Winning The Battle Of The Bulge: We're A Scrimmage Closer To Victory

ST. LOUIS -- Saint Louis University researchers believe they've won a major skirmish in the battle of the bulge, and their findings are published in the May issue of Diabetes.

"We figured out how obesity occurs," says William A. Banks, M.D., professor of geriatrics in the department of internal medicine and professor of pharmacological and physiological science at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. "The next step is coming up with the solution."

The scientists used mice to look at how leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells that tells us to stop eating, gets into the brain. They found that in obese mice, high triglycerides, a type of fat in the bloodstream, prevents leptin from getting into the brain, where it can do its work in turning off feeding and burning calories.

"High triglycerides are blocking the leptin from getting into the brain. If leptin can't get into the brain, it can't tell you to stop eating," says Banks, who is principal investigator and a staff physician at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in St. Louis.

"This is a big deal. We now know what is keeping leptin from getting to where it needs to do its work."

Paradoxically high triglycerides occur in both fat and starving animals and make the brain think the body's starving so the animal keeps eating, which makes it gain more weight.

"We figured out why the troops aren't getting to the front. There is all of this leptin in the blood but it isn't getting to the brain because triglyerides are impairing the transportation system.

"We feel that we now understand what part of the system is broken - why leptin isn't working. We have a better understanding of why people are becoming obese," Banks says.

The research points scientists to a new direction in solving the obesity epidemic.

"Lowering triglyceride levels may very well be a big part of the answer," Banks says. "This is a reasonable deduction that should be tested."

John Morley, M.D. director of the division of geriatric medicine at Saint Louis University and a co-investigator, agreed.

"If you lower triglycerides, you should theoretically help the body's own leptin to work better so people can get skinnier," Dr. Morley says.

Effective medications to lower triglyceride levels now are available, as is leptin, which can be injected into the body. Banks cautioned that the theory needs more testing before it is put into practice.

"All the bits and pieces are there but we have to be extra cautious," Banks says.

Solving the obesity problem has huge health implications for Americans. The nation's weight problem is fast overtaking tobacco use as the leading cause of preventable death. Obesity is linked to many chronic diseases including heart problems, several kinds of cancer and diabetes.

During the last decade, the obesity rate in America has doubled. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese and 15 percent of young people between 6 and 19 are overweight.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...40428062149.htm

And what else lowers triglycerides even more effectively? Huh...huh? They have the "answer" and they can't see the solution even though it's sitting right in front of their noses!

ARG! I was waiting for the cut-refined-carbs punchline at the end of the article, and it left me high and dry! *smacks forehead on monitor*

And if that was to simple for you....

http://www.phoenixpeptide.com/allobesity/index.html

- but you would have to guess that "the solar system's most comprehensive supplier" of peptides is not likely to provide a list of the dietary sources of the appetite inhibitory chemicals they sell.

Cheers,

Malcolm

My triglyceride level has nearly halved from LC-ing. I keep waiting and waiting for doctors and nutritionists to notice what is really going on, but it seems like they carry an incredible amount of inertia around in the form of outdated theories and pride in the old way of thinking. I guess it's a lot like the extra 15 pounds I used to carry around before I started this way of eating.

If this is true, it could explain the "obesity epidemic." As Americans increased their consumption of carbohydrates and decreased their consumption of fats (per the government's recommendation) their triglyceride levels went up, leptin had trouble reaching the brain, and they ate more and got fatter. It makes sense to me.

Last time I had my triglycerides measured -- after nine months of low carbing -- they were 52. High triglycerides are not a problem for low carbers!

Well, my tri's bottomed out, but my own bottom still hangs on to that last 10-20 lbs for dear life.

So I don't think it is that simple, just part of the picture. Until people figure out that there are no single magic bullets that apply to everyone, we will continue to get "this is the ONE answer to it all!" nonsense.

But I think it should be obvious to all that highly refined and processed food is unhealthy and has contributed to the diabetes and obesity epidemic. Whether or not saturated fats are the evils they are made out to be has remained unresearched, as they have not, until very recently, controlled for carbs.

But no doubt Big Pharma will be pushing some drug for lowering tri's artificially.

Val

I think we all have a natural weight and it's very hard to force our bodies below that weight. Unfortunately, for many of us, our natural weight takes us to a place where we are healthy but not necessarily as svelte as we would like to be. If you really aren't losing, you may be at or close to your natural weight. I think my natural weight is probably around 180, which is what I weighed for most of my 20s until I got pregnant with my first child and switched to high carb, lowfat eating. I wish my natural weight were lower than that, but I don't think it is.

What is totally unnatural is getting to weights like the one I was at -- 360 pounds. The triglyceride/leptin connection could potentially explain how so many of us have become obese or morbidly obese. I doubt it has much to contribute to explaining why some people's bodies settle at weights that are physically healthy but socially less desirable. That probably has a more to do with genetics.

I am sure you are right- and the older you get, the harder it gets to lose anyway. My 'set' weight is now higher than it was ten years ago.
But at least I am now at a reasonable size for my height (5' 6 1/2) at around 145-148 lbs. I must say you have done very well!

Val

And social prejudices. I'll bet you look great at 180, Liz. Just because society has unreasonable expectations of what a person should weigh, doesn't mean you aren't beautiful at your natural weight.

But I also wanted to say that the triglyceride/leptin connection might explain how so many low-carbers experience a diminished appetite when the start low-carbing. One of the first things affected is your triglycerides. I had mine tested less than a month after I started low-carbing and they were under 100.

Let's face it, that's modern medicine for you. Find an ill, find a drug. That's what drives the whole machine. Big Pharma doesn't make any money when people adjust their diet. The low-carb food manufacturers might, but then they aren't funding most of these studies either.

This society is totally screwed up.

If this pans out to be valid, this is pretty big finding. Like, BIG finding. This alone gives so much more ammo for us lowcarbers, it is just awesome.

PS. Loved your analogy abster. :P

Well, perhaps this explains why we feel so little hunger on low carb diets!

There's a New Zealand study just reported that tested triglyceride response to 2 breakfasts. One breakfast was high in saturated fat (butter) and the other had 16% of saturated fat replaced with unsaturated fat. Triglycerides were significantly lower in the saturated fat breakfast.

Must be that grass-fed Anchor butter!

I've heard of nothing else with the dramatic triglyceride lowering power of the low carb way of eating.

You don't know whether to laugh or cry.