People do not understand this (47m23s)

Chronic pain leads to mental health issues and disability.
Chronic muscular-skeletal conditions have a high cost to society in terms of work days lost and disability burden.

On the forefront, what Dr. Khan is doing now (48m1s)

Practices regenerative medicine as an aspect of Lifestyle medicine, involving sleep, exercise, and stress analysis
Works with a team of health coaches and biochemists to optimize nutrition and lifestyle
Commonly treats ostearthritis, which is related to chronic inflammation and Hallmarks of Aging
Uses advanced diagnostics including exome technology for early detection of diseases

Fake Stem cell clinics, the Pareto principle (51m30s)

Stem cell clinics are a concern due to a black market and lack of FDA regulation
Identifies a Pareto distribution problem, where only a minority of practitioners are knowledgeable
Compares the issue to that of plastic surgery

Why trust Dr. Khan? (52m24s)

Emphasizes a patient-first approach and transparent, honest communication
Aims for accessibility and hopes for insurance coverage of treatments
Focused on making a difference and helping people, rather than monetary gains

Osteoarthritis, each stage and how we treat them (54m38s)

Treats stage 3 and 4 osteoarthritis with stem cells for inflammatory-based or cartilage-related issues
Describes the transition to second-generation stem cells specifically for osteoarthritis

Successes in treatment (56m53s)

Treats chronic complex conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, toxic mold, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease
Aims to restore immune system function using stem cells, peptide protocols, and microbial transplant pills

Fixing the gut microbiome, what children are missing if born via C-section (58m15s)

Microbiome pills manufactured in Mexico
Scientist Dr. Caroline Gabis specializes in human microbiome
Treatment lasts one week and can impact the body significantly
FMT pills work for anti-aging and longevity
Can be used for children post-antibiotic treatment
C-section birth can lead to lack of exposure to vaginal flora, causing post-birth issues
Immune dysfunction is crucial in governing chronic diseases
Proper immune system training at a young age is important

“There isn’t any such thing as depression” (1h1m3s)

Depression is a result of multiple medical and physical conditions
Chronic depression is linked to inflammation and SSRI's anti-inflammatory effects
Statins reduce mortality by reducing inflammation
Chronic immune dysfunction from the gut can cause chronic inflammation
Interventional treatment utilizes intravenous exosomes to reduce neural inflammation
Unresolved emotional trauma from childhood linked to depressive and anxiety disorders

Physiological depression (1h5m24s)

Rapid response to SSRI's noted in some clients
Two forms of depression: one caused by life issues and the other physiological
People with functional lives but suffering dreadfully may benefit from physiological intervention
Research on the effectiveness of anti-depressants might be clearer with a proper diagnostic setup

Treating veterans with a 5-minute procedure

Dr. Adeel Khan shares a case of a special forces operative with severe PTSD who was contemplating suicide.
He used a 5-minute procedure involving Stell ganglion and vagus nerve blocks to help the patient.
Dr. Khan explains the use of anesthetics and peptides to suppress sympathetic overdrive and modulate the vagus nerve.
The patient experienced immediate relief, expressing gratitude with a symbolic gesture, and is now doing much better.

Positive feedback loops in health

Dr. Khan discusses how psychiatric conditions can be self-sustaining positive feedback loops, exacerbating the symptoms.
He emphasizes the importance of interventions that break these spirals and shares his experience in treating hundreds of individuals, including those with panic attacks and low stress resilience.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Dr. Khan identifies adverse childhood events as a key indicator for unresolved trauma in the patients he treats.
He discusses using personality assessments and the Big Five personality inventory to measure changes in trait neuroticism post-treatment.

Personality testing, psilocybin experiences and changes

Dr. Khan and the interviewer discuss the potential impact of their intervention on emotional resilience and personality traits.
They consider the combination of physiological interventions with psilocybin-assisted therapy and the positive effects observed in individuals suffering from PTSD and depression.

The discussion sheds light on the success of a short intervention for severe PTSD, the impact of positive feedback loops on psychiatric conditions, and the potential for using personality assessments and psilocybin therapy in conjunction with physiological interventions.

Multimodal intervention, the hallmarks of aging

Multimodal interventions are important for improving patients' health and quality of life.
Traditional randomized control trials may not represent how the body responds to multiple interventions, especially in cases of patients requiring alternative treatments.
Clinical trials for gene therapy, specifically reversible plasmid gene therapy (fosta), are being conducted to target conditions such as sarcopenia, involving loss of muscle in aging individuals.

Fasting and longevity

Fasting activates pathways associated with anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects, which can impact the hallmarks of aging.
Phase two trial for fall statin gene therapy, targeting sarcopenia, osteopenia, and inflammatory markers, is set to begin in Spring 2024 in Canada, with participants ranging from 30 to 80 years old.

The problem with CRISPR

While CRISPR is more powerful, it has off-site targets, posing risks, whereas reversible plasmid gene therapy offers accuracy without such off-target effects.

Tissue engineering

The intersection of gene therapy and cell therapy allows for regrowing cartilage using engineered stem cells embedded into a scaffold, with trials already underway.

Balancing the business with the cause

Creating scalable technologies and conducting large-scale trials is seen as a way to help millions of people and potentially eradicate chronic diseases.

Toxic mold, Dr. Peterson's next treatment (1h29m33s)

Toxic mold hijacks the immune system, making it difficult to function properly
The first treatment involved intervenous stem cells and exosomes to build resilience and treat systemic issues
Intervenous natural killer cells will be used to kill chronic fungal infections caused by mold
Mold toxicity is underappreciated and can lead to chronic illnesses
Fungal infections might be a potential risk factor for cancer
Strengthening the immune system and building resilience is crucial to combat chronic infections
FMT (Fecal Microbial Transplant) may also be used to strengthen the immune system

If interested in these treatments and research, check out these podcasts (1h32m33s)

Scientific podcasts like the stem cell podcast and the Immunology podcast are recommended for in-depth information
The podcasts feature top-tier academic scientists discussing various topics related to treatments and research
Academic scientists are working to make these treatments accessible to patients and provide hope for the future of medicine