The Yin & Yang Of Phytates

By Atom Bergstrom

Atom’s Blog

Adano Ley (Swami Nitty-Gritty) warned me that oat bran can clog the intestines.

I argued back that oat bran, unlike wheat bran, is water-soluble and doesn’t pose a threat.

He told me, “Be my guest.”

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Not too many months later, a newspaper article mentioned a man having intestinal surgery from eating oat bran muffins.

Within a year, doctors were warning about excess oat bran, and advising people to drink plenty of water if they ate it.

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Oat bran is high in the anti-nutrient phytate.

The longer it’s cooked, the less phytates remain.

Ditto for whole oats.

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Every cloud has a silver lining, so Andrew Weil, M.D., wrote …

“You also should be aware that phytates themselves have some health benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects. In laboratory research, phytates have helped normalize cell growth and stopped the proliferation of cancer cells.”

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IP-6 (inositol hexakisphosphate) is nothing but phytate (phytic acid).

It’s sold in health food stores as a cancer remedy, and, according to one company, “Hypoallergenic Antioxidant Support for Prostate, Breast, Colon and Liver Cell Health.”

Sometimes nothing but a name change can transform a scorned anti-nutrient into a cancer cure.

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Minerals and vitamins often promote metastasis, since cancer (an ISOPARASITE) has an appetite similar to its host, and thrives on many of the same nutrients.

Folks stocking up on supplements to prevent cancer might be advised that many anti-nutrients are cancer-fighters.

Phytates in grain bind iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and copper, the same minerals necessary for the growth of grain.

Are these minerals too much of a good thing for both flora and fauna?

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What if less minerals in the soil were an act of Divine Providence?

What if excess minerals were a cause of premature aging?

Did you know that cancer is a cure for excess aging?

Or that aging is a cure for cancer?

Yin is versus Yang in the West, but Yin is complimentary to Yang in the East.

That’s why Tai Chi was created in the East, not in the West.

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Ivana Vucenik & AbulKalam M. Shamsuddin (“Protection against cancer by dietary IP6 and inositol,” Nutrition and Cancer, 2005) wrote …

“Inositol hexaphosphate (IP(6)) is a naturally occurring polyphosphorylated carbohydrate, abundantly present in many plant sources and in certain high-fiber diets, such as cereals and legumes. In addition to being found in plants, IP(6) is contained in almost all mammalian cells, although in much smaller amounts, where it is important in regulating vital cellular functions such as signal transduction, cell proliferation, and differentiation. For a long time IP(6) has been recognized as a natural antioxidant. Recently IP(6) has received much attention for its role in cancer prevention and control of experimental tumor growth, progression, and metastasis. In addition, IP(6) possesses other significant benefits for human health, such as the ability to enhance immune system, prevent pathological calcification and kidney stone formation, lower elevated serum cholesterol, and reduce pathological platelet activity. In this review we show the efficacy and discuss some of the molecular mechanisms that govern the action of this dietary agent. Exogenously administered IP(6) is rapidly taken up into cells and dephosphorylated to lower inositol phosphates, which further affect signal transduction pathways resulting in cell cycle arrest. A striking anticancer action of IP(6) was demonstrated in different experimental models. In addition to reducing cell proliferation, IP(6) also induces differentiation of malignant cells. Enhanced immunity and antioxidant properties also contribute to tumor cell destruction. Preliminary studies in humans show that IP(6) and inositol, the precursor molecule of IP(6), appear to enhance the anticancer effect of conventional chemotherapy, control cancer metastases, and improve quality of life. Because it is abundantly present in regular diet, efficiently absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, and safe, IP(6) + inositol holds great promise in our strategies for cancer prevention and therapy. There is clearly enough evidence to justify the initiation of full-scale clinical trials in humans.”
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