Weight Loss Axiom Number Three
Insulin and Glucagon
These are the two major hormones that control energy metabolism in the human. They are much like yin and yang, hot and cold or happy and sad. In order to really enjoy the good days, we all have bad days. Extremes of either too hot or too cold and soon everyone complains about the weather. Too much yin or too much yang and according to traditional Chinese Medicine, you are sick. Too much insulin and you are sick, hypertension, overweight, cancer, heart disease and stroke. Too much glucagon and you are too thin, emaciated and weak.
As we have mentioned previously, when man evolved there would be times of famine, between times of feast. The biochemistry of this evolution allowed man to survive the periods of famine by using insulin to "store" energy. Some typical "fuel" reserves in a 70 kilogram man:
Organ ***************** Available energy (kcal)
************ glucose/glycogen ***** fat ***** protein
blood *********** 60 ************** 45 ********* 0
liver *********** 400 ************* 450 ******** 400
brain *********** 8 *************** 0 ********** 0
muscle ********** 1200 ************ 450 ******** 24000
adipose(fat) **** 80 ************** 135,000 **** 40
from Stryer Biochemistry 4th Edition page 771
Look at the chart and find the biggest number. The largest amount of available energy in an average 70 kilogram human is overwhelmingly stored in -fat. For the purpose of this discussion let's think of each of these numbers above as fuel tanks, for our energy needs. When we fill up our cars with gasoline (our old Mercedes B100 biodiesel) we have to have a fuel hose to get the fuel into our gas tank. In order to use that fuel in our gas tanks, we have to have a fuel line leading from the gas tank to the motor in our car. Without these fuel lines, we could not utilize our engine / car.
Enzymatic Induction
Human biochemistry is composed of many different enzyme systems. One such enzyme is phosphofructokinase that catalyzes the reaction of fructose 6-phosphate to fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. As with any biochemical reaction that is dependant on an enzyme system, the more it is used, the more developed it becomes. If there is no need for an enzyme, then the levels in the body will be very low. If there is much demand for an enzyme, then the body will synthesize more of it to meet the demands.
Filling your tank with gas
The fuel line for the human body to fill its energy storage tanks, especially the largest energy storage tank fat, is insulin. Insulin is the hose that energy (gasoline, biodiesel) flows from the storage tank (breakdown products of your recently ingested meals) into your gas tank for future use. Without this fuel line insulin, you will eventually go into a coma (hyperosmolar) that if not treated, can result in less than optimal outcomes.
Using the gas in your tank
When we drive our cars, we use the energy stored in the fuel tanks. In order for us to use that fuel, it must get from the storage tank to the motor. In the human, that fuel line is glucagon. Remember, insulin stores energy, glucagon utilizes that stored energy. Just as insulin stimulates energy storage and the necessary enzyme systems, glucagon stimulates energy utilization and the necessary enzyme systems required to accomplish this.
Life in the Fed State
The problem today is that we have evolved from creatures that did not have consistent daily feedings to our "modern" fast food insanity and the notion that now we need three "square" meals a day plus snacks. What happens to our energy metabolism when we start out putting insulin stimulating foods in our stomach three times a day? When we eat, our biochemistry reacts by secreting insulin, so that we can store all this energy for future needs -most of it going into fat. Long before we have used any of this energy, we are having another meal -lunch. More gas in our tanks, -none used yet. Then comes dinner -more gas into our tank. Snacks -more gas in. We spend our whole day and most of the night in a "fed" or insulin state.
Huge fuel tanks full of fat -everywhere
Because we never allow our body's insulin level to drop enough so that the glucagon level will rise, we never get into a "glucagon" state. Our whole car is now filled mostly with gas. There is hardly any room for a driver in the front seat. Huge fuel tanks full of fat are everywhere we look. Your car is loaded with gas, but you can't drive around the block because you haven't developed the enzymes of energy utilization to establish a fuel line between all these gas tanks full of fat and our motor, which is now also encased in fat. While insulin is the fuel line to fill our energy stores, glucagon is the fuel line to use this stored energy. Without proper stimulation of the glucagon system, our tanks just keep filling up with fat. We never develop the necessary enzymes to use all this energy. You don't have to travel too far to see people totally encased in their stored energy.
Livin' la vida de glucagon
To break this cycle, we need to stop eating for at least a portion of the day, or at least every other day. I don't know how many of you have ever fasted for 24 hours or more, but the feeling is incredible. You get a lot more work done, you don't get lethargic after eating and you start to actually feel thin. I don't recommend fasting more than 24 hours and I am not actually recommending a 24 hour fast. What I am recommending is that during some portion of every day or at least every other day, you refrain from eating anything so that you can get into a glucagon state and begin to induce the necessary enzymes to use all the energy the human body can store.
Summary
Like it or not, three meals a day plus snacks is just not healthy.
Copyright © John Mericle M.D. 2005 All Rights Reserved
To sign up for Dr. Mericle's Newsletter or visit the MericleDiet please click on the link below.
DrMericle.com is devoted to achieving optimal health and peak performance through diet and lifestyle change. Dr. Mericle brings together a unique blend of formal training in organic chemistry and biochemistry, medical education, 29 marathons, 3 Hawaii Ironman competitions and a lot of practical real life experience.
What are the best fad diets? It's a question I'm... Read More
If you're like most people who tried losing weight on... Read More
The general approach for treatment of obesity is to suggest... Read More
Just one more day I can do this, I told... Read More
These fat burning tips can help you discover a fat... Read More
You are ready to shed those energy draining, body crippling,... Read More
I am a Registered Dietitian who has spent over 10,000... Read More
There have been many diets and weight loss plans that... Read More
After weight loss surgery it is important to include as... Read More
According to the American College of Surgeons, most severely obese... Read More
Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the... Read More
Nice girls don't speak up. Nice girls take care of... Read More
You step on the scale and groan at the number... Read More
The Atkins diet Plan breakfast can usually composed of eggs... Read More
Our bodies only require a small amount of salt for... Read More
Maybe you losing weight comes down to the simple question,... Read More
If your health and fitness are important to you, you... Read More
Have you seen the ditty below that's roaming the Internet... Read More
You have been on diets before. You probably have lost... Read More
It is a fact that about 70% Americans are overweight.... Read More
I have put off writing a motivation article because of... Read More
Body temperature is the result of your body generating and... Read More
MYTH: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.FACT: Fad diets... Read More
Weight loss is one of the biggest industries in the... Read More
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, writing... Read More
When people hear the term Unified Theory, some times called... Read More
For people that are obese, losing weight quickly can seem... Read More
Yes Virginia, the fail-safe weight loss formula exists.It's so simple,... Read More
So your neighbor, office mate, best friend, whoever just lost... Read More
We must all now be familiar with the Atkins Diet.... Read More
Dumping syndrome is an effective result of the gastric bypass... Read More
Hundreds of products on the market today claim to be... Read More
Yes, there is more to the Mediterranean than sun, beach... Read More
Gastric-bypass surgery is only the first step many morbidly obese... Read More
Doctors prescribe Walking as the best medicine for weight loss.We... Read More
A few months ago, I set out to lose 22.6... Read More
Fifteen Secrets of Safe and Easy Permanent Weight Loss Revealed!*... Read More
THE 200 POINT SYSTEMWith so many different diets available, how... Read More
Remember there's more to you than meets the eye. You've... Read More
There are many factors that cause us to increase body... Read More
Diet PillsTaking diet pills is definitely not an effective weight... Read More
New gastric bypass patients say they miss food, they grieve... Read More
If you have been dieting and haven't lost weight, stop!... Read More
Today's society is about speed. We no longer have to... Read More
When it comes to weight loss, most of us would... Read More
Oh, no . . . You suddenly realize that you... Read More
Let's face when it comes to overweight and obesity there... Read More
Well, with the success of my article, "Wrinkle Remover That... Read More
Losing weight can make a significant and life altering change... Read More
When you have started a diet in the past, how... Read More
Adaptation is the most important concept I teach. The human... Read More
When you're taking Phentermine, you should go to the emergency... Read More
More than any other time in history, people are all... Read More
Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or... Read More
Maybe you losing weight comes down to the simple question,... Read More
Dieting presents many complications if you are not fully committed... Read More
Abdominoplasty, or "tummy tuck" is a major surgical procedure that... Read More
If all we have to do is exercise to live... Read More
According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you... Read More
The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited... Read More
Fat is fuel. That is basically what it is. A... Read More
While the gastric bypass may seem like the perfect solution... Read More
The world today has more obese and overweight people than... Read More
Both men and women around the world are becoming fatter... Read More
Have you ever wondered how actors stay in such great... Read More
It seems everyone is looking for that magic bullet -... Read More
Weight Loss |