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 - supported

0:05:00supportedlowDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Meditating 20 minutes a day alters the expression of hundreds of genes in the body.

"if you meditate 20 minutes a day, you will change the use of hundreds of genes in your body." (said at 0:05:00)

Published genomic studies investigating daily mind-body practices and meditation (such as the 20-minute daily relaxation response protocol) show significant changes in the expression of hundreds to thousands of genes. In clinical trials evaluating 8-week training protocols in healthy novices as well as long-term practitioners, whole-blood transcriptome profiling identified between 400 and over 1,500 differentially expressed genes. These changes were characterized primarily by the downregulation of pro-inflammatory pathways (such as NF-κB) and the upregulation of pathways involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and telomere maintenance. However, the overall certainty is low due to small sample sizes in the genomic trials and reliance on peripheral blood cells.

0:12:45supportedvery lowDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

In a breast cancer-susceptible rat strain, social isolation increased tumor incidence from 20% to 80%, enlarged tumor size by 84-fold, and caused metastasis.

"What you see is that the tumor incidence, which at a certain time is 20% in the population, goes to 80. The tumor size is 84 times bigger, and it starts to spread out in the body, metastasize." (said at 0:12:45)

The speaker accurately describes the findings of a preclinical lifespan study in tumor-prone Sprague-Dawley rats (Hermes et al., 2009). The researchers found that female rats subjected to chronic social isolation developed a mammary tumor burden (size/mass) up to 84 times greater than age-matched group-housed controls, alongside significantly higher rates of malignancy and invasive ductal carcinoma. Because these findings are derived from an animal model, the certainty of evidence for direct application to humans is very low.

0:15:05supportedhighDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

The transcription factor NF-κB regulates about 200 genes involved in immune response and regulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

"a very important protein in DNA regulation is called NF-κB, which is a factor which switches on and off about 200 genes very strongly involved in the immune response, but also responsible for this vascular growth factor." (said at 0:15:05)

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a well-characterized family of inducible transcription factors that regulates the expression of hundreds of target genes central to innate and adaptive immune responses, inflammation, and cell survival. Among its regulated targets is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an essential promoter of angiogenesis.

0:18:06supportedlowDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

A 12-year retrospective study of surgical ward patients found that patients with a window view of trees required less pain medication and had shorter hospital stays than those facing a brick/concrete wall.

"So then he started to analyze for 12 years all the documentation on surgery, the outcome of it, how long and how well did the patient perform. Guess what? The guys who were laying in the room looking at the tree have less pain medication, shorter hospitalization days, were doing better and whatever." (said at 0:18:06)

The speaker accurately describes the findings of Roger Ulrich's landmark 1984 study published in Science. Examining retrospective medical records of cholecystectomy patients from 1972 to 1981 (a 9-year span), the study compared 23 patients assigned to surgical recovery rooms with a window view of trees against 23 matched patients whose windows faced a brick wall. Patients with the natural view had significantly shorter postoperative hospital stays (8.70 days vs. 9.60 days), took fewer potent analgesic pain medications, and had fewer negative evaluative comments in their nursing notes. Because this evidence comes from a single retrospective matched cohort with a small sample size (n = 46 total patients), the overall certainty of evidence is low.

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

The cortisol receptor complex acts as a transcription factor regulating approximately 20% of the human genome.

"and the complex of cortisol and receptor goes into the nucleus and is called a transcription factor and regulates 20% of our genome. So one in five genes is under control of cortisol." (said at 0:20:30)

Cortisol (the primary endogenous glucocorticoid) binds to the intracellular glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Upon ligand binding, the glucocorticoid-receptor complex translocates into the nucleus where it functions as a ligand-activated transcription factor. Published reviews in human and mammalian endocrinology establish that the glucocorticoid receptor directly or indirectly influences the transcriptional rate of up to approximately 10% to 20% of expressed genes in the genome depending on tissue type and cellular context.

0:26:54supportedmoderateDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Meditation directly lowers circulating levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6.

"you can measure this pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and whatever, and you directly influence IL-6 by meditation. It goes down." (said at 0:26:54)

Multiple meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) confirm that mindfulness-based interventions and meditation practices lead to statistically significant reductions in circulating levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), alongside other inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and TNF-alpha.

0:43:00supportedhighDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Normal physiological baseline human blood pH is approximately 7.4.

"In the normal situation, the acid-alkaline balance, which is called pH, the strict balance is pH 7, and our body is 7.4. That is our regular situation." (said at 0:43:00)

Normal baseline arterial blood pH in humans is tightly maintained around 7.40 (typically within a physiological reference range of 7.35 to 7.45).

0:43:38supportedmoderateDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Wim Hof's specialized breathing technique expels carbon dioxide and elevates blood pH up to 7.7 or 7.8.

"By this breathing technique and pumping out a lot of carbon dioxide and having periods in not breathing, heavy breathing, and well, he can tell people how to do, you change your pH. And now comes a little trick that in his training, that type of breathing raises the pH sometimes to 7.7, 7.8, and for biology that is a lot." (said at 0:43:38)

Controlled experimental research evaluating the Wim Hof method (which combines cyclic hyperventilation with breath retention) demonstrates that the breathing technique causes marked hypocapnia (elimination of carbon dioxide) resulting in acute respiratory alkalosis and profound temporary elevations in blood pH, reaching levels around 7.7. In randomized testing by Kox and colleagues, this intermittent respiratory alkalosis and hypoxia voluntarily triggered a major sympathetic surge, characterized by significant epinephrine release and modulation of innate immune responses.

0:57:30supportedmoderateDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Capsaicin from red peppers binds to thermal receptors sensitive to temperatures around 40°C, triggering physiological mechanisms that reduce core body temperature.

"a compound with a beautiful name in uh the red pepper is binding to one of these family members which senses heat. Not the extreme heat, not 50, but so around 40° C or so around 100 Fahrenheit. What it's doing that the pepper stimulates this receptor. So the receptor thinks you are too hot... Capsaicin is that... specifically that is the the name. But uh the receptor senses, hey, it's hot. And is reducing your body temperature to neutralize the effect of the outside temperature. So you lower your body temperature by spicy food." (said at 0:57:30)

Capsaicin from chili peppers is a well-established agonist of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel, a thermal receptor activated by warm to noxious temperatures (~42–43°C). Binding of capsaicin to TRPV1 activates sensory afferents that project to central thermoregulatory circuits, mimicking heat exposure and triggering physiological heat-loss responses (such as cutaneous vasodilation and sweating), which acutely reduces core body temperature.

0:58:50supportedhighDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Menthol and eucalyptus compounds bind to cold-sensing TRP receptors on the skin, causing local vasodilation and increased blood flow to generate heat after an initial cold sensation.

"The point is that compounds from these plants bind to the cold receptor. So as soon as you rub in your chest it feels cold because you sense cold like the pepper you feel hot but um that temperature receptor is not only making more energy and whatever but changing the blood flow. So the blood flow increases in this area where you put menthol or eucalyptus and you generate heat." (said at 0:58:50)

Menthol and related plant-derived compounds (such as eucalyptol) activate transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) cold receptors on sensory neurons and vascular tissue. In randomized human crossover studies, topical application induces a sensory cooling effect alongside localized cutaneous vasodilation and significantly increased skin blood flow mediated by sensory nerve activation, nitric oxide, and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors.

1:03:30supportedmoderateDr. Pierre Capel on the Power of the Mind & the Science of W

Studies demonstrate that an optimistic versus pessimistic psychological attitude statistically correlates with differences in disease recovery, life expectancy, and disease-free days.

"And there are a lot of studies of people who are optimistic or pessimistic and that really makes a difference statistically in how they cope with diseases, life expectance, the number of days without disease. That is directly related to a positive or negative uh attitude to life." (said at 1:03:30)

Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses of prospective observational cohort studies support the claim that dispositional optimism and positive psychological attitudes statistically correlate with lower all-cause mortality, improved survival, and better disease outcomes. A 2019 meta-analysis of 15 cohort studies involving 229,391 participants found that high optimism was significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR 0.86) and cardiovascular events (RR 0.65). Similarly, a 2023 meta-analysis in cancer patients demonstrated that positive psychological factors, including optimism, were associated with longer survival and lower overall mortality. In patients with established cardiovascular disease, positive psychological constructs have also been systematically linked to reduced rates of rehospitalization and mortality.

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