Cancer and lactate...
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I remember Ray Peat saying lactate can be used as an approximate measure of whether cancer is growing or regressing.
I have had my dad on all the usual metabolic support for cancer (haiduts cancer protocol, co2, thyroid etc) and his lactate was trending down from 1.2,1.1 to 0.9.
Recently I added Doxycycline based on some of haiduts articles and research indicating it might be useful. After 4 days on Doxycycline his lactate has now risen to 2.7!! I'm not sure if this is a sign it's working or the cancer has got more aggressive. Can anyone help?
Thanks
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Probably a bit obvious
-But assess if something changed to affect his liver function
-Does he have another infection elsewhere going on?
Both of these things
Poor liver function and or secondary infection
Will affect lactate afaik -
@Peatful he does have a double nephrostomy which has had previous infections but seems okay at the moment. You don't think the Doxycycline itself is causing the high lactate?
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@BeamsOfEnergy said in Cancer and lactate...:
You don't think the Doxycycline itself is causing the high lactate?
I thought this was a great question.
Doxycycline Alters Metabolism and Proliferation of Human Cell Lines (2013)
Abstract
The tetracycline antibiotics are widely used in biomedical research as mediators of inducible gene expression systems. Despite many known effects of tetracyclines on mammalian cells–including inhibition of the mitochondrial ribosome–there have been few reports on potential off-target effects at concentrations commonly used in inducible systems. Here, we report that in human cell lines, commonly used concentrations of doxycycline change gene expression patterns and concomitantly shift metabolism towards a more glycolytic phenotype, evidenced by increased lactate secretion and reduced oxygen consumption. We also show that these concentrations are sufficient to slow proliferation. These findings suggest that researchers using doxycycline in inducible expression systems should design appropriate controls to account for potential confounding effects of the drug on cellular metabolism.
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@DavidPS thank you David for replying. I had to use AI to help me but I think I understand a bit clearer.
"Yes, the rise in your dad's lactate from 0.9 to 2.7 after starting doxycycline is likely directly caused by doxycycline itself, not necessarily by worsening cancer.
Here's why:
🧬 Mechanism:
Doxycycline inhibits the mitochondrial ribosome, which impairs mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). When OXPHOS is suppressed, cells shift toward anaerobic glycolysis, which increases lactate production — even in the absence of cancer progression.
This was shown in the study referenced by DavidPS:
“Doxycycline… shift[s] metabolism towards a more glycolytic phenotype, evidenced by increased lactate secretion and reduced oxygen consumption.”
– Moullan et al., 2013
🩺 Clinical Implication:
The lactate spike does not necessarily mean the cancer is growing.
It may reflect mitochondrial suppression from doxycycline, which ironically could be hurting cancer cell metabolism (as cancer also depends on mitochondrial function in some contexts).
This side effect has also been noted by Haidut and others — tetracyclines disrupt mitochondrial biogenesis, which is one mechanism behind their anticancer action."
It still doesn't sound great about Doxycycline impairing OXPHOS?
I'll test my dad's lactate in another few days and decide what to do then. Appreciate any ideas you have. Thanks again.
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@BeamsOfEnergy took my Dad's lactate again today and it's 0.3!! Lowest reading yet. I'm not sure what this means good or bad? Any ideas?
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how are you doing co2?
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@sunsunsun I have the co2 breath device also I occasionally put him in a big plastic bag and fill it up. He breathes approx 5% co2 for 10minutes per day.
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@BeamsOfEnergy the co2 breath device…..?
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@BeamsOfEnergy - Ray Peat's written works that mention lactate and cancer. You may have read most of these papers but a second look may trigger a helpful thought.
