“You’re going about the exercise portion in the context of everything else that’s going on.” – Dr. Tom Incledon
“When I look at all the different drugs and supplements and strategies that have been tried, I’ve not found anything that comes even close to stimulating the increases in natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes [as exercise with oxygen therapy].” – Dr. Tom Incledon
Meeting Summary
In their search for therapies that can fight their advanced cancer, patients and caregivers are moving beyond the standard of care of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy to explore “Food as Medicine” and “Exercise as Medicine.” Exercise can offset the effects of hormone deprivation therapies on weight, strengthen the heart, increase bone strength, and raise resilience.
But is there scientific evidence that can measure the impact of exercise, and point to some exercise therapies that are better than others?
Since 1989, Thomas Incledon, PhD, RD, known to most as “Dr. Tom”, has been recognized as one of the world’s leading experts in human health and athletic performance. He is the founder and CEO of Causenta Wellness, a cutting-edge wellness and cancer treatment center in Scottsdale, Arizona. He holds a B.S. in Exercise Science, B.S. in Nutrition, M.S. in Kinesiology, and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology. “The World’s Strongest Sports Scientist,” Dr. Tom has competed at the World Championship level and set national records in Strongman Competitions.
Dr. Tom sets the stage for any exercise program to make sure that it is personalized to the individual. A patient should get a battery of tests that a patient before starting an exercise program. His research has uncovered an approach that is very beneficial for cancer patients: exercise with oxygen therapy, which improves the immune system to fight cancer and simultaneously makes patients significantly stronger.
What are the benefits of exercise?
- Any exercise is beneficial. It reduces the cancer burden in the body. More exercise in all forms is always good.
- Exercise strengthens the immune system (increases cytotoxic T lymphocytes and NK cells) in healthy people and people with cancer.
- You can simultaneously improve your brain, heart, lung, and muscle function.
- You can enhance recovery and reduce inflammation markers faster.
- Some drugs that you may be taking, such as chemotherapy, will reduce the immune response to exercise.
What testing is needed to set the context for an exercise program?
Testing must be done to set the stage for an exercise regimen so that you have a game plan, rather than just doing some exercises.
Before you start an exercise program you should test, analyze, and understand your:
- Genome: Understanding the DNA and RNA mutations in your tumor tissue and blood is a good start, but they are not a guarantee that’s what’s driving the cancer.
- Proteome: Proteomics (analysis of the proteins in your tumor) are going to add to your understanding of your cancer.
- Environmental chemicals: Can disrupt your endocrine function and prevent chemotherapy and immunotherapy from working.
- Microbiome
- Micronutrients: You should understand a wide range of vitamins and minerals, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, and other antioxidants that impact immune system (lymphocyte) responses.
Dr. Tom works primarily with Tempus Labs (for somatic mutation testing) and mProbe (for proteomic testing) and other labs for additional testing services.
What are other principles in designing an exercise program?
Your exercises should address what is limiting you. For example, if you have trouble getting up and have weakness in your left leg, you should work on strengthening your left leg. If you are at a low level of fitness, e.g., you can’t stand, or can’t walk, and results are needed fairly quickly for survival, then you should take an aggressive approach to exercise, including supplementing with oxygen. If you are at higher levels of fitness, then high intensity interval training is very effective.
You should plan to progress in your fitness to get a stronger immune response. You should set goals to do more work and have less rest in the same amount of time. For example, if you’re burning 10 calories a minute, then go to 11, 12, and 13. You should set a minimum goal to do 1000 calories in a workout. At that level of exercise you won’t have any brain, heart, or lung risks. If you are doing sprints or intervals, you should measure your response and recovery, looking at your heart rate and blood pressure afterwards. For example, if it’s taking you four minutes to recover, then the exercise stimulus was too much at your current level.
Increasing or lowering oxygen concentration can enhance the desired effects of your exercise. For example, to enhance brain, heart, lung, and immune system function, you should add oxygen to your exercise. To add muscle faster, you should reduce oxygen.
How does taking oxygen during exercise increase the impact of exercise on your immune system?
- Exercising with oxygen allows you to do up to 25% more work. This extra work increases your epinephrine, which stimulates your immune system cells (cytotoxic T lymphocytes and NK cells).
- Exercise with oxygen appears to eliminate pathogens in the blood.
How do you increase or reduce oxygen during exercise?
- For increasing oxygen, you wear a mask and breathe through a hose while you are exercising. The hose is connected to a bag which is connected to an oxygen concentrator, which takes room air and concentrates the oxygen.
- For reducing oxygen, there are tools that restrict blood flow to the working muscle. You can get velcro cinch straps from Amazon for about $16 to $20. They are small enough to fit around your arm or the top of your thigh. You pull it tight, and then put the velcro attachment on, and it holds the occlusion over, for example, a blood vessel in the upper arm.
How can you access oxygen therapy?
You don’t have to go to Arizona. You fill out a form on a website. Once you have your lab results, you have an initial consultation. There is no charge for the first consultation. Most people do it by Zoom. It’s 30 minutes long. You go over your case, and they point you in the right direction. Beyond the initial consultation, additional consulting is $360 an hour, which provides recommendations, such as additional tests. An exercise with oxygen therapy session is $150. Some people buy packages of 12 for $1500.
The information and opinions expressed on this website or platform, or during discussions and presentations (both verbal and written) are not intended as health care recommendations or medical advice by Prostate Cancer Lab, its principals, presenters, participants, or representatives for any medical treatment, product, or course of action. You should always consult a doctor about your specific situation before pursuing any health care program, treatment, product or other course of action that might affect your health.
