Didn't do much today, just some pullups, and a morning bike sprint on my 2.5 mile course with hills. Super beautiful here. Best time of year.
2.5 mile bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl
PR - 10:18
I went to my final appt with the oncologist that my PCP sent me to. I did so mainly to get another free set of tests. He basically said I don't have cancer and so long as I'm getting followup on my cysts, I don't need to see him. He noted the genetic test had not produced risk factors (nor did the Grail test).
I had the same tests I had 2 weeks ago and they were worse. Not surprising because I let my diet go since Roya has left. Instead of fresh vegetables and salads, been eating more fat like nuts, sunflower butter, chocolate, more sugars like fruit preserves on crackers and Royo bread.
The good: my liver enzymes were fine, ALT, AST = 17, 20; glucose 86. The bad: My CA 19-9 was up 10 points to 64, my eGFR was down 12 points to 58, my creatinine was borderline high (1.25), and my protein (6.2) and globulin (2.0) were low, chloride was high (108). My albumin and everything else was normal, as was my CBC. Dr. told me not to worry about the CA 19-9 unless it sky rockets into the hundreds. The other seems to point to slow kidney function. These eGFR readings are on the low side of typical for me however. AI said my most significant reading is the low eGFR, and that the elevated CA 19-9 could be related to my reduced kidney function.
CMPs are cheap, $23. CA19-9 are $45. I'll test again at some point during my travels to ATL.
Probably would be good to do another 60 hr fast at some point.
Best time of year because I'm looking at the longest vacation time coming up. Weather has been great.
There is no reason to think a 60 hour fast is helpful. There are too many unknowns and the laboratory findings on mice did not translate. For that I mean there was a ground breaking study looking at the impact of extended water fasts on immune system and for mice it crushed the immune profile (killed off immune cells) and with feeding the immune profile regenerated and the proportion of native immune cells was higher which theoretically means more immune cells available to combat new infections or diseases (at the cost of fewer pre programmed cells to go after repeat infections). But when they tried it on humans it didn’t reproduce, humans just had lower immune cell counts even after re feeding. Also recent data shows that repeated fasting or periods of under feeding damage the pancreas and can result in a type of diabetes.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I’ve tried to make the point on your blog (repeatedly) that human history is full of examples of people with limited information or without the ability to synthesize existing information trying to take action to improve health outcomes, like your causing minor liver injury with supplements to reduce blood lipids. Statistically speaking the chances of repeat extended fasts causing harm are much greater than causing benefits.
About your kidney function I’ve yet to see you post a cystatin c result. Creatinine is an imperfect endogenous marker as it is secreted by the tubules. So after the glomeruli filter the blood it is returned to circulation by the tubules. So the perfect endogenous marker would be one filtered by the glomeruli but not secreted to urine (all what is not filtered returned to circulation) by the tubules. But tubules secrete creatinine into the urine masking kidney decay. This is why by the time you get to the upper normal for plasma creatinine you have lost 50 percent of your nephrons, kind of like not being able to run faster than a 130 second 400 meter. The reason is that the tubules COMPENSATE and increase secretion of creatinine as the kidneys filtration ability declines. So knowing your cystantin c level is critical. It may also reveal significantly better kidney function than creatinine as you have high muscle mass, which would be a good finding.
Who is talking about an extended water fast? Not me. Fasting induces autophagy.
DeleteI requested a followup with my PCP on this issue, requested an eGFR, with Creatinine and Cystatin C. I also may purchase these from Ulta, just $72
DeleteThe answer is in your own words - "I let my diet go".
ReplyDeleteFix that.
Stick to a healthy basic diet with portions of relevant size. You tend to binge on non-optimal foods. There are some studies that suggest a longer overnight break from feeding (eg eat evening meal `early` and breakfast `late`) is of some value in clearance of old cells and regeneration. And some people have a subjective air of feeling better/lighter. But these speak of say a 12 hour overnight fasting window. A simple online search of longer duration fasts shows some subjective benefits but few proven positive medical outcomes. Along with numerous risks.
True, I have difficulty eating just one handful of nuts or a few chips. Usually after a handful of pistachios, I'm tipping the bag upside down into my mouth. BETTER NOT TO START. If you call 12 hrs a "fast", I do at least 14 hrs or more every day, often longer.
Delete