BONUS EPISODE Lifestyle and Long Covid with Professor Robert Thomas

30th Apr 2021

Professor Robert Thomas is back on the podcast talking about all things to do with Long COVID and some preliminary results from the UK’s only Covid nutrition intervention trial - The Phyto V study.

A randomised double blind placebo controlled trial evaluating the influence of a phytochemical rich whole foods capsule plus a probiotic capsule on clinical outcomes among individuals with covid-19 viral infection. The hypothesis for this study is that starting a nutritional intervention in covid-19 positive patients displaying symptoms could shorten the severity or duration of illness. This may or may not have an impact on Long Covid and there are some anecdotes of  benefit, however we can’t say for certain  whether it’s useful for everyone

What polyphenols were  included in the  supplement I hear you ask?   The researchers used ones that show promise in other viral illnesses and are found in common foods including: The flavanone polyphenol hesperetin found in citrus fruits; the Anthraquinone derivative aloe emodin found in Aloe Vera; Quercetin, a flavonoid found in, onions, apple, pomegranate and citrus fruits; Apigenin a polyphenol found in parsley, chamomile tea and fruit. Curcumin curcuminoids found in turmeric; ellagic acid found in  pomegranate.

As a reminder, Professor Robert Thomas is a Consultant Oncologist at Bedford and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals, a clinical teacher at Cambridge University and visiting Professor of Sports and nutritional science at the University of Bedfordshire. He is lead of a Lifestyle and Cancer Research Unit, and is also medical advisor to the website Cancernet.co.uk.  Through his amazing work - Prof Robert Thomas has previously been awarded The British Oncology Association’s “Oncologist of the Year” and The Royal College of Radiologist medal.

On Today’s podcast you will learn :

  • About the details of the study that is yet to be published
  • The theory behind using  a probiotic and a nutrient dense supplement
  • The tips for covid that are evidence based which could reduce severity
  • The new study looking at how to potentially enhance the antibody response of the immune system from the vaccine

Rather than to try and demonstrate the need for a supplement, what prof hopes to show is that using a polyphenol rich diet may  be beneficial to prevent prolonged covid symptoms. 

The details for the trial and other trials that professor mentions are on theDoctorskitchen.com podcast  show notes. We’re doing another podcast dedicated to Roberts new book “How to Live” which I can’t recommend  enough, but  for that I think it  needs its own distinct episode.

Please do enjoy this conversation with Professor Robert Thomas.

Episode guests

Professor Robert Thomas

Professor Robert Thomas is a Consultant Oncologist at Bedford and Addenbrookes Hospitals, a clinical teacher at Cambridge University and visiting Professor of Sports and nutritional science at the University of Bedfordshire. He is lead of a Lifestyle and Cancer Research Unit conducting designing and conducting government backed studies evaluating the impact of exercise, diet and natural therapies. In collaboration with The Universities of Bedfordshire, Southern California, Cambridge and Glasgow, this unit has published over 100 peer reviewed scientific papers (see list). This has included the worlds largest randomised controlled trial of a polyphenol rich nutritional supplement in patient with cancer (the Pomi-T trial) and the randomised evaluation of a topical therapy to prevent chemotherapy induced nail damage (The polybalm study). More recently, he led the analysis of the 155,000 patient data set (PLCO) which has linked sugar with an increased cancer and tea and broccoli with cancer prevention. In 2010, he designed and lead the implementation of the UK's cancer exercise rehabilitation course and Qualification with Macmillan and Skills Active. In 2019, he wrote book “Keep Healthy after Cancer”, and remains medical advisor for the lifestyle and cancer website Cancernet.co.uk, the general lifetsyle site keep-healthy.com and writes a popular health blog in partnership with exercise professionals and nutritionists. For these contributions he has been awarded The British Oncology Association’s “Oncologist of the Year” and The Royal College of Radiologist medal.  

References/sources

Do have a look on the cancernet website at the information on the study - there really is a lot of great information on there about the work that is being done in the study.

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