I Solved The Warburg Effect

In 2014 when I first found out there were five tumors on my thyroid gland it was a great relief. I had been struggling mightily with my health for several years, been to five different doctors, and this was the first time any of them had gotten any tangible test results and not the rapidly tiring, “you have elevated white blood cells, but you’re fine.” At the same time it seemed like it might be too late. Five tumors? Normally they are called nodes, which some people use as a way to diminish the fact that they are, in fact, tumors, and this probably would have been fine if the largest of them, measuring 1 cm across, was not on the isthmus of the thyroid which is pretty much a 100% chance of cancer and is treated with surgery to remove the thyroid entirely.

I had insurance through my boyfriend/fiancé of four years (through our domestic partnership), but he left when I got sick and because I live in the United States I was on the crappiest state insurance and couldn’t get a biopsy scheduled sooner than three months. When the day finally came the doctor wasn’t even there and they couldn’t see me for another three months. In the chaos of my life falling apart I also lost the state insurance too and had no option but to take care of myself on my own. For several years prior to this diagnosis I’d also had a severe and chronic ache in my left shin, the middle of a rib on the left of my torso, and near by groin which never stopped aching. There was also a strip of hairy leukoplakia on the side of my tongue that normally only occurs in severe immune dysfunction such as leukemia and HIV. Because of awareness of HIV and health clinics established by leaders of the LGBTQ community I was tested regularly for HIV and was always negative, so I worried that I might actually have leukemia and cancer might already be spread across my entire body, and with no way to pursue treatment would be unable to find out.

Luckily I discovered the work of biologist, Dr. Ray Peat, and after beginning to change my diet and use some of his work to address my metabolic decline many of my symptoms began to improve rapidly, so I quickly gained hope that I could probably beat cancer without even getting any traditional treatment, since I also knew I understood the science in a way most people do not. After studying his work and using his tools along with other scientific studies and information to develop my own approach I was able to cure most of the symptoms which accompanied cancer as discussed in my book and previous article on cancer, I Survived Cancer and So Can You. But, there was also a lesion on my skin (for more than a decade) which never healed and was highly characteristic of skin cancer, and while these therapies helped with other symptoms the lesion was more difficult to resolve because the skin has its own separate metabolism than the rest of the body since it is often subjected to limited blood supply during stress, aging, and metabolic disease. When I discovered how to support the gut microbiome as discussed in my book the lesion finally healed, but there was still a small mass below the skin, and later while doing research on and experimenting with mitochondrial function was eventually able also to get the mass resolved.

I realized that through this work I had actually solved the Warburg Effect which is the primary underlying problem in cancer where cancer cells are observed failing to oxidize carbohydrate for energy even in the presence of adequate oxygen. The Warburg Effect has been an underlying mystery in the study and treatment of cancer for almost the entire last century. I would later find that most of my health problems were caused by cystic fibrosis, which carries an increased risk of leukemia and diabetes, causing an average lifespan of about 30 years, and during that research found that ammonia interferes with the normal uptake of nutrients like sodium which in turn causes impaired uptake of other nutrients in pathways dependent on sodium. Ammonia is normally acidified by stomach acid into ammonium, and then detoxified through the production of glutamine, urea, or excretion as ammonium chloride, but colonization by ammonia producing microbes and behaviors like dieting, which impairs stomach acid production and immunocompetence, promotes ammonia excess which then disturbs these pathways required for uptake of many nutrients. Ammonia is toxic in part because it competes with water for entry into cells and while researching ammonia I also found a study that mentioned in passing that mitochondria concentrate silicon (this study is not the one I found as that was years ago and I don’t remember which it was, but this study shows the same thing). I found this an extremely loaded fact to drop so casually because mitochondria are the site of the electron transport chain in which electrons are harvested from substrate like carbohydrate to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), our primary energy molecule, and silicon has a lot of unique atomic properties including that it is a semiconductor which functions to direct the flow of electrons, which is why silicon is used to make computer chips. The fact that mitochondria dysfunction is at the heart of cancer and the role of silicon as a semiconductor would be extremely relevant to cancer and mitochondrial function.

But silicon is so common in the diet it is hardly researched in terms of human health, with only some studies on its role in bone, cartilage, and nails and hair, and silicon is also not necessarily absorbed from the diet and requires acidification to prevent polymerization by silicon, so ammonia can also easily disrupt silicon absorption by inhibiting acidity. Early in my recovery a supplement of silicic acid provided a profound sense of relaxation, where silicic acid is the dietary form of bioavailable silica, and forms of silicon in supplements like silica or silicon dioxide are not at all the same thing. At first I thought this benefit might be from silicon’s ability to detoxify aluminum but its effect was both more profound and also shorter lived than what seemed likely if it were truly aluminum detoxification. Immediately on reading that mitochondria concentrate silicon I realized it would function as a semiconductor in mitochondria to prevent electron leakage from the electron transport chain, and later realized the Warburg Effect is thus caused by mitochondrial silicon deficiency which then promotes electron leakage from mitochondria, especially because electron leakage from mitochondria would not only impair the electron transport chain by failing to work properly but would also cause the premature reduction of oxygen meant for the terminal end of the transport chain due to the escaping electrons, not only preventing the synthesis of ATP for energy but also converting cellular oxygen meant for energy production into highly oxidizing superoxide species instead, exactly the state which is observed in cancer cells and the Warburg Effect.

As would then be expected as a result of this explanation cancer cells consume a great deal of nutrition but produce very little energy, as electrons continue to flow into the mitochondrial electron transport chain from food but then are simply lost into the surrounding cytosol and tissue to promote inflammation which cannot then be resolved due to the deficiency of ATP production, and through further research and experimentation I became satisfied this is the case as the Warburg Effect can only be explained by active leakage of electrons from mitochondria as opposed to the electron transport chain simply stopping as that would also stop the consumption of substrate, which is not occurring. This problem is even more dire in states of cancer, however, because the response to poor energy output is that cells actually increase their fuel consumption attempting to reverse ATP deficiency, to rescue cells from stress, so leaking electrons from mitochondria accelerates during this problem along with excessive consumption of fuel such as sugar, fats, glutamine, etc., and eventually causing massive catabolization of tissue (cachexia) and death. This is also why some dietary strategies like avoiding sugar appear to help cancer recovery, since sugar so strongly promote mitochondrial respiration and avoiding sugar would then reduce electron leakage by depriving cells of fuel source, but avoiding sugar also dramatically raises stress hormones which potentiate cancer by catabolizing tissue and stressing healthy cells which results in even less energy production.

Silicon deficiency is not simply reversed by supplementing silicon! Remember that silicon is everywhere in our diets, even in animal protein but very high in fruits, vegetables, and grains, especially those which are tough, and instead the deficiency of silicon which underlies the Warburg Effect starts in the gut from factors which impair stomach acid and digestion (such as pathogenic ammonia production), because silicon must be acidified for proper absorption and then integration into mitochondria. Silicon spontaneously forms polymers so if it is not acidified it spontaneously forms indigestible polymers in the gut, which is why just taking a supplement of silicon WILL NOT REVERSE THE WARBURG EFFECT. Silicon is also taken up by the same pathways as ammonia (and water) in channels called aquaporin, so silicon has a multitude of opportunity to react with ammonia and become neutralized, and colonizing pathogens which produce toxic ammonia (especially parasites) can and do also colonize other parts of the body such as the blood, brain, and even the spleen or bone marrow where their ammonia reacts with silicic acid to liberate it from mitochondria and cause mitochondrial electron leakage (although the primary source is the stomach and intestines on food substrate). Very commonly we also can and do contract parasites called Trichomonas which colonize mucosal tissue including the oral cavity, lungs, esophagus, gut, breast, and urogenital organs where they downregulate immune function and produce ammonia and contribute to cancers of the breast, prostate, cervix, etc., by locally disturbing mitochondrial pH and thus mitochondrial silicon. But the most important site for acidification of silicon occurs in the intestines by commensal microbes producing short chain fatty acids from the breakdown of indigestible carbohydrate and sugar which then results in the acetylation of silicon by acetic acid and other short chain fatty acids.

This problem occurs primarily because opportunistic microbial ammonia producers make ammonia to compete with our commensal microbes, which then slows or stops the production of acidified dietary silicon as we age or suffer metabolic disease. My book discusses at length how to restore commensal microbes and promote their normal metabolism of food substrate, but to immediately arrest cancer growth acidified silicon can be made and supplemented using a supplement of plant-derived silicon (about 200-500 mg of plant-derived silicon, depending on size) once daily mixed with dietary acid (children should use about half the dose used in adults, depending on size). Initially I thought lemon juice or citric acid powder in a little water was useful for this purpose (about 3 tablespoons), which it is, but acetylation of silicon by acetic acid such as what would occur in the gut from the microbiome consuming plant foods is even more powerful than citric acid. Since there are no studies which yet explore these concepts it was difficult to find any supporting scientific evidence, but I did find one study which discussed acetylated silicon used to clean up oil spills showing that acetylated silicon adsorbs to oil, and guess what mitochondria are made of???? Oil! Well, more specifically phospholipids, and I believe that the acetylated silicon is likely located between the mitochondrial lipid bilayer. Vinegar is kind of gross, though, so alternating between the use of lemon juice (or citric acid) and vinegar will be just fine (or a mix of both).

Acidification of supplemental, plant-derived silicon will prevent its polymerization and strongly promote bioavailability for incorporation into mitochondria to slow or stop the leakage of electrons at the root of the Warburg Effect that drives cancer. This works so rapidly and so well that using acetylated silicon even started softening the scar that remained from my skin lesion. Of course, total recovery requires fundamentals of diet, a healthy microbiome, and other supporting strategies for recovery from cancer as discussed in my other article and Fuck Portion Control. Silicon must be acidified for a few minutes before taking it, meaning the only useful strategy here is to premix silicon with acid (vinegar) and not simply chasing a capsule of silicon with some vinegar, but the mixture can after mixing be very slightly diluted with a little bit of tea or acidic juice like purple grape juice or orange juice to make it easier to supplement, especially for children. It is possible to cause harmful states of silicosis from excessive exposure to silicon, which is a consequence of exposure to non-acidified silicon, so it is every important that not any source of silicon is used for these purposes but directions are followed properly (and efforts to resolve chronic pathogenic ammonia production are also resolved), and not taken in excess. While gut health fundamentals are far too complex to cover in an article they are essentially a diet high in fruits and vegetables, with daily sun exposure for vitamin D (without getting sunburned), especially for plant compounds high in polyphenols like grape juice, tea, the skins of nuts, etc., (meaning for instance not to water down your child’s grape juice!), and not drinking processed beverages like soda or even plain water with meals as this strongly promotes pathogenic colonization of the gut (these specifics are explained in better detail in my book).

In my previous work on curing cancer I advocated for the use of aspirin as a primary strategy for the treatment of cancer, since Dr. Peat’s work recommended aspirin for cancer and raising metabolic respiration had been extremely useful in reversing my symptoms. My discovery explains this benefit of aspirin because aspirin helps acidify mitochondria which then protects mitochondria silicon from the effect of ammonia to thus help retain silicon and reverse the Warburg Effect effect by increasing respiration and ATP production, and there are emerging studies finally showing the helpful nature of aspirin in cancer treatment. Being colonized by ammonia producing microbes is not at all uncommon—all humans eventually acquire ammonia producers and they are a ubiquitous part of aging, which is why risk of cancer increases as we age or acquire metabolic disease. Since there are many factors which promote ammonia excess it also explains why cancer is so seemingly nebulous in its origins, since exposure also to carcinogens or radiation can destabilize mitochondria, the production of energy, and then become exploited by opportunistic pathogens as our immune defenses begin to fail.

Anecdotally this explanation of the Warburg Effect is also explained by the unexpected inverse association with breast implants and breast cancer, for while breast implants and silicon leakage can cause many harmful side effects like silicosis it actually reduces the incidence of breast cancer by causing the body to have an excess of silicon (which, again, can be harmful) thereby inadvertently protecting cells from cancer even from a situation which might otherwise seem carcinogenic. Some opportunistic plastic surgeons might promote this as a benefit of breast implants, which are generally not a good idea and can come with some significant harms.

A primary reason why I am so confident about the role of silicon in reversing the Warburg Effect is that this is also the cure to migraines! One day when suffering a massive migraine so severe I felt I would vomit just from turning my head and could not even lay prone to sleep but had to prop myself up on the couch and turn off everything that made a noise or produced light and a good time to mediate on my research I suddenly realized the concept of the Warburg Effect I had been mulling was the same problem underlying my current migraine, where cancer is chronic electron leakage a migraine is acute electron leakage which causes both massive inflammation and impairment of ATP production where ATP would otherwise normally rescue inflammation. Overjoyed to realize I had also solved migraine I went to my cupboards and mixed an entire capsule of bamboo silicon (about 700 mg) into a glass of lemon juice and downed it and followed that up with some sugary food (some fruit and a slice of cake) to keep the mitochondria running and producing ATP which would be required to rescue the underlying inflammation. I was not prepared for how fast this would work and within 45 minutes my migraine had entirely disappeared and I was back at my computer doing research and listening to music, confirming my discovery of silicon’s role in mitochondria energy production and insulation against electron leakage from the electron transport chain. So this is also the cure to migraine (well, the long-term cure to migraine is also resolution of ammonia producing microbes that cause silicon loss in the first place, but this is the treatment for migraine when they occur—remembering that sugar is just as important for efficacy as acetylated or acidified silicon otherwise mitochondria will not produce the ATP required to reverse the inflammation causing the pressure and discomfort).

So, if you have cancer or migraines get a supplement of plant sourced silicon (silicic acid or bamboo silicon) and some dietary acid like lemon juice, citric acid powder, cream of tartar, or vinegar to mix with the silicic acid, where vinegar is the strongest and most effective. After they are mixed together this can be slightly diluted with a healthy, acidic beverage like tea, orange juice, purple grape juice, etc. Doses of silicon for children with cancer are probably about 200-400 mg daily, depending on size, and care should be excercised not to use this in excess to avoid silicosis. Other supplements of silicon like silica, silicone, or silicon dioxide ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE with plant sourced silicic acid and will not necessarily provide this benefit.

Remember to follow the other guidelines in my book or article on cancer to achieve a full recovery. As I do not have access to scientific institutions that normally distribute such discoveries please share this information wherever and with whomever you can to document my work and help people suffering from cancer. If you would like to support my work you can make a donation from the donation button on the home page, buy my books, or support my Patreon page.

You can also listen to my podcast on cancer, although this does not reflect solving the Warburg Effect as it was my previous approach to dealing with cancer and has most of the other supporting information. I will be doing a new video on this once I get the time and resources, so go follow my channel, or instagram for notifications and other content.