LifeCare Chiropractic

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leptin

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 –

Read entire article here

Phenotypic effects of leptin replacement – (04-22-04)

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Phenotypic effects of leptin replacement on morbid obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypogonadism, and behavior in leptin-deficient adults

Remember that leptin is a hormone secreted by the adipose cell that, in a healthy state, will decrease appetite and speed up metabolism. It should act as a regulator of body weight–more adipose tissue, more leptin and faster metabolism to lose the fat–less fat, less leptin and metabolism slows down again. I really do believe that somewhere in the leptin pathway lies an important approach to obesity. As soon as we start to learn ways to make cells more responsive to leptin’s message, we will begin to see more effective approaches to weight loss.

PNAS — Abstracts: Licinio et al. 101 (13): 4531 –

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Triglycerides Induce Leptin Resistance at the Blood-Brain Barrier – (05-13-04)

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Triglycerides Induce Leptin Resistance at the Blood-Brain Barrier

Recall that leptin is a hormone produced by the adipose tissue that is designed to keep our metabolism in balance. More fat=more leptin=less appetite and faster metabolism. The reverse is then true. But, it appears that high triglycerides inhibit the ability of leptin to cross the blood brain barrier and perform its actions. Chalk up another effect of insulin resistance elevating triglyceride levels. It is rare that, whether in my office or giving a presentation, that patients know their triglyceride levels. They all know their cholesterol, and yet the relationship between cholesterol and triglycerides tells you much about why these values may be elevated.

Diabetes — Abstracts: Banks et al. 53 (5): 1253 –

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BALANCE OF VISCERAL VS SUBCUTANEOUS FAT – (04-04-05)

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Differential Responses of Visceral and Subcutaneous Fat Depots to Nutrients

Wow.  What an insightful approach.  Basically, visceral (bad) and subcutaneous fat have a different response in the level of release of hormones after a glucose load.  The hormones derived from adipose tissue (resistin, leptin, adinopectin, PAI-1) generally contribute to insulin resistance and obesity.  More is released by visceral fat after feeding.

So the authors have planted a seed–might checking blood levels in non-fasting states give us more insight into the balance of visceral vs subcutaneous fat?  Interesting, huh?

Read entire article here

BONE HEALTH = DRINKING MILK?

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Bone health is something most of us do not worry about on a daily basis.  Poor bone health is silent and asymptomatic.  Maybe your mother or grandmother had it, but that’s usually the limits that it crosses your mind.  Or worse, maybe you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia (“pre” osteoporosis).  Your doctor told you to drink your milk and take calcium.  If you were lucky, he didn’t prescribe a bisphosphanate like Fosamax for osteopenia, because this is a completely inappropriate use of this class of drugs.

But bone health is a systemic problem (or solution).  This means that the healthier we are, the healthier our bones will be.  It is NOT about calcium, and most studies find little impact on calcium supplementation and bone health above what we get in our diet.  It’s certainly not about drinking milk (countries with the highest intake of dairy have the highest incidence of osteoporosis).

This particular article is not the only studies discussing the relationship between bone health, body composition and our risk for diabetes.  Hate to shatter the orthopedic docs sheltered view of bone, but they are going to have to learn more about helping patients maintain ideal body composition.  The hormones that regulate body composition (and subsequent risk for diabetes) leptin and adiponectin and the bone hormone osteocalcin are all mixed up in affecting levels of one another.

The bottom line is that bone health is more far reaching than many realize, and needs to begin with an overall healthy lifestyle.  No big shocker there, though, huh?  It also means that, if you’re doctor’s view on how to help your bones is to drink more milk and take calcium, maybe you should find a doctor who stays current with the medical literature.

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/96/6/E884.abstract