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ghrelin

Preprandial Rise in Ghrelin Levels Suggests a Role in Meal Initiation – (08-06-01)

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Preprandial Rise in Ghrelin Levels Suggests a Role in Meal Initiation

I don’t have much to say on this issue at this time. The hormone ghrelin is a newly discovered hormone and may show to play a role in weight management and appetite. Considering the fact that we just discovered a new hormone, does anyone out there feel comfortable about taking drugs that alter appetite in an attempt at weight management? We have no idea what the long term impacts are on messing with this process. I’m sure that as research on ghrelin progresses, we will find that it has impacts on other body systems, much like where we were with leptin several years ago.

Diabetes — Abstracts: Cummings et al. 50 (8): 1714

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Ghrelin, Induces Hyperglycemia and Reduces Insulin Secretion in Humans – (11-01-01)

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Ghrelin, a Natural GH Secretagogue Produced by the Stomach, Induces Hyperglycemia and Reduces Insulin Secretion in Humans

This is more of an FYI. Keep an eye on this hormone. It is just now finding it’s way into the limelight and will most likely be a target of some new drugs coming down the pipeline. It is only a matter of time, however, before we find out how certain vitamins, minerals, herbs and foods affect ghrelin levels.

JCEM — Abstracts: Broglio et al. 86 (10): 5083

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Fructose Reduces Circulating Insulin and Leptin – (06-18-04)

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Fructose Reduces Circulating Insulin and Leptin, Attenuates Postprandial Suppression of Ghrelin, and Increases Triglycerides in Women

This has been a tough one to explain. Research has shown that fructose (as in high fructose corn syrup) has little effect on insulin levels. This would, at first glance, make it seem a-ok from a dietary standpoint. But most functional medicine practioners have recommended avoiding it for a long time now.

This article starts to shed some light on the harms of this dietary factor. Basically, fructose does not effect insulin, but it does affect leptin and ghrelin in a negative way. Lower leptin levels were seen (remember that leptin speeds up metabolism and suppresses hunger) and higher ghrelin levels (ghrelin will stimulate appretite) in the participants fed high fructose diets. This could definitely lead to weight issues.

JCEM — Abstracts: Teff et al. 89 (6): 2963 –

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SIMPLE ACTION TO CONTROL APPETITE AND AVOID DIABETES

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While many prediabetics and diabetics have a long list of lifestyle changes to make (otherwise they wouldn’t be where they are at…), they all need to start somewhere.  Many of these changes can be very simple and basic.

Avoiding BPA in plastic water bottles and switching to unsweetened tea.  Avoiding ALL artificial sweeteners.  Starting a combination of resistance and aerobic exercise (as little as 5 mins per day!).  But how about chewing more?

This is not the first time that we’ve seen a study with some very powerful effects from merely chewing more.  A study maybe a year ago called “Mastication of Almonds” showed strong effects on the hormone release of GLP-1.  This is the pathway effected by some of the more powerful diabetic drugs on the market now like Januvia and Byetta.

In this study, the increase in chews from 15 to 40 had massive effects.  12% lower caloric intake.  Better ghrelin, GLP-1 and CCK (a hormone related to gallbladder function) release.  Interestingly, the obese subjects in this study took the same size bites as the lean subjects, but they had a higher ingestion rate and chewed less times.

With at least two studies confirming the benefits of slowing down and chewing less, and given the relative safety (can’t really think of any downsides, other than looking like a cow chewing your cud…), it is something that everyone should implement starting RIGHT NOW.  If you’re not eating a meal as you read this, then start at the next meal.

Slow down, enjoy your food and reap the health benefits.

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WHY DON’T WE REACH FOR THE BROCCOLI WHEN WE’RE STRESSED?

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Let’s face it.  When we’re stressed it goes one of two ways.  We forget to eat and starve ourselves, leading to loss of muscle mass and all the problems that go with it (about 40% of us).  Or, we drive through the Dunkin Donuts drive thru for a 1/2 dozen pack that we have no intention of sharing. (another 40%)

It is becoming increasingly well documented that we have little control over these reactions and that they are hormonally driven.  This particular article looks at the hormone ghrelin, whose role it is to increase our appetite under starvation.  Under periods of stress, this hormone appears to increase our preference for calorie dense, low quality foods (comfort foods). 

The problem is, when we’re stressed is when we need to be taking the absolute best care of our bodies, but the vast majority of us do the exact opposite.  Wouldn’t it be great if we craved exercise, sleep and broccoli when we’re stressed?

Since this is obviously not the case, it boils back down to again stressing just how massively important it is to manage our stress on the front end so the bad things don’t happen.  This means exercise, meditation, biofeedback, deep breathing, etc…  In today’s society we’ve just accepted that stress is a way of life and there is little we can do to change this.  This is absolutely not true.  As much as we think we are stuck in our own little lives of stress and we can’t change it because it is always someone else’s fault, this is never the case.  Stress kills.  Accept that and change.

 http://www.jci.org/articles/view/57660