Q&A #29 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (11/6/2021)

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In this Q&A, Dr. Rhonda Patrick sugar & artificial sweeteners, dairy consumption & cancer risk, sleep supplements, heart rate variability, red light therapy, and more. Timestamps include:
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Does consuming either high-fat or low-fat dairy increase cancer risk?
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What is your take on these supplements for sleep: Magnesium threonate, apigenin and L-Theanine?
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Is magnesium malate superior to other forms of magnesium supplementation?
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For people with ADHD, what foods, supplements, and lifestyle choices have been shown scientifically to make a difference?
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Does high dose omega-3 increase risk of atrial fibrillation?
Is supplementing with magnesium, apigenin and L-theanine beneficial for sleep?
Magnesium
Interest in magnesium's effects on sleep is growing, and multiple mechanisms have been implicated in its role in sleep regulation.
For example, evidence suggests that magnesium is an antagonist to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and an agonist to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These compounds play critical roles in maintaining aspects of sleep architecture, particularly slow-wave sleep, which relies heavily on the glutamatergic and GABAergic systems.[1], [2], [3] Additionally, magnesium serves as an endogenous inhibitor of the NMDA receptor, promoting the cellular influx of potassium ions and enhancing sleep quality.[4] Magnesium also enhances the activity of serotonin N-acetyltransferase, an enzyme required for melatonin synthesis,[5] potentially improving sleep.[1], [2], [6] Interestingly, sleep deprivation markedly depletes magnesium levels,[7] but whether these alterations create a vicious cycle of sleep impairments is unclear.
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Q: Does consuming either high-fat or low-fat dairy increase cancer risk?
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Every 400g/day of total dairy products was associated with a 17% decreased risk of colorectal cancer and every 200 g/day of milk consumption was associated with a 9% decreased risk. 1
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High dairy consumption is associated with a 38% decreased risk of colorectal cancer and milk consumption by 20% decreased risk. 1
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26% decreased risk of colon cancer in men drinking 2 or more glasses of milk per day. 1
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Compared to those who drink the least amount of milk, those who drank a quarter to half a glass/day had a 6% decreased risk, those who drank half to 1 glass/day had a 12% decreased risk, and those who drank at least 1 glass of milk/day had a 15% decreased risk. 1
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Modest dairy consumption (400-600 g/day) was associated with a 6% reduced risk of breast cancer and high dairy consumption (>600g/day) was associated with a 10% reduced risk. 1
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Those with the highest intake of total dairy food had a 15% decreased risk of breast cancer. 1
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Retrospective case-control studies on cancer risk are susceptible to recall bias. 1
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One meta-analysis showed for every 400 g/daily dairy consumption there is a 7% increased risk of prostate cancer, and every 200g/day of milk was associated with a 3% increased risk. 1
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A different meta-analysis showing no association between dairy consumption and prostate cancer risk. 1
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Meta-analyses have shown no association between dairy consumption and bladder cancer. 1
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Q: What is your take on these supplements suggested for sleep by Dr. Huberman: Magnesium threonate, apigenin and L-Theanine?
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The limited data on magnesium threonate showed it improved sleep quality comparable to placebo. 1
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Q: Is magnesium malate superior to other forms of magnesium supplementation?
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Q: For people with ADHD, what foods, supplements, and lifestyle choices have been shown scientifically to make a difference?
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Vitamin D plays a critical role in impulse control by regulating serotonin levels in the brain.
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30 minutes of exercise prior to going to school improves impulse control in children with ADHD. 1
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A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showed that 4 months of daily Ashwagandha improved attention in children with ADHD compared to placebo. 1
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One small double-blinded placebo-controlled randomized trial showed that 1mg/kg/day of maritime pine was able to improve symptoms of ADHD. 1
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Clinical trials from the 1970s showed evidence that caffeine is a safe option for treating adolescents with ADHD. 1
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Rhonda's recommendation for children's multivitamin.
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Q: What are your thoughts about using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as KPI for health and fitness?
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Q: Do you still use CocoaVia?
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Q: Sugar consumption
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Q: What is the best / worst time of day to consume sugar?
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Q: What are your thoughts on glucose vs fructose?
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Q: If occasionally eating fruit, is this better with some fat / protein or alone?
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Q: Would you talk about red light therapy?
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One meta-analysis found a significant placebo effect in infrared lamps. 1
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Q: What are the benefits of cryotherapy aside from exercise recovery?
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Q: Does high dose omega-3 increase risk of atrial fibrillation?
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Q: Is there evidence that a high “good” fats diet with relatively low carbs is healthy, if not in ketosis?
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Q: We are so close to getting an outdoor sauna, but stuck after reading this recent study linking heat shock proteins to heart valve calcification: Do you interpret this as saying HSPs are the cause or effect of calcification in this scenario? 1
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Q: What parenting methods do you recommend?
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Q: Is it okay to use the sauna right after exercise?
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Q: What pro-fertility supplements would you suggest when trying to conceive?
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Q: What is the best broccoli supplement to take? (eg-BROC). Would it have any effect on thyroid function in an older menopausal woman?
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Q: When is the omega-3 supplementation spreadsheet going to go public?
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Q: What is better at giving us the benefits of stress shock proteins? Heat in a sauna or subzero temperatures in cryogenic therapy?
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Q: How would you recommend getting into ketosis?
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Watch previously recorded Q&As with Dr. Rhonda Patrick

Q&A #70 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (5/3/25)
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses cancer prevention, linoleic acid, shingles vaccine and dementia, creatine's kidney effects, and shares her overnight oats recipe.

Q&A #69 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (4/5/25)
Dr. Rhonda Patrick covers lithium microdosing, reducing homocysteine, aluminum's link to cancer, and beta-alanine and alpha-lipoic acid supplements.

Q&A #68 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (3/1/25)
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses saturated fats and LDL, luteolin's benefits, glyphosate risks, natural vs. artificial flavors, and black cumin seed effects.

Q&A #67 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (2/8/25)
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses microdosing nicotine, GlyNac benefits, intermittent fasting and hair loss, and cold & flu relief.

Q&A #66 with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (1/4/25)
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses GLP-1 agonists, alpha-lipoic acid, ubiquinone vs. ubiquinol, calcium needs, and liquid biopsy cancer screening.