HoldsUp

Pierre Capel

Utrecht University

Pierre Capel is a professor emeritus of experimental immunology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. His academic research has covered topics ranging from genetic modification to cancer immunotherapy. Additionally, he has collaborated with Wim Hof to study the scientific mechanisms behind extreme cold exposure and physical feats.

21 claims checked on air: 2 context 3 contradicted 3 overstated 11 supported 2 unverified 6 flagged

What they said on air - flagged

0:07:06contradictedmoderateDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Complete lack of sleep causes death within seven days.

"Without sleep, seven days you die." (said at 0:07:06)

There is no evidence that complete lack of sleep causes death within seven days in humans. In experimental animal models of total sleep deprivation (such as Rechtschaffen's disc-over-water studies in rats), fatal outcomes or states requiring imminent sacrifice occurred after 11 to 32 days of continuous deprivation, not within seven days. Furthermore, documented human case observations of extended voluntary wakefulness (up to 11 days or 264 hours) have produced severe cognitive impairment, perceptual disturbances, and metabolic strain, but not death.

0:11:40overstatedvery lowDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

A gene expression study on white blood cells found that subjective loneliness altered at least 209 elementary biological functions across the immune system, metabolism, and hormones.

"In the case that somebody is lonely, uh in that article was at least 209 elementary functions in life were changed inside the immune system, inside metabolism, hormone levels, and whatever." (said at 0:11:40)

The landmark 2007 leukocyte gene expression study on subjective loneliness by Cole et al. identified 209 differentially expressed genes (transcripts) in circulating white blood cells between individuals experiencing high versus low chronic loneliness, rather than 209 distinct elementary biological functions. The altered gene profiles were primarily related to immune activation, pro-inflammatory signaling (NF-κB), transcription control, and suppression of type I interferon responses and mature B lymphocyte function. In addition, the original microarray study was a small cross-sectional investigation in 14 participants, representing preliminary correlational data rather than established causal effects across broad physiological functions.

0:22:05overstatedmoderateDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

In the early 1970s, using gamma interferon as a cancer therapy caused treated patients to develop psychosis.

"A very strong but sad example is that in the early '70s when gamma interferon was used as therapeutic agent for certain type of cancer, the only effect was that all these people who were treated ended up psychotic in the psychiatry ward because gamma interferon influences the immune system, but also influences the central nervous system." (said at 0:22:05)

While interferon therapies are well-documented to cross into or influence the central nervous system and cause neuropsychiatric adverse effects—such as depression (affecting approximately 20–50% of patients), anxiety, confusional states, and, in rarer instances, manic or psychotic symptoms—the claim that trials caused 'all' treated patients to become psychotic and end up in psychiatric wards is a substantial overstatement. Furthermore, psychiatric complications occur across interferon formulations (primarily interferon-alpha) rather than being the universal or sole outcome of early gamma interferon administration.

0:30:20overstatedlowDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

After 7 weeks of regular meditation, brain activity shifts from a balanced 50/50 state toward greater left prefrontal cortex activity.

"Normally it's a 50/50 activity left-right, but with meditation it shifts a little bit to the left, and the left part is more the harmonious, well-being, feeling okay instead of the troublesome on the right. And this shift, and you make new neuronal, neuronal connections, new nerve cells are being made, gives you a really constant feeling of emotional stability. And you can measure the number of brain activities at different levels after 7 weeks of meditation, and you see a fantastic change to the positive." (said at 0:30:20)

The claim refers to seminal research on mindfulness-based stress reduction (notably Davidson et al., 2003), which evaluated an 8-week (rather than 7-week) meditation training program in 25 healthy employees compared to 16 wait-list controls. That randomized trial found a statistically significant shift toward greater left-sided anterior activation on electroencephalography (EEG), a pattern linked to positive affect and approach-oriented emotion regulation. However, framing baseline brain activity as a literal '50/50' split is a physiological oversimplification, as baseline frontal asymmetry varies widely across individuals as a trait marker. Furthermore, asserting that this practice generates 'new nerve cells' (adult neurogenesis) in the prefrontal cortex is not supported by human neuroimaging or cellular evidence, which primarily demonstrates functional changes and structural plastic alterations rather than cortical neurogenesis.

0:48:28contradictedhighDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

At a blood pH of 7.7, pain receptors dissociate into monomeric forms, preventing the trimerized active signaling state and eliminating pain and anxiety signaling in the spinal cord and amygdala.

"And at pH 7.7 the pain receptor is a monomer, so it's out, so no pain. But the same receptor is also in the amygdala giving fear and pain, but also in the spinal cord and all over your body. So all of the sudden you don't feel pain, don't feel anxiety" (said at 0:48:28)

The claim that pain receptors dissociate into inactive monomers at an alkaline blood pH of 7.7 to eliminate pain and anxiety contradicts structural and biophysical evidence on proton-sensitive receptors. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs), which mediate proton-activated signaling in nociceptive pathways and fear/anxiety circuits in the amygdala, assemble as stable, chalice-shaped trimers embedded in the membrane. Gating is mediated by proton binding to acidic residues and carboxyl-carboxylate pairs that drive conformational changes within the intact trimeric complex to open or close the pore, not by dissociation into monomers. Furthermore, severe systemic alkalosis (pH 7.7) is a life-threatening medical emergency and does not eliminate pain or anxiety signaling through receptor monomerization.

1:06:15contradictedmoderateDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Human mate selection and attraction are influenced by olfactory perception of highly polymorphic Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC/HLA) peptide fragments secreted in body fluids and sweat.

"these vital molecules which are different in each individual are being chopped up in little peptides and secreted by all type of body fluids which uh are in the armpits and between the legs and in all the sexual organs and sweat. There they are secreted. uh and as soon as you smell them you know how the immune system of the other person is and so therefore you come into the area that smell is an important thing for a genetic selection with whom you have to mate" (said at 1:06:15)

While early small studies such as Wedekind et al. (1995) suggested that humans prefer the scent of MHC-dissimilar individuals, subsequent research and comprehensive meta-analyses contradict the claim that MHC peptide olfaction reliably drives human mate selection. A 2020 meta-analysis synthesizing genomic mate selection, relationship satisfaction, and body odour preference studies found no statistically significant association between MHC dissimilarity and body odour preferences, nor any overall significant effect on actual human mate choice.

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