From Hair Vitamins to Cancer Research: Navigating Health Claims and Nutritional Choices

Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 04-24-2025:

• Dr. Dawn issues an alert about hair growth vitamins containing high doses of biotin that can interfere with important medical tests, explaining how biotin supplementation can cause false readings for thyroid function, troponin, parathyroid hormone, sex hormones, vitamin D, testosterone, PSA, and ferritin tests.
• Responding to an email about non-stick cookware safety, she examines various ceramic-based technologies claiming to be non-toxic, noting concerns about Teflon alternatives like Thermalon and ScanPan, and recommending cast iron as the safest option, particularly for households with pregnant women.
• A caller inquires about plant-based diets after hearing a radiation oncologist's claim that all animal products are harmful. Dr. Dawn advocates for a balanced approach rather than extreme positions, suggesting practical strategies for increasing vegetable consumption without laborious food preparation.
• She discusses counterintuitive findings in cancer research where advanced age can actually reduce cancer risk, explaining how aging cells produce a protein called NUPR1 that makes them iron-deficient and less able to regenerate, potentially offering insights for new therapeutic approaches.
• A caller asks about Dr. Gundry's claims regarding lectins in foods like almonds and peas, with Dr. Dawn explaining that while lectins are plant defense mechanisms that can be toxic in high amounts, moderate consumption is generally safe because the liver builds additional enzymes to process these compounds and this improves general detoxification.
• Dr. Dawn clarifies misconceptions about soy products, explaining that fermented options like tempeh have fewer anti-nutrients than raw soybeans (edamame). Tofu while not fermented, undergoes processing that reduces anti-nutrient properties by approximately 90%.