Sanjay: No, That’s Not Me Hawking Cures

Summary

Chasing Life Podcast Summary

Episode: Sanjay: No, That’s Not Me Hawking Cures
Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Release Date: August 12, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of Chasing Life, Dr. Sanjay Gupta addresses pressing health-related questions from listeners, delving into topics ranging from misinformation in medical advertising to understanding the complexities of cancer metastasis. The episode provides valuable insights into navigating the modern landscape of health information and emphasizes the importance of critical thinking when encountering medical claims.

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Addressing Misinformation: The IQ Blast Controversy

Timestamp: [00:27] - [02:49]

Helena's Concern: A listener named Helena questions whether Dr. Gupta is endorsing a product called IQ Blast, expressing uncertainty about the authenticity of his involvement in promotional materials.

Dr. Gupta's Response: Dr. Gupta firmly denies any association with the IQ Blast advertisement. He clarifies, "No, that is not me in the video. But I want to fill you in on what's really happening here after this." [02:27]

Deepfake Technology Alert: He reveals that the advertisement in question is a deepfake— an AI-generated imitation designed to deceive viewers into believing he and his colleague, Anderson Cooper, are promoting the product. Dr. Gupta emphasizes the rising concern of such technologies, stating, "This is going to become an increasing concern, so it's something we're going to all need to be more mindful about."

Spotting Fake Medical Breakthroughs: Dr. Gupta offers practical advice for listeners to identify fraudulent medical claims:

• Too Good to Be True: "If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is, meaning it's not true."
• Unnatural Presentation: Pay attention to unnatural voices, flat recordings, or mismatched lip movements.
• Inconsistent Visuals: Look for smoothness, asymmetry, or inconsistent lighting that may indicate video manipulation.
• Verification: "Look at the source who put the video out. Is it a reputable organization? Then double check it, triple check it."

He underscores the importance of skepticism and thorough verification, especially regarding breakthroughs in areas like Alzheimer's disease.

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Understanding Prostate Cancer Metastasis

Timestamp: [07:52] - [08:28]

Joe's Question: A 71-year-old listener named Joe inquires about identifying whether prostate cancer has metastasized to his bones or other parts of his body.

Dr. Gupta's Explanation: Dr. Gupta provides a comprehensive overview of cancer metastasis, specifically focusing on prostate cancer:

• Metastasis Process: "Cancer cells will leave the primary location and then travel... to one or more parts of the body and then take up residence there."
• Common Metastasis Sites for Prostate Cancer:
  • Bones: Spine, pelvis, ribs, and even the skull.
  • Lymph Nodes: Part of the body's fluid-filtering system.
  • Other Organs: Lungs and liver.

Symptoms of Metastasis:

• Bone Metastasis: Bone pain (dull or stabbing), bone weakness, fractures.
• Lymph Node Metastasis: Swelling, pain, or tenderness in affected areas.
• General Indicators: Fatigue, unexplained weight loss, or sometimes no symptoms at all.

Importance of Early Detection: Dr. Gupta emphasizes the critical role of regular medical consultations and scans for early detection, enhancing the effectiveness of treatment: "The earlier that a problem is caught, the easier it will be to treat." [08:28]

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Conclusion

Dr. Sanjay Gupta wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to continue submitting their health-related questions. He reiterates his commitment to providing evidence-based answers and fostering a well-informed community. The episode serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance against misinformation and the value of proactive healthcare management.

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Notable Quotes:

• "If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is, meaning it's not true." — Dr. Sanjay Gupta [02:48]
• "The earlier that a problem is caught, the easier it will be to treat." — Dr. Sanjay Gupta [08:28]

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For further inquiries or to submit your own health questions, listeners are encouraged to visit asksanjayn.com or call 470-396-0832.

Transcript

[Sanjay Gupta]

Welcome to Paging Dr. Gupta. This is the place I get to answer your health questions. I love doing it. So if you've got something on your mind, you've come to the right place. On this program, we try and take your real life questions and then do some homework and try and answer them for you using science and facts. Kira, who do we have first today?

[Kira]

Hi, Sanjay. So today's first question is very personal. It's actually about you. Here, take a listen.

[Helena]

Hi, my name is Helena and I'm curious to see whether you're behind a product called IQ Blast. I saw a video that looks like you were featured in that, but I'm not sure if that's the real you or someone else. And that really will make a determination as to whether I purchase this product or not. Thank you.

[Sanjay Gupta]

Okay, thank you very much for this question. This has been something that's been on my mind a lot. So first of all, the short answer is no, that is not me in the video. But I want to fill you in on what's really happening here after this.

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[Sanjay Gupta]

Okay, so the question was whether I was hawking, promoting, selling any brain boosting products on the Internet. There's one ad in particular that's been making a lot of rounds. The key isn't some new drug.

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[Sanjay Gupta]

Honey recipe and a powerful traditional Indian root developed by Dr. Sanjay Gupta himself. I want to say that this is true.

[Helena]

Truly a landmark.

[Sanjay Gupta]

So let me Reiterate and be very clear about this. No, that is not me. And it's not my colleague Anderson Cooper either, who you hear in the clip as well. What you just heard is fake. A deep fake AI. Now look, this is going to become an increasing concern, so it's something we're going to all need to be more mindful about. And at the same time, when it comes to medical things, there are a lot of people who want answers. They want real solutions, especially when it comes to things like Alzheimer's, how to prevent it, treat it, maybe even cure it. But to be clear, that's not what this is about. This is a total scam designed to take away your money. I'll tell you, you're not the only one asking this question. I've gotten so many voicemails, so many emails, so many people reaching out about this, people who I think are legitimately suffering, legitimately looking for some sort of answers, and think that maybe they've stumbled upon it. These ads are designed to look very convincing, so don't feel bad if you've been fooled or duped by this. There are a couple things I do want you to keep in mind, especially when it comes to potentially fake medical breakthroughs. Look and listen carefully. If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is, meaning it's not true. If the voice or the recording sounds off, pay attention to that. Maybe it's just something that you can't quite put your finger on. It sounds flat, it sounds unnatural. Be very skeptical of that. Lip sync issues. Do the lip movements match the words? That's something else you can find. If the face appears to be too smooth or alternately too asymmetrical, or if the lighting and background are inconsistent, that usually means they are pulling from several different clips and trying to mash it together to make it look like just one thing. So if any or all of those things are true, then there's a really good chance that what you're listening to or watching is AI generated. You got to trust your gut a bit on this one. Now, if you do see something that sort of piques your interest, look at the source who put the video out. Is it a reputable organization? Then double check it, triple check it. See if you can find evidence of the so called breakthrough on other sources. Something that you know is reputable, something that you definitely trust. Look, if it's me, and I'm talking about Alzheimer's disease and I'm talking about a big breakthrough, it's not going to be on some shadowy social media site. I'm going to proclaim it loud and clear, hopefully with a lot of evidence and a lot of context so it can be most helpful to you. So again, I'm glad the question was asked. It's been asked a lot, thousands of times to me personally just over the last couple of weeks. That is not me. I hope more than anyone that we develop some good breakthroughs when it comes to things like Alzheimer's. Be sure if that happens, I'll make sure you know about it after the break, what it means when prostate cancer spreads to the bone, and what you should watch for. Okay, we got time for another question. Kira, who do we have next?

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[Helena]

Here's Joe hey, good afternoon, Sandra. My name is Joe and I'm 71 years old. I was diagnosed with cancer prostate cancer five years ago. I'm currently under active surveillance. My Question to you is how does one know whether or not prostate cancer cells have metastasized to bones or anywhere else in the body? Question that I've been struggling with here since we heard the news about President Biden. And I was just wondering if you could help me. Thank you, doctor.

[Sanjay Gupta]

Okay, great question. First of all, as anyone with cancer knows, it can be tricky. It can be a tricky adversary. What sometimes happens is that cancer cells will leave the primary location and then travel. Travel throughout the body, through the blood, through the lymph tissue, to one or more parts of the body and then take up residence there. The cancer is then said to have metastasized. And as a general rule, that is going to make it more complicated to treat. So, to this question specifically, prostate cancer in particular, when it spreads, does tend to spread or metastasize to the bones, especially the spine and the pelvis, but it can affect other bones as well, the ribs. And I've even seen prostate cancer spread to the skull. It can go to the lymph nodes. That's part of an interconnected system that helps the body filter fluids and help fight infections. Prostate cancer can even spread, sometimes to other organs, particularly the lungs and the liver. Now, it can be sometimes tough to know just based on your symptoms if your cancer has metastasized. You might feel fatigued or generally unwell. You might begin to experience unexplained weight loss, but you might not have any symptoms at all. Now, depending on where your cancer has metastasized, you might have specific symptoms related to that. So for bone metastases, the most common symptoms are going to be, no surprise, bone pain. And that bone pain can be a dull ache or it can be sudden and stabbing. It might get worse, might wake you up at night. You might develop bone weakness, maybe even bone fractures. If it's spreading to the lymph nodes, you might feel swelling and pain or tenderness in the area where the cancer has spread. But again, I want to reiterate, you might not know at all. You might not have any symptoms at all, or at least no new symptoms. So, Joe, I think it's important to see your doctor if you feel off or if you're developing unusual symptoms. You may be the first line of detection when it comes to something like that. Afterwards, they can do a scan to determine if your cancer has spread. And as a general rule, the earlier that a problem is caught, the easier it will be to treat. So pay attention to those signs, especially if you know you have cancer and now you're worried about potential spread. So Joe, thank you for calling in with your concern and I'm certainly wishing both Joes you and former President Joe Biden. And good luck with your health and your treatment. That's all the time we have for today. Thanks to everyone who has been sending in questions. I love hearing from you. Your curiosity, your stories, your voice. It's really bringing this show to life. So keep the great questions coming. If there's something health related you've been wondering about, send it to us and we might answer it next week. Even record a voice memo. Email it to asksanjayn.com or give us a call. 470-396-0832. Thanks for listening. I'll be back next Tuesday.

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