Leptin Prescription

READERS SUMMARY:
1.  How do I start?
2.  What are the guidelines to remain mindful of?
3.  The fuel is the food, but how you eat that fuel is more important
4.  How does Leptin tie into the quilt survivability index?

I have been asked by many to put a short post out about how I reverse Leptin resistance in my own clinic for my patients.  After reading all of the comments left here, at MDA, and on Jimmy Moore’s forum, I decided that it was a good idea.

1.  First make sure you really are Leptin resistant (LR) to begin with.
The easiest way to do this if you are heavy is to look in the mirror.  If you’re overweight you definitely are Leptin resistant.  If you still have a large appetite and crave carbohydrates, especially at night, these are also signs that you are likely Leptin resistant.  If you are fit or in decent shape and not sure based upon the above symptoms, I would tell you to go get a blood test and check your reverse T3.  It will be elevated.  I also recommend simultaneously checking a salivary cortisol level.  With LR, you will always see higher cortisol levels later in the day.

2.  To regain Leptin Sensitivity (LS) follow a strict Paleolithic diet as outlined in The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf or The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.
The type of fuel you eat is important in eliminating the foods that cause Leptin receptors to become nonfunctional.  These two books clearly outline a solid reference point to achieve this.

A.  Try to eat as soon as possible upon rising in the AM, ideally within 30 minutes of waking.  Make sure that breakfast has little to no carbs (less than 50 grams), and has a lot of protein and fat.  I use as a general rule 50-75 grams of protein with most patients.  Some patients can use less and some need more.  The key point of knowing how much is right for you is your hunger later in the day.  If you remain ravenous throughout the day, you need to eat more protein in the AM.  If you can hold off eating until dinner you probably are at homeostasis for you.  If you can skip both meals you likely are overdoing it at breakfast.  As for sources, I suggest pastured or organic eggs first, served with left over dinner scraps of grass fed meats, poultry, or fish. A third option, although less ideal, would be whey protein or protein shakes.

B. Try to limit carb intake to 25 grams if you are overweight by more than 30 lbs.  If you are fit and have a small amount of weight to lose, (less than 30 lbs.) you can titrate up your carb loads.  Even then, I do not advocate potatoes or rice as some Paleo diets allow for.  You will be able to eat them eventually, but try to avoid starches until you have mastered your cravings and hunger.  Do not count calories; it is not needed at this point.  Any time I eat carbs I use liberal amounts of butter, heavy cream, coconut or palm oil.  I do not recommend other oils initially such as olive oils or industrial seed oils.  I would also avoid nut oils at the initial stages.  My personal favorite is coconut oil because of the great metabolic effects of MCT, and how it helps heal the guts of LR folks.

3.  How you eat your fuel is MORE IMPORTANT than any other factor, including the food itself.
A.  Never snack at all.  This is meant initially and forever.  Snacking completely stresses the liver’s metabolism and is just not recommended.  Your liver needs to re-learn how to use gluconeogenesis normally again when you are asleep and awake.  Snacking just destroys the timing and circadian clocks that work in unison with Leptin.
B.  Try to eat three meals a day initially; but as your hunger and cravings fade you can adapt to two a day.
C.  Try to eat breakfast as early as possible from rising.
D.  Do not work out before or after breakfast.
E.  Try to allow 4-5 hours between dinners and sleep time.
F.  If you decide to incorporate working out, do it after 5 PM.
G.  Within an hour of sunset try to make your surroundings as dark as possible.
H. If you have trouble falling asleep I suggest 3-5 minutes of body weight exercises right before bed (pushups or air squats are fine, but avoid this if your PM cortisol is high).
I.  If you’re inclined to, try becoming mindful when you first lay down.  I use transcendental meditation techniques to help me clear my mind and concentrate on improving my thinking.  (Optional; but this is awesome if your PM cortisol is high).

4.  Most people will notice a change in their cravings and hunger within 4-6 weeks. 
Other changes I advise of my patients, is to supplement with prescription grade fish oils.  The dose depends upon their HS CRP and salivary cortisol levels.

5.  Signs that you are becoming Leptin Sensitive (LS) again
A. Men will notice quick weight loss.
B. Women will notice mood changes first (calmer/sleepy) and their sleep will improve.  Their clothes will fit differently but weight may not change drastically initially because of effects on the pituitary.  This will change too if they continue moving forward.
C. You will notice a change in your sweating pattern.
D. You will notice you have better recovery from exercise and your energy levels seem to have risen.
E. Your hunger is gone and so are your cravings.
F. When you awaken you will feel very refreshed like you slept well.
Generally when the signs are all present, I then really push HIIT exercise with heavy weights.

6.  (QUILT SURVIVABILITY) = (Total Energy – Growth and immunity expense) X (RESOURCES) X (efficiency) X (awareness of our environment).
Stated in levee form where:
Cell longevity = LS – IGF-1 + immunity X Food Quality X leakiness of Mitochondria X environmental cues

Source: http://jackkruse.com/my-leptin-prescription/

Note: I've been considering following one these two dietary protocols: Paleo Diet or Primal Blueprint? I am leaning towards Primal Blueprint. Reason: primal Blueprint allows for good fats such as Coconut oil, and butter. Yes, butter, maybe Paula Deen is onto something, Interestingly enough, The Paleo Diet allows for diet soda and Canola oil, two items on the food list which I do not ingest nor stock in my kitchen pantry - and that is my choice and opinion only. I personally use extra virgin olive oil, small amounts of flax seed oil, coconut oil for baking and animal fats (lard or butter) for frying on occasion. 

Brown Seaweed Contains Promising Fat Fighter, Weight Reducer

ScienceDaily — Chemists in Japan have found that brown seaweed, a flavor component used in many Asian soups and salads, contains a compound that appears in animal studies to promote weight loss by reducing the accumulation of fat. Called fucoxanthin, the compound achieved a 5 percent to 10 percent weight reduction in test animals and could be developed into a natural extract or drug to help fight obesity, the researchers say.

Reference
• Seaweed
• Kelp
• Brown rice
• Bran

The compound targets abdominal fat, in particular, and may help reduce oversized guts, the scientists say. Their study was presented at the 232nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Fucoxanthin is a brownish pigment that gives brown seaweed its characteristic color and also conducts photosynthesis (the conversion of light to energy). It is found at high levels in several different types of brown seaweed, including a type of kelp that is used in traditional Japanese miso soup. But fucoxanthin is not found in abundance in green and red seaweed, which also are used in many Asian foods, the researchers say.
The brown seaweed used in the current study was Undaria pinnatifida, a type of kelp also known as wakame, which is widely consumed in Japan. As kelp forests are found in abundance along the California coast, the new research findings could represent a potentially lucrative market if kelp -- of which there are many varieties -- can be developed into effective anti-obesity drugs, according to the scientists.
"I hope that our study [points to a way to] help reduce obesity in the U.S. and elsewhere," says study leader Kazuo Miyashita, Ph.D., a chemistry professor at Hokkaido University in Hokkaido, Japan. The compound appears to fight fat through two different mechanisms, he says.
The study involved more than 200 rats and mice. In obese animals fed fucoxanthin, the compound appeared to stimulate a protein, UCP1, that causes fat oxidation and conversion of energy to heat, Miyashita says. The protein is found in white adipose tissue, the type of fat that surrounds internal organs. As the abdominal area contains abundant adipose tissue, the compound might be particularly effective at shrinking oversized guts, the researcher says. This is the first time that a natural food component has been shown to reduce fat by targeting the UCP1 protein, he says.
The pigment also appeared in animal studies to stimulate the liver to produce a compound called DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, at levels comparable to fish oil supplementation. Increased levels of DHA reduce 'bad cholesterol' (low density lipoprotein), which is known to contribute to obesity and heart disease. But unlike fish oil supplements, fucoxanthin doesn't have an unpleasant smell, Miyashita says. No adverse side effects from fucoxanthin were reported in the mice and rats used in the study.
But eating lots of seaweed is not the quickest or most convenient path to weight loss, Miyashita cautions. He notes that a person would probably need to eat huge amounts of brown seaweed daily to cause noticeable weight loss. That's because fucoxanthin is tightly bound to proteins in the seaweed and is not easily absorbed in the form of whole seaweed. However, he hopes to extract the most active form of fucoxanthin from brown seaweed so that it can be developed into a pill that people can take daily or as needed.
Human studies are planned, the researcher says, but adds that it may take three to five years before such an anti-obesity pill is available to consumers. Until then, people should continue to eat a well-balanced diet and get plenty of exercise, he says. Funding for the current study was provided by the Japanese government.

Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society. American Chemical Society (2006, September 19). Brown Seaweed Contains Promising Fat Fighter, Weight Reducer. ScienceDaily.

Gene Turns Carbohydrates into Fat; Cure to Obesity Found?

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley have discovered a gene which regulates a process in the liver that converts carbohydrates into fat.

This study offers new clues as to how the body metabolizes carbohydrates and how they contribute to obesity.

The research team, led by Professor Hei Sook Sul of UC Berkeley’s Department of Nutritional Science and Toxicology believe that the gene, DNA-PK (DNA-dependent protein kinase ), is critical to a metabolic process scientists have been trying to understand for 20 years.

Your blood glucose levels – the digested form of carbohydrates – go up after you eat a carb-rich food like pizza and wash it down with soda. That spike in blood glucose triggers the secretion of insulin, which helps different cells in your body use glucose for energy.

Glucose in the liver that isn't used up for energy is converted into fatty acids, which then circulate to other parts of the body, primarily to fat tissue.

The process of converting excess glucose into fatty acids occurs in the liver. Scientists have been unable to determine the exact molecular pathway involved prior to the discovery of DNA-PK.

What they did know was that insulin binds to receptors on the liver cells and activates protein phosphatase-1 (PP1), the first molecule of the insulin-signaling pathway inside the liver. Sul's lab had previously shown that upstream stimulatory factor (USF) is needed to activate certain genes, such as fatty acid synthase (FAS), which converts glucose to fatty acids.

The link between PP1 and USF was a mystery until a UC Berkeley graduate student in comparative biochemistry finally connected the dots in Sul’s lab and discovered that DNA-PK, which is regulated by PP1, signals the activation of USF and the process of converting glucose to fatty acids.

The research team determined that DNA-PK acts as a signaling molecule in the chain reaction that begins when insulin binds to receptors on liver cells. This helps explain why untreated Type 1 diabetics, who cannot produce insulin, may experience significant weight loss because without treatment, they have problems making enough fat.

This insulin-signaling pathway is also disrupted in Type 2 diabetes because the body still produces insulin, but the cells have become resistant to its effects.

After the researchers were able to identify DNA-PK, they tested the gene in mice fed with a diet containing 70 percent carbohydrates but with zero fat. A typical lab mouse diet is composed of both fat and carbohydrates. The researchers then disabled the DNA-PK gene in half the mice while the other half served as the control group of normal mice.

They discovered that the DNA-PK disabled mice were leaner and had 40 percent less body fat compared to the control group of normal mice because they had a problem converting carbs into fat.

The DNA-PK disabled mice were resistant to high carbohydrate-induced obesity and had lower plasma lipids, which can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

DNA-PK could potentially play a role in the prevention of obesity associated with the over-consumption of high-carbohydrate foods or carbohydrate addiction, such as pasta, rice, soda and sugary snacks if it is possible to create medication based on the gene.

However, this will only be another quick fix. Yes, such a pill may help you avoid getting fat from carbohydrates but the bottom line is: you’re still eating carbs and carbohydrates have been linked to almost all age-related diseases.

If you want to get fit and maintain your ideal weight, it doesn’t involve waiting for a magic pill. You have to make the necessary lifestyle changes because there are no shortcuts to good health.

Source: http://www.nograindiets.com/2009/04/gene-turns-carbohydrates-into-fat-cure.html

Oolong Tea Fights Fat & Cholesterol

While most people are already aware that oolong tea is good for the health, a month-long experiment by a Japanese doctor showed the tea reduces body fat and rejuvenates internal organs, because it contains a large amount of polyphenol, the Daily Yomiuri Shimbun reports.

"I never expected to get the result I wanted from this experiment in such a short period of time," said Masatoshi Nakano, a lecturer at an Aichi Medical University institute.

In April, Nakano asked 12 men and women aged between 18 and 39 to participate in an experiment to examine the effect of oolong tea on their health. All the participants had a clean bill of health and a body mass index of between 20 and 30.

The participants were effectively asked to soak their lives in oolong tea for a month. They were required to drink at least one litre of oolong tea each day and refrain from drinking water. Participants were also asked to eat a balanced diet during the period. Blood samples were taken from the participants for analysis both before and afterward.

Nakano took the blood samples to Yasuharu Mitomo, a professor at Nagoya City University for tests. Dr. Mitomo is specialised in the study of "internal-organ aging." Using various indicators, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and hepatic activity, he has been researching the impact of different lifestyles on the aging process of internal organs.

In testing the blood samples, Mitomo used a calculation method he devised for evaluating the age of organs. He used the results of medical checkups as the basis for the calculations.

According to his findings, the internal organs of the participants were rejuvenated by an average of 1.9 years and a maximum of nine years. The average age of the 12 participants was 26.9. Before the oolong tea experiment, their average internal organ age was 30.3, and dropped to 28.4 after the experiment.

The one whose internal-organ age was rejuvenated by nine years was a woman aged 29. Her cholesterol level fell from 206 before the experiment to 157 afterward, while her LDL (bad) cholesterol level dropped from 137 to 98. Along with the decrease in cholesterol levels, her overall internal-organ age dropped from 38 to her actual age of 29.

"The higher the combined level of cholesterol, the harder your arteries become," Mitomo said. Hardening of the arteries is believed to be a common cause of fatal heart attacks and strokes.

The combined cholesterol levels of most of the participants fell, as did their g-GTP, an indicator of hepatic activity. Meanwhile, HDL (good) cholesterol rose in many cases.

"Although I want to see more results in three months or so, the dramatic improvement in these figures over such a short period of time is extremely interesting," Mitomo said.

According to the results, oolong tea helped to reduce body fat during the test period. Nine of the subjects saw a two-centimetre reduction in their waist size, while eight also saw the size of their upper arms reduced by two centimetres.

According to Nakano, oolong tea helps the body burn fat more efficiently than other teas, including green tea and black tea. It also helps reduce the build-up of body fat.

It has long been believed that oolong tea, which is a good accompaniment for greasy Chinese dishes, helps people lose weight. However, this is the first time a study has found conclusive evidence to support the claim. Nakano intends to present a paper on the findings to the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity in October. According to Nakano, "The effect is a result of the polyphenol contained in oolong tea."

"Polyphenols can all stop hardening of the arteries to some extent, but it is the size of the polyphenol molecules in oolong tea that is so remarkable," he said.

He said the molecules form a perfect match with hormone-sensitive lipase, an enzyme that dissolves body fat. This match activates the enzyme.

The size of polyphenol molecules varies from tea to tea depending on the level of fermentation. In the case of green tea, which is not fermented, the size of the molecules is half that of oolong tea. In the case of black tea, which is fully fermented, the molecules are about twice the size of those in oolong tea. Therefore, neither green tea nor black tea can dissolve body fat to the same degree as oolong tea, which is only half fermented.

Ultimately, though, gulping down gallons of oolong tea alone will not keep you trim. "While it is true that oolong tea dissolves fat efficiently, you also need to consider keeping a balanced diet," he said.

"Polyphenol is contained in more or less every plant, so to avoid hardening of the arteries you do not necessarily have to drink oolong tea, you could just eat a lot of vegetables," he added.

Source: www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Oolong-tea-fights-fat-and-cholesterol