Eat to Live by Andrew Lothian

How Many People Believe That Their Red Blood Cells Tell Them How They Should Eat? The following is an exposé of the beliefs of Peter D’Adamo, ND, which was published in the 2005 edition of the best-selling book, Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, MD. Dr. Furman explains many of the reasons why there is no chance Dr. D’Adamo’s books about how people should eat can be accurate. Dr. Fuhrman thought the following exposé ended the risk to the millions of people who have been misled by Dr. Peter D’Adamo, and/or his father, Dr. James D’Adamo, and thus he removed the pages below from later editions of his book. Sadly, the damage caused by this myth goes on and on and has even fooled others into writing more books based on Dr. D’Adamo’s false beliefs. The following is from page 107 through page 113 of the 2005 edition of Eat to Live. For many additional problems with the rules from Dr. Peter D’Adamo on how people should eat that are in his book, Eat Right for Your Type, see Chapter 13 in the book, Quality Longevity by Mark Lovendale, and watch the video interview of Dr. Peter D’Adamo by Lovendale at PreventiveCare.com.

A Different Diet for Each Blood Type? Another bestseller, Eat Right for Your Type, by Peter D’Adamo, teaches us that the four different blood types require four very different eating plans. He explains: 1. Type O blood people (the Hunters) are designed for a lot of meat and will hurt themselves with wheat and beans. He asserts that “the gluten lectins inhibit your insulin metabolism, interfering with the efficient use of calories for energy .... Certain beans and legumes, especially lentils and kidney beans, contain lectins that deposit in your muscle tissues, making them more alkaline and less ‘charged’ for physical activity. Type O’s have a tendency to low thyroid function.” 2. People with type A blood (the Cultivators) should eat a vegetarian diet, as they are biologically predisposed to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. D’Adamo interestingly lists vegetable oil as a food that encourages weight loss for this blood type. 3. Type B blood people (the Nomads) do well with a varied diet and extra dairy products. They are resistant to heart disease and cancer, but more prone to immune system disorders like multiple sclerosis and lupus. Meat and liver encourage weight loss in type B blood individuals, according to D’Adamo, and he recommends that

Caucasians and African individuals with blood type B consume six to ten ounces of cheese weekly. 4. People with type AB blood require a mixed diet, some meat, but not chicken. D’Adamo writes: “So, although you are genetically programmed for the consumption of meats, you lack enough stomach acid to metabolize them efficiently, and the meat you eat tends to get stored as fat.” I tried hard to be fair to D’Adamo because I know there is some evidence in the scientific literature that genetics and even blood type can predispose one to certain illnesses, such as heart attacks and some cancers, but his claims are so ridiculous that it leaves me with no choice but to be amazed that he could actually make such mindboggling claims without supporting documentation or scientific studies. Furthermore, in reviewing the references mentioned in his book, he did not include even a small fraction of the hundreds of studies performed on this subject by scientists in the past thirty years. All the major studies I found documenting the relationship between blood type and disease were surprisingly missing. Since D’Adamo did not supply the scientific references to back up his claims, I first did a complete Medline search for all articles in the scientific literature over the past thirty years on the association between ABO blood type and various diseases, as well as all the available literature on lectins. I read more than two hundred scientific articles to see if D’Adamo has any scientific support for his claims. I figured this was more research than most readers would do before evaluating his far-fetched opinions. What I found was that the scientific literature does support a slight increased risk of coronary heart disease in blood type A, about average risk in type Band AB, and a slightly decreased risk of early cardiac death in type O.41 One study showed that type AB had the highest risk of fatal cardiac events, and another larger study that examined 7,662 men in twenty-four British towns found a slightly higher incidence of ischemic heart disease in people with type A blood.42 Of course, they did find quite a large percentage of heart patients with type O blood, and many towns with the largest number of type O people had the most heart disease. In another study that looked at a consecutive series of 191 patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery, there was a disproportionately large number of patients with type O blood undergoing bypass.43 The conclusion of these researchers was that ABO-related factors have had an insignificant impact on the evolution of coronary artery disease. Obviously, type Os are not immune to the damage from eating a diet rich in animal products, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Over 95 percent of Americans develop atherosclerotic heart disease or cancer, not just the type As. We are all susceptible to the nutritional inadequacy present in our diet. In spite of the fact that those with type O blood are a touch more resistant to certain cancers and coronary thrombosis, they still need to eat less animal food and more fruits and vegetables if they hope to obtain a long, disease-free life. Encouraging 2

animal-product consumption in any blood group is detrimental to their long-term health. All of us, of every blood type, will develop atherosclerosis -and most of us will die of it if we eat the American diet. And your risk of a premature cardiac death might be even greater if you follow the diets recommended by D’Adamo for type Os and type Bs. Heart disease and certain illnesses do have genetic factors that place some of us at higher risk than others. Heart disease or atherosclerosis is genetically heterogeneous. This means that there are many genes that affect your risk. Blood type is only one of many genetic markers involved and represents only a small percentage of genetic susceptibility on the human genome. That blood groups show a slight tendency to increased risk is consistent with the accepted view that genetics plays a role in determining risk. For example, the genetic influence on HDL cholesterol levels has a strong influence on longevity, independent of blood type.44 When considering all the genetic risk factors together, we must conclude that environmental influences on atherosclerosis are much stronger than the genetic ones. Even if we combined all the genetic influences and stratified the risk of heart disease or cancer in individuals in a more accurate way than blood type alone, we would still find that environmental factors are more important. Cholesterol levels, body weight, smoking, physical activity, food choices, and blood pressure have been shown to have a much stronger influence on disease risk than blood grouping.45

4 Blood Types, 4 Diets, 4 Get It! D’Adamo’s book mixes some interesting factual information about blood types with a whole lot of far-fetched assertions that have no basis in fact. Most of them are just plain wrong. He makes many unscientific and incorrect claims that show a poor understanding of human physiology. Do fattening, calorie-rich foods such as vegetable oils become weight-loss-promoting foods when consumed by a blood type A? Do these individuals not obey the first law of thermodynamics, as do the other blood types? Does meat cause weight gain when we don’t secrete enough acid to digest it properly, as D’Adamo asserts? Many of his claims run contrary to established concepts in human physiology, and he suggests wild theories without supporting evidence. For example, is the amount of acid secreted by the stomach linked to blood type? Was this ever scientifically investigated? He produces no study that illustrates this. D’Adamo needs to review a little basic physiology; for one thing, acid doesn’t digest protein anyway. Pepsin does. Glands in the mucous membrane lining of the stomach store pepsinogen, an inactive protein. The hormones gastrin and secretin stimulate the release of pepsinogen into the stomach, where it is mixed with hydrochloric acid and converted into its active enzyme, pepsin. Acid merely creates the optimal pH

(between 2 to 4) to activate pepsinogen and change it into its active form, pepsin.46 If it were true, as D’Adamo claims, that a certain blood type could secrete a little more or less acid, it would have little or no effect on the ability to digest animal protein. Except in the elderly, low acid levels in the stomach are exceedingly rare.47 It is almost unheard-of that individuals can’t secrete enough acid to effectively lower stomach pH to convert pepsinogen to pepsin. One concerned about having insufficient stomach acid could always draw a serum gastrin, a fairly reliable method of detecting bona fide hypochlorhydria, or low stomach acid.48 Having AB blood type with lower gastric acid secretion wouldn’t make eating meat more fattening anyway, contrary to what D’Adamo claims. The incompletely digested proteins would pass on down and get degraded by intestinal bacteria, reducing the absorption of amino acids and contributing to caloric loss and weight loss, not weight gain. Do blood type as have a tendency toward low thyroid function because, as D’Adamo states, “type as tend not to produce enough iodine”? First of all, our bodies do not produce any minerals, such as iodine. Iodine, as well as other minerals, can be absorbed only from what we consume in our diet. And if that is riot bad enough, the only medical study I could find regarding the claim that type as have a tendency to low thyroid function illustrated the exact opposite. Excessive thyroid function was found to be more common in type a individuals’ and low thyroid function was more common in type As.49 Then D’Adamo states that foods such as salt and liver encourage weight loss in these type Os. Is he serious? One could go on and on explaining his errors and omissions, but the main point is that the book is too inaccurate to take seriously, and despite the real relationship of certain blood types and genetic risks, we all need to minimize our risk of heart attack and cancer by eating the most nutritionally dense and phytochemically strong diet as possible. D’Adamo’s dietary recommendations are simply not based on solid science.

We Are All Genetically Different The concept that sometimes people need to adjust their diet in order to accommodate genetic individuality is not without merit. For example, darkerskinned people of African descent clearly do not tolerate dairy products well and have a higher incidence of lactose intolerance than those of Scandinavian descent. After thousands of years of their northern European ancestors consuming a dairy-rich diet, they are better equipped to digest milk products. Scandinavian countries, where people consume lots of dairy, also have the highest heart attack and cancer rates in the world. This means that the ability to digest and consume a certain food does not make the body impervious to the damage caused by that food. Scandinavians are still humans and they still kill themselves prematurely with their high consumption of dairy and other animal-based foods, just as most of you will if you continue to eat significant quantities of these foods.

The Attack of the Lectins – Great Science Fiction D’Adamo doesn’t just paint a picture of genetic predisposition to disease; he prescribes certain good foods and bad foods for each blood type merely on the basis of his own questionable observations, which he considers scientific. He claims that certain high-calorie foods cause weight loss in certain blood types and that other low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods cause weight gain, depending on blood type. He offers food choices, herbal remedies, supplemental plans, exercise programs, antibiotic preferences, and all types of specific advice based merely on a person’s blood type. He is right that we are all different to a degree; however, our differences are complex and involve more than just a few glycoproteins in our red blood cells. He does not produce a single scientific reference to establish his basic premise that sensitivity to plant lectins on hundreds of foods is governed by blood type. His theory hinges on the action of lectins, proteins found on and in certain foods, which can cause serious illness and even death if consumed by the wrong blood type. He claims that when the wrong food is consumed by the wrong blood type, red blood cell agglutination (clumping) occurs, along with other serious and cancer-causing changes. Patients come into my office after reading his book fearing for their lives if they eat a food that D’Adamo claims is dangerous for their type. But when we compare the information presented by D’Adamo with the information that is available in the scientific literature, the picture just doesn’t match. Again, part of what D’Adamo says is true, but his interpretation is so exaggerated and distorted as to make his assertions almost valueless. Not all lectins are toxic; most are even nutritious, with significant beneficial effects. Only some lectins are truly toxic, such as in red kidney beans, and need to be destroyed by cooking prior to eating. But most other lectins, such as tomato lectins, have been shown to be harmless. The beneficial effects of plant lectins include anti-tumor and anti-cancer activity, meaning they inhibit the induction of cancer by carcinogens.50 Some of the most fascinating and consistently observed biochemical effects of plant lectins are their inhibitory effect on protein synthesis in abnormal or malignant cells, but not in normal cells. They may prove to be a useful tool in treating cancer in the future. D’Adamo states on page 27 of his book that “the effects of lectins on different blood types are not just a theory. They’re based on science.” His conclusion, he explains, has been made on the basis of urinary indican readings in his patients. However, indican in the urine does not register antibody-antigen reaction or agglutination.51 This outmoded test is notoriously unpredictable and is also affected by unabsorbed protein. D’Adamo also claims that his conclusions have been based on the agglutination he saw in blood exposed to food-derived lectins. Don’t think agglutination on a microscopic slide means much – our blood is supposed to agglutinate when removed from the body and exposed to air. To call his unjustified conclusions and his wild claims scientific is an insult to every legitimate scientist.

On a positive note, D’Adamo’s book raises the awareness of the potential problems of lectins in certain foods and the likelihood that some of us may be genetically sensitive to specific food lectins. It is controversial whether lectins are a significant contributor to disease, but the evidence is suggestive. This is a valuable subject to pursue, and possibly D’Adamo’s work will lead to more research on this subject. Many lectins are powerful allergens in susceptible people and may partially explain food sensitivities that do not correspond with IgE (the typical allergy) blood testing. Of particular interest is the implication for autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and true to the suspicion, many rheumatoid arthritis patients note-worsening reactions after eating various foods.52 For many rheumatoid arthritis patients who are diet-sensitive, one of the most common food triggers is wheat. The wheat lectin is attracted to n-acetyl glucosamine, a molecule exposed in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients.53 Wheat, corn, soy, and dairy are typical pain triggers for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.54 Many people are sensitive to wheat and dairy. They feel better and have fewer allergic reactions, regardless of blood type, when they reduce or remove wheat and dairy from their diet. We just can’t credit D’Adamo’s blood-type theory as the reason for their feeling better when they restrict wheat and dairy.

A Confusing Array of Weight-Loss and Health Opinions What is truly astonishing is that D’Adamo’s book, without scientific support or even scientific plausibility, can become a bestseller. The popularity of his book hammers home the point that Americans are totally confused and misinformed about nutrition. Scientific-sounding, attention-grabbing gimmicks can impress the average consumer, who is attracted to ideas and books that have a trick or a hook, such as food combinations or magic healing foods. Just so you don’t think I am against every diet program that is not my own, there are other weight-loss programs that are based on science. They differ somewhat in their interpretation of the scientific literature and are generally not as nutritionally aggressive as my plan. The main drawback to some of these other worthwhile books is that they may not be effective enough for the individual with a serious metabolic hindrance to weight loss. Here is a suggested reading list for those interested in other viewpoints: The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss, by John McDougall, M.D. Turn Off the Fat Genes, by Neal Barnard, M.D. The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan, by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., and Robert Barnett The New Pritikin Program, by Robert Pritikin Eat More, Weigh Less, by Dean Ornish, M.D. The Anti-Aging Plan, by Roy Walford, M.D.

41. Tarjan, Z., M. Tonelli, J. Duba, and A. Zorandi. 1995. Correlation between ABO and Rh blood groups, serum cholesterol and ischemic heart disease in patients undergoing coronarography. Orv. Hetil. 136 (15): 76769; Stakishaitis, D. V., L. 1. Ivashkiavicheme, and A. M. Narvilene. 1991. Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and the blood group in the population of Lithuania. Vrach. Delo. 8: 55-57. 42. Meade, T. W., J. A. Cooper, Y. Stirling, et al. 1994. Factor VIII, ABO blood group and the incidence of ischaemic heart disease. Br. J. Haematol. 88 (3): 601-07; Whincup, P. H., D. G. Cook, A. N. Phillips, and A. G. Shaper. 1990. ABO blood group and ischaemic heart disease in British men. BMJ 300 (6741): 1679-82. 43. Erikssen, J., E. Thaulow, H. Stormorken, et al. 1980. ABO blood groups and coronary heart disease (CHD): a study in subjects with severe and latent CHD. Thromb. Haemost. 43 (2): 137-40. 44. Barzilai. N., 1. Gabriely, M. Gabriely, et al. 2001. Offspring of centenarians have a favorable lipid profile. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 49 (1): 76-79. 45. Suadicani, P., H. O. Hein, and F. Gyntelberg. 2000. Socioeconomic status, ABO phenotypes and risk of ischaemic heart disease: an 8-year follow-up in the Copenhagen Male Study. J. Cardiovasc. Risk 7 (4): 27783; Contiero, E., G. E. Chinello, and M. Folin. 1994. Serum lipids and lipoproteins association with ABO blood groups. Anthropol. Anz. 52 (3): 221-30. 46. Konigsberg, W., J. Goldstein, and R. J. Hill. 1963. The structure of human haemoglobin VII: the digestion of the beta chain of human haemoglobin with pepsin. J. Bioi. Chem. 238: 2028-33. 47. Bins, M., P. 1. Burgers, S. G. Selbach, et al. 1984. Prevalence of achlorhydria in a normal population and its relation to serum gastrin. Hepatogastroenterology 31 (1): 41-43. 48. Feldman, M., and C. Barnett. 1991. Fasting gastric pH and its relationship to true hypochlorhydria in humans. Dig. Dis. Sci. 36 (7): 866-69. 49. Carmel. R., and C. A. Spencer. 1982. Clinical and subclinical thyroid disorders associated with pernicious anemia: observations on abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and on a possible association of blood group O with hyperthyroidism. Arch. Inter. Med. 142 (8): 1465-69. 50. Abdullaev, F. I. and E. G. de Mejia. 1997. Antitumor effect of plant lectins. Nat. Toxins 5 (4): 157-63. 51. Clerc, M., F. Altglas, and J. Martine. 1974. The amount of indican in the urine and its applications. Bull. Soc. Pathol. Exot. Filiales 67 (16): 65462. 52. Kjeldsen-Kragh, J., M. Haugen, C. F. Borchgrevink, and O. Forre. I 9\M, Vegetarian diet for patients with rheumatoid arthritis -status: two years after introduction of the diet. Clin. Rheum. 13 (3): 475-82.

53. Freed, D. L. 1999. Do dietary lectins cause disease? BMJ 318 (7190): 1023-24. 54. Kjeldsen-Kragh, J., M. Haugen, C. P. Borchgrevink, et al. 1991. Con· trolled trial of fasting and one year vegetarian diet in rheumatoid arthritis, Lancet 338: 899-902.

Book Review: Eat Right For Your Type Hype By Sally Eauclaire Osborne, published June 14, 2006 in Nourished Magazine Eating according to your blood type seems to be the hottest idea in nutrition today. Despite negative reviews in nearly every mainstream publication - nearly all of whom have proclaimed the diet to be “no bloody good” - Eat Right 4 Your Type by Peter J. D’Adamo, N.D. (Putnam, 1996) has become a bestseller. Fad diets, of course, come and go, rarely earning kudos from anyone other than publishers and their publicists. Dr. D’Adamo’s book, however, has won the respect of fellow naturopathic doctors, many of whom now offer $20 blood typing tests to determine whether their clients are Type O, A, B or AB. After all, Dr. D’Adamo claims 4,000 case studies of people who achieved radiant good health after learning to “eat right for their type.” Supporters include Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S., Christiane Northrup, M.D., Bruce West, M.D., Jonathan Wright, M.D., and scores of other respected physicians and nutritionists. Why then have others - Brian Clement, Director at the Hippocrates Institute, Robert Crayon, M.S. of Designs for Health, and this writer, among others - seen little or nothing that clinically or scientifically supports the theory? Blood type as a factor in illness? Certainly. More than 1,000 scientific studies exist suggesting this is so. Blood type as a factor in deciding what to eat? D’Adamo bases his theories on the assumption that early man had Type O blood, and that the A, B, and AB blood types came long after. He claims that these later blood types are genetically predisposed towards grains and milk products, foods that came in with agriculture and the domestication of animals, while Type Os are natural meat eaters. The evidence is less than convincing. Anthropologists can point to evidence that all four blood types existed back in the hunter/gatherer Paleolithic era1, a fact that deflates Dr. D’Adamo’s entire theoretical structure. … 1. E-mail from Ruediger Hoeflechner on the subject of the Paleodiet, September 14-24, 1998.