Why not just take a supplement for anemia?
Introducing the new Quantum Anemia Theories series!
We are getting started with our deep-dive on iron metabolism and anemias through the quantum health lens!
Housekeeping: This series is theoretical, not medical. If you have an anemia diagnosis, you should review this material with your qualified medical practitioner. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice. If you are a subscriber but donโt want to hear more about this topic, just go to your Account settings and slide the toggle off for Quantum Anemia Theories and you wonโt get any more on this topic. All new posts in this series will be free for the first month (and those who are subscribed will keep their archive inside of their email inbox). However, paid subscribers are going to get the most out of this because throughout, I am going to be referencing paywalled articles that are helpful for understanding. Thank you to everyone who pays for their subscription! It takes a lot of work to create all of this, and I hope it is helpful to all. New posts will show up here as I publish them: Quantum Anemia Theories.
Why do we need a new paradigm for understanding anemias?
Anemia is a condition where the body is incapable of properly oxygenating tissues, and there are many different kinds of anemias that lead to the same outcomes.
However, as you know from the diversity of symptoms associated with anemia there is actually a lot of individual variation not only in the cause, but also reversal, of anemia.
I believe we need a new way of understanding anemias for several reasons:
Intolerance to iron/b-vitamin supplementation: many people have severe bad reactions to the current treatments available for anemia, and several have reached out to me personally looking for support since the treatments available seem not only ineffective, but harmful for these particular individuals
Treatments donโt address many of the root causes: if poor dietary intake is the problem, supplementation and changing diet is a helpful strategy; however, if the anemia is due to something else (such as poor autophagy rhythms), supplementation may mask, rather than address, the root cause
Incomplete information makes informed consent impossible: conventional advice ignores tons of new research we have about how iron metabolism in the body works, making informed consent rather tricky given that most providers are working with and disseminating information that may come from decades old research that is assumed accurate and complete based on professional consensus, rather than being based on recent scientific verification using the latest tools and understandings available
What is different about this Quantum Anemia series compared with other people teaching about anemia?
What do I mean by โquantumโ? Colloquially, quantum health refers to the smallest things that make the biggest differences in wellness, and transcends and includes circadian biology. Where research exists, I also reference quantum biology, an emerging field of research dismantling the old concept that quantum effects collapse inside biological systems1.
Quantum biology challenges long-held beliefs that limit quantum effects to microscopic scales within the warm and wet conditions of life and pushes the boundaries of our understanding of biology by examining how quantum effects, once thought to be relevant only at the microscopic scale, can play a role in complex, macroscopic biological systems. Traditionally, physicists assumed that high temperatures, a low vacuum, or strong interactions in living cells limited the existence of quantum effects. A paradigm shift suggests that quantum effects can indeed operate within the complex fabric of biological systems.
~Matarรจse et al, 2023
The belief that quantum dynamics couldnโt function in biological systems was mainly due to the fact that early quantum physics experiments were conducted in very cold temperatures and vacuum conditions, not the warm conditions of biology. People have a very hard time changing their perspectives once they are set!
As we are working within the realm of paradigm-change here in this anemia series, I also wanted to share my new compendium of circadian & quantum health research topics and talking points with you for reference. Check out the compendium here.
Understanding the challenges of communicating about new ideas within a system that is resistant to change may be helpful as we are diving into the concepts surrounding quantum iron metabolism and especially if you are reading this with the intention to also share it with your own audience/clients.
So, why not just take a supplement?
Many studies have now led to the conclusion that iron supplementation as a long-term strategy is very lacking, and even harmful, especially for women.
In older women several commonly used dietary vitamin and mineral supplements may be associated with increased total mortality risk, most strongly supplemental iron2.
Youโll need to dive into my Folate series, or at least Part III, to understand this in B-vitamins, which are often also involved in anemias.
The fact is, we humans really donโt know what we are doing as we mess around with isolated nutrients.
So, welcome to the new Quantum Anemia Theories series! Iโm going to be diving in to the latest research into all the ways we can understand and support the healthy production and recycling of all the kinds of blood cells.
Recommended reading from the archive to prepare for this series:
Updates from Nikko:
Two of our community-members are hosting awesome pregnancy programs starting in February! Check out Maibleโs MotherCircle here (for any stage of motherhood) and apply for Lindseyโs second trimester BirthFit BluePrint prenatal membership here.
As the host of the new Quantum Biology Collective free membership, Iโm super excited to welcome you to a new online space to network with new-paradigm practitioners. Join for free here.
My research compendium is still free! Not sure exactly when Iโm going to cut off the free version, but itโs worth $97 (or more! this is years of my research and experience bundled into one organized place) and you still have the chance to grab it here.
If you are appreciating my work and feeling generous, I appreciate donations! Hereโs the link to my new tip jar. I also offer scholarships, trades, and comps to people who want to join the paid tiers but canโt afford itโjust reply to this email explaining your situation, why you want a paid subscription, and how you can either pay in an alternative way or pay it forward :)
Matarรจse, B. F. E., Rusin, A., Seymour, C., & Mothersill, C. (2023). Quantum Biology and the Potential Role of Entanglement and Tunneling in Non-Targeted Effects of Ionizing Radiation: A Review and Proposed Model. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(22), 16464. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216464
Mursu, J., Robien, K., Harnack, L. J., Park, K., & Jacobs, D. R., Jr (2011). Dietary supplements and mortality rate in older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Archives of internal medicine, 171(18), 1625โ1633. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.445
"The fact is, we humans really donโt know what we are doing as we mess around with isolated nutrients." I wish every supplement recommendation came with this statement to set the appropriate context for understanding. We don't do ourselves any favors by assuming one input will create one output, especially when working with the body. Looking forward to reading more of your theories around how to effectively work with anemia!