Chiropractic and the concept of Hormesis

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Chiropractic and the concept of Hormesis

• Victor G. Strang, D.C.

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The Hygiene Theory

• (The concept that the human body actually
  requires stresses to function optimally, or even
  normally)
• Has it been around longer than we think?

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W.C. Douglas (3/03)

• The secret to great health could be a scientific
  theory youve never heard of.
• this theory is called hormesis, and its
  gaining more and more support in scientific
  circles.

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Hormesis

• The stimulating effect of subinhibitory
  concentrations of any toxic substance on any
  organism.
• Dorlands Medical Dictionary, 25th edition

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• It appears that the bodys homeostatic
  mechanisms must be challenged in order for it to
  achieve its full potential for health and
  longevity. Very small doses of toxins and
  radiation may provide this challenge, to which
  the body responds by enhancing its defensive and
  regenerative activity. Without challenge, the
  organism drifts into an atonic, complacent state
  that is not consistent with optimal health.
• A. Lewis, The Townsend Letter, 4/93, issue 117

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• Data suggest that hormesis may be a universal
  phenomenon that is observed over a wide range of
  exposures among a wide range of biologic
  organisms.
• Bukowski et al, 2000, Southern Med J, 934

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• a genuine feature of all biological systems,
  is known as hormesis.
• a process whereby low doses of an otherwise
  harmful agent may result in a stimulating or
  beneficial effect.

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• If you expose human cells to mild stresses, they
  do fantastically better than when they are
  subsequently more severely stressed.
• In animal studies, chronic, low-dose exposure to
  chemicals and radiation can increase the lifespan
  by up to 40

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Studies illustrating hormetic effects

• 1940s (Lorenz) mice and guinea pigs exposed to
  chronic low level ionizing radiation had slightly
  greater mean life span and gained more weight
  than non-irradiated animals

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Studies illustrating hormetic effects

• 1987 (Calabrese)
• Female rats exposed to low doses of DDT were
  found to have significantly longer reproductive
  life spans compared to non-exposed rats.

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Studies illustrating hormetic effects

• 1987 (Liu et al)
• Inhabitants of a region of China with high
  natural radioactivity (3X) showed indicators of
  increased immune competence and DNA repair
  compared to those in control regions.

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Studies illustrating hormetic effects

• 1987 (Liu et al)
• It is speculated from data of human studies and
  animal experiments that under certain
  circumstances the immune system might be
  stimulated by low level ionizing radiation,
  enhancing the bodys defense mechanism as a whole

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Studies illustrating hormetic effects

• 1987 (Furst)
• Certain arsenic compounds in small doses promotes
  growth in domestic animals. It acts as a growth
  promoter and may be essential in small amounts,
  becoming toxic at moderate amounts, and lethal in
  large amounts.

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Various substances and influences with hormetic
effects

• Mercury
• Radon
• Arsenic
• X-ray
• Heat

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Nutrition and hormesis

• Vitamins and trace minerals
• Dietary fat
• Total caloric intake
• Alcohol intake

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Exercise and hormesis

• Moderate exercise is beneficial in multiple ways
• Strenuous exercise can cause structural damage
  and immune suppression

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Psychosocial stress and hormesis

• Moderate amounts of challenges actually more
  beneficial than no mental stress at all
• High amounts of stress have negative health
  effects if chronic

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• It appears that the bodys homeostatic
  mechanisms must be challenged in order for it to
  achieve its full potential for health and
  longevity. Very small doses of toxins and
  radiation may provide this challenge, to which
  the body responds by enhancing its defensive and
  regenerative activity. Without challenge, the
  organism drifts into an atonic, complacent state
  that is not consistent with optimal health.
• A. Lewis, The Townsend Letter, 4/93, issue 117

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The Calisthenic Dynamic Virgil V. Strang, D.C.
(1984)

• The human body is designed to adapt to continuous
  environmental change
• As the body is exposed to its environment at or
  near its limits, it increases its capability
  (training effect) it does not get weaker
• Chiropractic therefore rejects the idea that we
  need to control our environment to eliminate
  possible causes of disease