Kevin Pezzi, MD

“I am not the smartest doctor in the world, nor am I the most knowledgeable. I am, however, arguably the most attractive female physician on Earth, which is likely why you chose me over other candidates who have better brains but uglier bodies. While I appreciate your confidence in my ability to spellbind viewers, especially men, as a doctor I know that health is too important of a topic to have health presentations on your channel given by anyone except the best and the brightest. I am smart, but not the smartest, so please accept this resignation and, for heaven's sake, please stop pandering to the people who value beauty over brains.”

I saw your report on vitamins this morning on FOX, and I am alarmed by your overall message. Are you aware of the prevalence of genetic mutations producing apoenzymes with decreased coenzyme binding affinity, as evidenced by their increased Michaelis constant (Km)? Are you aware that administering high doses of the vitamin component of the coenzyme can remedy or ameliorate about 50 (and likely far more) human genetic diseases by at least partially restoring enzyme activity? (Incidentally, this therapy is also useful in other cases, including polymorphisms that heighten disease risk, when a mutation affects the coenzyme binding site of the apoenzyme.) Did you know that a substantial percentage of people are affected by polymorphisms? Do you ever take complete dietary histories on patients? I've done this, which has given me remarkable insight into the junk that most people eat. I know that you must be a very busy person (aren't all doctors? :-), so here is a simple way to assess average nutritional intakes without any extra expenditure of time: Just look at what people buy in supermarkets! Many people obtain a substantial percentage of their daily caloric intake from refined sugars and foods that provide little nutritional value.

I've done enough TV and radio interviews myself to know that the need to give a "Cliffs Notes" version of the facts necessitates that the presentation be brief and therefore often lacking in essential information, so I am doing my best to not be overly harsh in judging your presentation today. However, it seemed to me that you had enough time to give a more balanced presentation than what you did.

I attended a medical school that stressed nutrition, yet even though I graduated in the top 1% of my class, I still think that I learned little about that subject — which is really just applied biochemistry and physiology. I've since worked hard to remedy that gap in my knowledge, so I likely know far more about this subject than an average physician, who'd probably say, "Michaelis what?" The more I learn, the more I realize that the average American diet does NOT provide optimal amounts of all vitamins and minerals at all times, nor does it provide optimal amounts of various phytochemicals that are conducive to health. I typically spend an hour every morning studying this subject. After years of doing it, I have acquired thousands of articles which bolster my case that average Americans could benefit greatly from improved nutrition in general — not just the few nutrients you singled out. If you disagree, I'd love to debate you. The loser pays $10,000 to the winner's favorite charity. Deal? :-)

Notes:

1. We are much more unique than assumed: Computational biologists discover surprisingly strong effects from protein variation based on Common sequence variants affect molecular function more than rare variants?
2. May 10, 2023: First human ‘pangenome’ aims to catalogue genetic diversity
3. May 10, 2023: What is the human pangenome and why do we need it? A sequence for the human genome was first published in 2001, but this original reference doesn't reflect the full genetic diversity of humanity - something a new "pangenome" attempts to solve
4. Millions of novel genetic variants found in 1000 Swedish individuals based on SweGen: a whole-genome data resource of genetic variability in a cross-section of the Swedish population
5. Distinct human mutations can alter the effect of medicine
   RSS feed excerpt: “About one third of all medicine binds to the same type of receptor in the human body. An estimated 3 percent of the population have receptors of this type that are so genetically different that they are predisposed to altered, ineffective or adverse responses to medicine …”
   Article excerpt quoting Alexander Hauser from the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology at the University of Copenhagen: “The 3 percent of the affected population is an average. For some important receptors, it is way more.”
6. Low consumption of vitamin K by adolescents associated with unhealthy enlargement of the heart's major pumping chamber
   Comment: More proof that doctors who trivialize nutrition are dangerously ignorant and need to be in Summer School, not on TV broadcasting their lack of knowledge.
7. Most medical students overconfident, underprepared on nutrition guidelines
8. Health News Stories On Local Television News Broadcasts Are Too Short
   Comment: Not just local broadcasts.
9. Parental diet affects offspring immunity: Meta-analysis
10. Researchers computationally find the needle in a haystack to treat rare diseases
    Excerpt: “One in 10 people in America is fighting a rare disease, or a disorder that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans. … there are more than 7,000 rare diseases that collectively affect more than 350 million people worldwide …”
11. Genetic mutations previously thought to affect only specific ethnic groups “are showing up in people whose ancestries have not been linked to that mutation before”: Expect the Unexpected: Rare Mutation Frequencies
    Comment: This would not surprise any logical person.
12. Just one of many thousands of articles I could cite that demonstrates the importance of nutrition: Adaptive dysfunction of selenoproteins from the perspective of the triage theory: why modest selenium deficiency may increase risk of diseases of aging
13. And another one: researchers found “that when mothers are even moderately undernourished while pregnant and breastfeeding, their offspring are consistently found to be prediabetic before adolescence.” (Link to original article)
14. And another: Nutrition has benefits for brain network organization, new research finds based on Nutritional status, brain network organization, and general intelligence
    Excerpt (from first article): “A new study by University of Illinois researchers found that monounsaturated fatty acids—a class of nutrients found in olive oils, nuts and avocados—are linked to general intelligence, and that this relationship is driven by the correlation between MUFAs and the organization of the brain's attention network.”
    Excerpt (from second article): “High blood levels of monounsaturated fatty acids are also associated with superior general intelligence.”
    Comment: This is just one of myriad pieces of evidence explaining why I am exasperated by ignorant doctors who minimize the importance of nutrition or suggest the typical American diet is adequate. Hardly, and Americans are suffering because of it, with rampant physical and mental problems as well as disappointing cognitive performance. The Flynn effect is plateauing or even regressing, which is why Jim Tankersley's Washington Post article rings so true: Why America's middle class is lost: The middle class took America to the moon. Then something went horribly wrong.
    Ironic observation: People with second-rate intellects are the ones trivializing nutrition's importance. It is OBVIOUSLY crucial yet given short shrift. Instead of eating what is best for us, we eat what is tasty, convenient, and affordable. I invented a very surprising solution to this and will try to commercialize it.
15. 'Rare' Genetic Variants Are Surprisingly Common, Life Scientists Report based on An Abundance of Rare Functional Variants in 202 Drug Target Genes Sequenced in 14,002 People
16. Rare Genetic Variants Create 'Synthetic' Genome-Wide Signals of Disease Risk* based on Rare Variants Create Synthetic Genome-Wide Associations and Common Disease, Multiple Rare (and Distant) Variants
    *Excerpt: “Scientists at Duke University Medical Center say they are now convinced that rare genetic variants—as opposed to more common ones—lie at the heart of the genetic component of most common diseases.”
17. Gene Variant That Raises Risk for Colorectal Cancer from Eating Processed Meat Present in One-In-Three People
18. Slew of Rare DNA Changes Following Population Explosion May Hold Clues to Common Diseases* based on Evolution and Functional Impact of Rare Coding Variation from Deep Sequencing of Human Exomes
    *Excerpt: “One-letter switches in the DNA code occur much more frequently in human genomes than anticipated …”
19. Genetic polymorphisms and zinc status based on Genetic Polymorphisms and Zinc Status: Implications for Supplementation in Metabolic Diseases
20. Genetic variants found to play key role in human immune system: Genetic differences in immune response demonstrate interaction of genetics and environment linked to disease risk
21. Rare and Common Genetic Variations Responsible for High Triglyceride Levels in Blood based on Excess of rare variants in genes identified by genome-wide association study of hypertriglyceridemia
22. Rare Mitochondrial Mutations – Maybe Not So Rare? Comprehensive Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Will Aid Early Diagnosis
23. Large Reservoir Of Mitochondrial DNA Mutations Identified In Humans
24. Wide Range of Differences, Mostly Unseen, Among Humans
    Excerpt: “The study's findings suggest that, with respect to diversity in protein function, the individual differences between two people are greater than previously assumed.”
25. Healthy diet? That depends on your genes
26. New Testing Strategy Detects Population-Wide Vitamin, Mineral Deficiencies
27. Study finds consuming nuts strengthens brainwave function
    Excerpt: “ … eating nuts on a regular basis strengthens brainwave frequencies associated with cognition, … learning, memory and other key brain functions.”
28. Vitamin therapy may help prevent melanoma
    Excerpt: “Nicotinamide can help reduce or reverse DNA damage, inflammation, and immunosuppression caused by ultraviolet radiation.”
    Comment: Considering that, might nicotinamide also reduce wrinkling and other signs of photoaging?
29. Europeans Do Not Consume Enough Vitamins, Minerals
30. Surprising Variation Among Genomes of Individual Neurons from Same Brain
31. More on somatic genetic variation: Novel Genetic Patterns May Make Us Rethink Biology and Individuality based on Recurrent Tissue-Specific mtDNA Mutations Are Common in Humans
32. Personal Antidepressant for Every Genome based on Genome-wide expression profiling of human lymphoblastoid cell lines implicates integrin beta-3 in the mode of action of antidepressants
33. Scientists find genetic mechanism linking aging to specific diets
    Excerpt: “These studies have revealed that single gene mutations can alter the ability of an organism to utilize a specific diet. In humans, small differences in a person's genetic makeup that change how well these genes function, could explain why certain diets work for some but not others.”
34. Genetically decreased vitamin D and risk of Alzheimer disease
35. Vitamin D Receptor and Megalin Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Longitudinal Cognitive Change among African-American Urban Adults
36. DNA of peanut-allergic kids changes with immune therapy, study finds based on Peanut oral immunotherapy results in increased antigen-induced regulatory T-cell function and hypomethylation of forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3)
37. Researchers pilot predictive medicine by studying healthy people's DNA
    Excerpt: “"We were surprised that this many individuals had positive findings … "”
38. People with forms of early-onset Parkinson's disease may benefit from boosting niacin in diet, research suggests
39. The importance of addressing poor nutrition in patients with liver failure
    Comment: Ditto for many other health problems.
40. Multivitamins in pregnancy may be linked to lower autism risk in children based on Antenatal nutritional supplementation and autism spectrum disorders in the Stockholm youth cohort: population based cohort study
41. Maternal diet may program child for disease risk, but better nutrition later can change that
42. Global calcium consumption appears low, especially in Asia
43. Why are genetically identical individuals different? Ask your mum!
44. Diet success may depend on your DNA
45. Vitamin deficiency in later life
    Excerpt: “One in two persons aged 65 and above has suboptimal levels of vitamin D …”
46. Protective protein activated by vitamin K found, inactive, abundant in blacks on dialysis
47. Regulatory mutations missed in standard genetic screening lead to congenital diseases: Novel epigenetic mutations identified as significant contributors to neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital anomalies
48. New link found between alcohol, genes and heart failure: Scientists have revealed a new link between alcohol, heart health and our genes
49. Genetic markers for testosterone, estrogen level regulation identified
    Excerpt: “They identified 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), or DNA sequence variations, associated with the concentration of SHBG circulating in the bloodstream.”
50. Every person has a unique brain anatomy
51. Unique brain 'fingerprint' can predict drug effectiveness: Technique can be used to better categorize patients with neurological disease, according to their therapeutic needs
52. Progress toward personalized medicine
53. Caution needed when prescribing antibiotics to hypertension patients, study finds
    Excerpt: “Individual variations in genetic makeup and gut bacteria may explain the different effects of antibiotics on blood pressure …”
54. Disparate Effects of Antibiotics on Hypertension
55. Genetic studies of drug metabolism identify research needs for precision medicine based on Interethnic Variability in CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 Genes and Predicted Drug Metabolism Phenotypes Among 6060 Ibero- and Native Americans: RIBEF-CEIBA Consortium Report on Population Pharmacogenomics
56. Shedding light on gene variants and their connections to health and disease based on The clinical imperative for inclusivity: Race, ethnicity, and ancestry (REA) in genomics
57. Metabolic syndrome patients need more vitamin C to break cycle of antioxidant depletion based on The Relationship Between Vitamin C Status, the GUT-Liver Axis, and Metabolic Syndrome
58. Vitamin B₁₂ modulates Parkinson’s disease LRRK2 kinase activity through allosteric regulation and confers neuroprotection
59. Polymorphisms in 1-Carbon Metabolism, Epigenetics and Folate-Related Pathologies
60. The association of gastric cancer risk with plasma folate, cobalamin, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
61. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and transcobalamin genetic polymorphisms in human spontaneous abortion: biological and clinical implications
62. Polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and the risk of prostate cancer: a nested case-control study
63. Gene polymorphisms of folate metabolizing enzymes and the risk of gastric cancer
64. Individual nutrition shows benefits in hospital patients
65. A dietary supplement improves skills of an atypical Rett syndrome patient
    Excerpt: “A … research study … has demonstrated the potential of the amino acid L-serine—administered as a dietary supplement—to improve the neuronal function of a patient with a mutation of glutamate receptors associated with atypical Rett syndrome with severe encephalopathy.”
66. Study of multiethnic genomes identifies 27 genetic variants associated with disease: NIH-funded research highlights need for diversity in study populations, creates a comprehensive genomic toolkit for scientists
67. Genetic Variation Among World Populations: Inferences From 100 Alu Insertion Polymorphisms
68. Understanding Human Genetic Variation
69. Up to 30% of children carry a gene variant that may increase susceptibility to methylmercury
    Excerpt: “… the analyses revealed that children with polymorphisms in certain genes achieved lower IQ scores. In other words, children with these gene variants showed evidence of methylmercury toxicity that was not detectable in the cohort sample as a whole.”
70. Study: First clinical proof that genotypes determine if Alzheimer's drugs will work
71. Study finds Nunavik Inuit are genetically unique: Variants found in this population may predispose to brain aneurysm
72. Finnish people's unique genetic makeup offers clues to disease: Study of Finns, with their similar DNA, gives new hints to cardiovascular, metabolic disease risk
73. January 29, 2021: Genetic screening before prescribing could benefit millions
    Comment: More evidence that humans are not genetically identical, and their differences produce individual responses to drugs and other substances that wise physicians should account for.