The Hunt for Biological Alchemy

Is it possible that everything we think we know about nutrition is wrong? Uncovering the hidden, centuries long war inside biology.

When Hakim Shahbaz saw my missive on the diet war against sugar, he sent me the following piece he had written that suggests everything we know about nutrition is fundamentally flawed.

We assume we’re at the mercy of our environment, requiring the perfect mix of nutrients delivered in just the right quantities. Historically we assume the great civilizations in various locations with different ancient food traditions developed hyper-local versions of optimized diets to keep their populations healthy.

But the truth is that most of our ancestors were dirt poor and didn’t have the luxury of going to the grocery store and choosing all the right ingredients to optimize their nutrition, even if those ingredients were locally available.

There is certainly an entire food industry built around advancing the notion that we need to eat a “balanced diet” - a little bit of this and a little bit of that. There is an entire supplement industry built around convincing us that our food industry is woefully inadequate due to depleted soil micronutrients and suboptimal practices, so we need to supplement a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

The basic idea proposed below, along with some supporting research, is that our bodies may actually be far more resilient than almost anyone suspects, able to swap out and switch between various available nutrients to fulfill all their requirements, especially when working hand in hand with various microorganisms that have a symbiotic relationship with us, providing certain nutrients we may be unable to manufacture within our own cells.

Ultimately fundamental ground truths are difficult to determine if we artificially hobble ourselves by accepting only nutritional “science” studies produced within a fundamentally biased system.

Aristotle’s eschewal of experiment in favor of philosophizing has been misunderstood and likewise we have misunderstood the place and value of experimental knowledge.

It is inherently difficult, if not truly impossible to accurately measure most things in the real world.

The book entitled The Golem, What You Should Know About Science, is required reading for everyone enamored of the scientific endeavor to measure and understand the modern world. It exposes the truth about many of the famous experiments that supposedly upended prior peoples understandings of the natural world. What is shown is that no matter how exacting the experimental setup there is always room for error in the measurement, perhaps even due to the fundamental nature of reality and observation itself.

Experiments are done, and then criticized and redone, and redone again, and again taking care of more and more objections, until eventually by a kind of social consensus the opposition gives up and the experimental result is accepted, despite not actually ever having been successfully proven through truly rigorous experimentation. We go from theory to theory, building on prior “successes”, thinking we have left Aristotle far behind, but we have really done nothing of the sort. Like children, many of us just don’t really understand what we’re even doing.

The path to real knowledge is by understanding deeper principles, and perhaps can only truly originate with Divine inspiration.

In terms of medicine these deeper principles were encoded and embodied within long dead medical systems.

But even though those systems have collapsed and lay now in ruin, once the principles are understood they can be used as a lens through which to rebuild them and while doing so reassess modern sources of knowledge, which cannot challenge those fundamental principles but only reaffirm and perhaps expand and cast new light upon them.

The ancient medical systems like Aryurveda, Classical Chinese Medicine, and others, appear to be functional and persist in the modern context, but the truth is they are shadows of their former selves.

Most of Classical Chinese Medicine was lost to the sands of time, and what scraps survived the warring states period were pieced together and reinterpreted by various schools of thought which built entire grand edifices upon them.

Various modern practitioners call what they do Chinese Medicine, as though it’s a single monolithic structure, but in reality it’s a hodgepodge of widely differing approaches.

While they can have great success in some cases, they don’t have the degree of success they could have if they really understood what was missing.

The work of rebuilding the real glory of past knowledge is like what an archeologist attempts in sifting through the ruins of an ancient civilization to recreate what it looked like and how it functioned.

It takes a certain steely resolve, determination, perseverance, and genius combined with sheer inspiration guided from above to have any hope of recreating what has been lost. Many have tried, but so far none that I know of have succeeded in comprehensively reviving what clearly existed at one time, and was subsequently lost.

I found the unlikely combination required for success in this endeavor in one man: Hakim Shahbaz Ahmed, who is right now working hard to restore the very heart and soul of long dormant traditions.

His revolutionary perspective on nutrition may strain credulity for some, but given his track record of healing the toughest illnesses and his deep understanding of fundamental principles, it’s well worth considering the following with an open mind.

The launching point of the discussion is Louis Kervran’s work on biological transmutation, as laid out in various works including the below book, which is out of print, but available for perusal in online format here.

Kervran developed a theory explaining how biological systems can transmute elements, basically recombine and create new elements from those available, arguing that the chemical and physical laws we understand are not applicable to the biological realm. His work was spurred by a large number of puzzles and inconsistencies observed in the 19th century and earlier, which are otherwise inexplicable, as they seem to suggest elements coming from nowhere.

Chicks are born with more lime in their bodies than the total present in their eggs to begin with, and the amount in their shells remains unchanged from the beginning to end of gestation. When grass depletes the calcium in soil it stops growing and daisies come up instead, but the daisies seem to somehow be involved in creating calcium itself or summoning it into existence since it is present in their ash, when burned, so as they die and are added to the soil they refresh it and allow grass to grow again.

Rather than simply theorize, Kervran proactively studied the phenomenon in some detail and showed repeatedly in many situations that it appeared elements were combining to create ones that were initially absent, essentially fusing together in an alchemical fashion. Nuclear fusion from a physics perspective shouldn’t be even remotely possible at the temperature or pressure conditions present within animals and plants, and yet Kervran argues it must be. Perhaps our theories of chemistry and biology are fundamentally incomplete.

Or perhaps the experiments Kervran and others conducted were somehow fundamentally flawed and missing elements were introduced from some unknown location - e.g. one inconsistency cited by Kervran has been explained by modern science, i.e. how chickens can produce eggs with adequate calcium in their shells despite being fed calcium deficient feed - they just leach the missing calcium from their own bones.

However the broader point in the piece below doesn’t depend on whether Kervran is right or wrong, but that one way or another in a truly healthy ecosystem - composed of people, microbes, plants, animals, the earth, and sun, - nutritional needs are highly flexible.

From the skeptics perspective this is at least in part due to long term nutrient stores stemming from periods of “feast” that provide for later periods of “famine.” As noted to me by Chris Masterjohn, some nutrient stores derived from the mother before birth may last into old age before becoming depleted. And extending that idea back another generation suggests that the mother could have received super adequate nutrient stores from her mother, etc.

But there is far more to nutritional resilience than just creating missing elements, there are also vitamins and hormones, like K2, that some, including Masterjohn (who actually discovered that K2 was the mysterious X factor described by famous dentist Weston Price), have argued are necessary to consume as there’s no known way to create them in our cells or within our microbiome (of course no known way doesn’t mean there is no way).

Regardless of the mechanisms at play, human nutritional requirements may not require strict adherence to particular diets, ongoing nutritional testing, food diaries, and expensive supplements to hit all the micronutrient requirements on an ongoing basis.

We should certainly resist being enslaved by nutritional theory when treating patients. As old-timers in medicine always warn newbies we should avoid “treating the test rather than the patient”.

In one way or another when human and planetary ecology is naturally optimized and intertwined, deep nutritional resilience blooms and therefore we should all, based on first principles, be suspicious of what’s new under the sun (like artificial lighting and staying up well after dark, or spending all day indoors, or consuming chemical additives, etc), even after it’s been normalized for generations, and do our utmost to support regenerative farmers and all the old ways, as well as entrepreneurs creating human friendly new technologies.

Anyway without further ado, I present for your consideration:

Rethinking Nutrition

Exploring Biological Adaptability

by Hakim Shahbaz Ahmed

Introduction:

When considering the modern biological and nutritional sciences, we often find ourselves entangled in a web of self-fulfilling prophecies, where the very methods of investigation we employ shape the reality we perceive. Louis Kervran's long forgotten hypothesis on biological transmutation serves as a unique lens through which we can begin to examine this phenomenon. From there we will delve into the harmful repercussions of modern life that have negatively impacted our microbiome and show how the classification of nutrients into essential and non-essential categories may simply be a reflection of reduced overall resilience, rather than a strict law of biology.

Kervran postulated that the body, like an alchemist, is capable of converting certain elements into others. If our bodies can transmute elements, it means we might not always need to get all our essential minerals directly from food. It opens up a fascinating possibility that our bodies have an incredible ability to adapt to changing environments and create what they need internally.

Ancient religious texts often mention people sustaining themselves on a yearly provision of a single type of grain or just one specific dried fruit, their only variety stemming from differing methods of preparation. My direct observations of Indian laborers provides a fascinating addition to this narrative. These individuals, working without the benefit of sophisticated machinery, faithfully showed up every day for demanding construction tasks and depended on their body functioning at a high level for their livelihood. Their staple diet, consisting mainly of a mushy lump of unpolished rice seasoned with nothing but salt, chili, and a raw onion, was galaxies away from any dietary recommendations. Surprisingly, this seemingly basic fare not only nourished them but also empowered them to tackle strenuous physical work day in and day out. These laborers, hailing from humble villages, were carefree about their past, present, and future. With minimal expectations from life, a simple lifestyle, and nothing to lose attitude, they embraced each moment, embodying a content and stress-free approach to life. Their robust genes and sturdy, unadulterated gut microbiome, combined with a barebones diet, fueled their ability to endure strenuous physical tasks without complaint while unloading 100-kilogram cement bags from trucks all day long.

The Compromised Adaptability of the Human Body:

In contrast to the seemingly backwards and disadvantaged Indian villager, our modern life of convenience is characterized by unnatural, genetically modified foods, replete with various pesticides, toxic additives, and preservatives. Our air and water add to the chemical load and perhaps most importantly for our microbiome, our healthcare stresses the relatively frequent use of antibiotics. These artificial elements all compromise the body's ability to transmute nutrients effectively, to adapt to varying circumstances of feast or famine. The intricate relationship between the gut microbiome and our adaptive processes cannot escape the repercussions of our modern lifestyle. Chemical pollutants, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), toxins, and medications take a toll on our gut bacteria, diminishing their ability to catalyze these transmutations.

Reevaluating Essential vs. Non-Essential Nutrients:

The dichotomy between essential and non-essential nutrients has been forged in the crucible of modern intervention. Conventional wisdom categorizes nutrients based on the premise that some must be obtained externally. However, if the body has an innate or microbially assisted capacity for transmutation that would challenge this classification. A comprehensive review in the "Annual Review of Nutrition" (Stipanuk, 2007) explores the concept of nutrient flexibility and the potential of the body to synthesize both essential and non-essential nutrients under optimal conditions. Stipanuk's exploration challenges the dichotomy, suggesting that, under favourable circumstances, the body can exhibit flexibility in its nutrient synthesis processes. This implies a dynamic and adaptable physiological system capable of generating a spectrum of essential and non-essential nutrients as needed, a notion that aligns with the principles of adaptability proposed by Louis Kervran.

The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Modern Nutritional Science:

In the realm of modern nutritional science, we frequently find ourselves trapped in a self-fulfilling prophecy. The incorporation of medical drugs, antibiotics, and a plethora of chemicals in food cultivation takes a toll on our gut bacteria, undermining the body's innate adaptability. This, in turn, sets the stage for the distinction between essential and non-essential nutrients. A cyclical pattern emerges, wherein unnatural, disruptive contemporary interventions create a real or perceived need for nutritional supplementation, fostering the notion of certain nutrients being indispensable. Consequently, a burgeoning industry of synthetic supplementation is promoted, adding another layer to the intricate relationship between our interventions and the nutritional landscape.

The Synthesis of Vitamin C in Gut Bacteria as an Example:

Propionibacterium freudenreichii is a notable bacterium recognized for its role in the dairy industry, particularly in the production of Swiss cheese. This bacterium's ability to synthesize Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) from glucose makes it unique among gut microbiota. However, modern lifestyles, dietary habits, and widespread antibiotic use have potentially eradicated P. freudenreichii and similar beneficial bacteria from the human gut.

More than a few studies delved into the microbial synthesis of vitamin C and its potential implications for human health. Vitamin C, traditionally associated with dietary sources like citrus fruits, is crucial for various physiological functions, including immune health and collagen synthesis. Understanding microbial synthesis could shed light on the body's capacity to generate this essential vitamin through interactions with gut bacteria. The study, "Bacteria as vitamin suppliers to their host: a gut microbiota perspective," published in the journal "Current Opinion in Biotechnology" explores the synthesis and supply of vitamins by food-related lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and human gut microbiota like bifidobacteria. Genetic analyses reveal the capacity of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli for vitamin biosynthesis, challenging the traditional view that necessary vitamins must come solely from dietary sources. The study emphasizes the potential of microbial communities in the human gut to supply essential nutrients, offering a more natural alternative to synthetic fortification. The implications may extend to reevaluating dietary requirements and acknowledging the intricate relationship between our microbiome and nutrient production, again aligning with the principles proposed by Louis Kervran's hypothesis on biological transmutation.

Synthesis of Essential Amino Acids and Fatty Acids from Sugar:

The research conducted by the Swiss team revealed that under specific dietary conditions, the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. diff) (usually associated with a diarrheal disease triggered by antibiotic use killing off its natural competitors) actually becomes crucial for patient survival. Notably, when fed sweet potatoes, C. diff produces essential amino acids and fatty acids. It is important to recognize that every food a patient consumes acts as a probiotic. This means it either supports beneficial microbes in our system, nurtures pathogens, or, more critically, can transform symbiotic microbes into pathogens that harm us. Conversely, the right food and conditions can also convert what are usually considered to be pathogens into beneficial microbes.

Conclusion:

As we unravel the intricate tapestry of modern biology's self-fulfilling prophecies, Kervran's hypothesis provides a unique perspective. Our broadening perspective on the harmful impacts of pollutants, chemicals, toxins, and medications on the body's adaptive processes underscores the importance of revisiting our approach to industry, health and nutrition. By advocating for unadulterated natural living and preserving the resilience of our gut microbiome, we take a step towards challenging the very tenets that have shaped our understanding of essential and non-essential nutrients. We may reconfigure our relationships with the natural processes that govern our well-being, offering a glimpse into a world where the body's adaptive genius thrives in harmony with nature.

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The next section of pay-walled content is an 11,000 word critical deep dive research report on the evidence and science for and against the theory of biological transmutation specifically - the proposed ability of organisms to change elements on the periodic table. Some observations seem to have been explained away, though proponents of transmutation would argue they haven’t actually been properly disproven - and perhaps it simply isn't possible to disprove them with available techniques and equipment. However there are other incongruent observations which remain quite puzzling and demand confirmation and further inquiry if we hope to advance our knowledge of biology. This is because it’s always in the unexplained gaps that we find the next great leap forward, though it challenges existing beneficiaries of the mainstream paradigm.

Also included are a number of fascinating theories that have been proposed for how biological transmutation could be happening in ways that do not violate the fundamental laws of physics as we currently understand them. Some of these tie into theories of quantum biology, some into research on cold fusion, and one of them was proposed by a US Army funded scientist in the late 70s in a report where he concluded that biological transmutation does indeed occur.

As with other forms of advanced and groundbreaking science I’m left with more questions than answers and wondering if some spectacular breakthroughs have been covered up in the interests of mega corporations and governments that benefit from our continued misunderstanding of our true nature.

This has happened in the past of course, Galileo being just the most obvious example. Another one that is closer to the topic at hand is the case of Wilhelm Reich, an established psychoanalyst, who proposed the existence of "orgone energy" - a hypothetical vital biological energy. In the 1950s the FDA confiscated Reich’s equipment, banned his books, and destroyed his research materials in government-sanctioned book burnings - an unprecedented act for the time in America. As a result Reich’s theories remained far outside mainstream science. However, later research into biophotons, electromagnetic fields, and quantum biology eventually renewed interest in related concepts, albeit differently framed.