Studies on people who drink diet sodas shows that "something" in diet sodas induces these people to gain weight (1).
The "something" is the artificial sweeteners that are in the diet drinks. These stimulate alpha-gustducin (2). This is a taste receptor that allows us to taste sweetness. It is in our intestine in addition to on our tongue.
In our intestine, once stimulated, it increases sugar absorption. Artificial sweeteners may stimulate it more than actual sugar or conversely may not increase the compensatory normal elevation in glucagon-like peptide-1 (not in the literature so just a guess by me). Meaning when we use artificial sweeteners we often end up absorbing more sugar and more calories. Result = a tendency to gain weight.
This same effect should happen whether the artificial sweetener is in diet drinks or anything else we consume. Acesulfame K (acesulfame potassium or K) and Splenda (sucralose) are particularly bad in this regard.
1. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/13/health/webmd/main701408.shtml Diet Soda Drinkers Gain Weight Overweight Risk Soars 41 Percent With Each Daily Can Of Diet Soda J
June 13, 2005 (WebMD)
People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight, a new study shows.
The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler...
For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:
26 percent for up to 1/2 can each day
30.4 percent for 1/2 to one can each day
32.8 percent for 1 to 2 cans each day
47.2 percent for more than 2 cans each day.
For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:
36.5 percent for up to 1/2 can each day
37.5 percent for 1/2 to one can each day
54.5 percent for 1 to 2 cans each day
57.1 percent for more than 2 cans each day.
...something linked to diet soda drinking is also linked to obesity. ...
2. J Physiol. 2007 Jul 1;582(Pt 1):379-92
Sweet taste receptors in rat small intestine stimulate glucose absorption through apical GLUT2.
Mace OJ...
Sweet taste receptors in rat small intestine stimulate glucose absorption through apical GLUT2. Natural sugars and artificial sweeteners are sensed by receptors in taste buds. ...
Intestinal brush cells or solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs) have a structure similar to lingual taste cells and strongly express alpha-gustducin. ...
Artificial sweeteners increase glucose absorption in the order acesulfame potassium approximately sucralose > saccharin...artificial sweeteners are nutritionally active, because they can signal to a functional taste reception system to increase sugar absorption during a meal...
PMID: 17495045
Nerissa
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Lowering chocolate cravings
Intestinal bacteria influence our eating habits. For example, they can increase our desire for chocolate. We should be able to manipulate these bacteria to change our food desires and help us eat a healthier diet. In this post I hypothesize that eating more pectin, consuming chitosan and drinking tea will lower our craving for chocolate. Being a male helps too!
By seeing the relationship of taurine and glycine in chocolate cravers (taurine high in non-cravers and glycine high in cravers) and knowing that only these two amino acids conjugate with bile it is fairly easy to determine the bacteria that bile salts are involved.
PMID 7611405, below, points out the amazing fact that chocolate is a mimic for the taurine conjugated type of bile salt. PMID 17152920, also below, takes this information and indicates the bacteria that consume this type of bile salt. These bacteria, mostly of the bacteriodes type, should be the ones that induce a chocolate craving.
What to do? Simple - increase the bacteria that consume glycine conjugated bile. These will out-compete the ones that induce chocolate cravings. Consuming a high pectin diet will do this. Citrus fruit and in particular grapefruit is sky high in pectin.
Another thing that might help is to consume chitosan. This substance selectively inhibits bacteriodes bacteria. It is extracted from the shells of shrimp and other sea crustaceans.
Also, consider regular consumption of tea. PMID 16962743 indicates this lowers bacteroides.
Grapefruit, chitosan and tea are already commonly used in weight reduction programs. While they may not help any particular person drop excess body weight they should at least lower their chocolate craving which might be a start to a better diet.
Special note for the ladies and my male to female transsexual friends - PMID 12877349, below, indicates that estrogen increases taurine bile salt and furthermore that the bacterial activity on the bile salt is elevated. Can it be a surprise that estrogen increases chocolate craving? My experience in transitioning from male physiology to female physiology supports this idea.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071012/ap_on_he_me/diet_chocolate_craving
Scientists explain chocolate cravings
By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
Fri Oct 12, 4:34 AM ET
WASHINGTON - If that craving for chocolate sometimes feels like it is coming from deep in your gut, that's because maybe it is.
A small study links the type of bacteria living in people's digestive system to a desire for chocolate. Everyone has a vast community of microbes in their guts. But people who crave daily chocolate show signs of having different colonies of bacteria than people who are immune to chocolate's allure.
That may be the case for other foods, too. The idea could eventually lead to treating some types of obesity by changing the composition of the trillions of bacteria occupying the intestines and stomach, said Sunil Kochhar, co-author of the study. It appears Friday in the peer-reviewed Journal of Proteome Research.
Kochhar is in charge of metabolism research at the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. The food conglomerate Nestle SA paid for the study. But this isn't part of an effort to convert a few to the dark side (or even milk) side of cocoa, Kocchar said.
In fact, the study was delayed because it took a year for the researchers to find 11 men who don't eat chocolate.
Kochhar compared the blood and urine of those 11 men, who he jokingly called "weird" for their indifference to chocolate, to 11 similar men who ate chocolate daily. They were all healthy, not obese, and were fed the same food for five days.
The researchers examined the byproducts of metabolism in their blood and urine and found that a dozen substances were significantly different between the two groups. For example, the amino acid glycine was higher in chocolate lovers, while taurine (an active ingredient in energy drinks) was higher in people who didn't eat chocolate. Also chocolate lovers had lower levels of the bad cholesterol, LDL.
The levels of several of the specific substances that were different in the two groups are known to be linked to different types of bacteria, Kochhar said.
Still to be determined is if the bacteria cause the craving, or if early in life people's diets changed the bacteria, which then reinforced food choices.
How gut bacteria affect people is a hot field of scientific research.
Past studies have shown that intestinal bacteria change when people lose weight, said Dr. Sam Klein, an obesity expert and professor of medicine at Washington University in St. Louis.
Since bacteria interact with what you eat, it is logical to think that there is a connection between those microbes and desires for certain foods, said Klein, who wasn't part of Kochhar's study.
Kochhar's research makes so much sense that people should have thought of it earlier, said J. Bruce German, professor of food chemistry at the University of California Davis. While five outside scientists thought the study was intriguing, Dr. Richard Bergman at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, had concerns about the accuracy of the initial division of the men into groups that wanted chocolate or were indifferent to it.
What matters to Kochhar is where the research could lead.
Kochhar said the relationship between food, people and what grows in their gut is important for the future: "If we understand the relationship, then we can find ways to nudge it in the right direction."
Am J Physiol. 1995 Jun;268(6 Pt 1):G1051-9.
Role of amidation in bile acid effect on DNA synthesis by regenerating mouse liver.
Barbero ER, Herrera MC, Monte MJ, Serrano MA, Marin JJ.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Spain.
Effect of bile acids on DNA synthesis by the regenerating liver was investigated in mice in vivo after partial hepatectomy (PH). Radioactivity incorporation into DNA after [14C]thymidine intraperitoneal administration peaked at 48 h after PH. At this time a significant taurocholate-induced dose-dependent reduction in DNA synthesis without changes in total liver radioactivity content was found (half-maximal effect at approximately 0.1 mumol/g body wt). Effect of taurocholate (0.5 mumol/g body wt) was mimicked by chocolate, ursodeoxycholate, deoxycholate, dehydrocholate, tauroursodeoxycholate, taurochenodeoxycholate, and taurodeoxycholate. In contrast, chenodeoxycholate, glycocholate, glycochenodeoxycholate, glycoursodeoxycholate, glycodeoxycholate, 5 beta-cholestane, bromosulfophthalein, and free taurine lacked this effect. No relationship between hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance and inhibitory effect was observed. Analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography indicated that inhibition of thymidine incorporation into DNA was not accompanied by an accumulation of phosphorylated DNA precursors in the liver but rather by a parallel increase in nucleotide catabolism. Bile acid-induced modifications in DNA synthesis were observed in vivo even in the absence of changes in toxicity tests, which suggests that the inhibitory effect shared by most unconjugated and tauroconjugated bile acids but not by glycoconjugated bile acids should be accounted for by mechanisms other than nonselective liver cell injury.
PMID: 7611405
Lipids. 2006 Sep;41(9):835-43
Deoxycholic acid formation in gnotobiotic mice associated with human intestinal bacteria.
Narushima S, Itoha K, Miyamoto Y, Park SH, Nagata K, Kuruma K, Uchida K.
Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
In humans and animals, intestinal flora is indispensable for bile acid transformation. The goal of our study was to establish gnotobiotic mice with intestinal bacteria of human origin in order to examine the role of intestinal bacteria in the transformation of bile acids in vivo using the technique of gnotobiology. Eight strains of bile acid-deconjugating bacteria were isolated from ex-germ-free mice inoculated with a human fecal dilution of 10(-6), and five strains of 7alpha-dehydroxylating bacteria were isolated from the intestine of limited human flora mice inoculated only with clostridia. The results of biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that seven out of eight bile acid-deconjugating strains belong to a bacteroides cluster (Bacteroides vulgatus, B. distasonis, and B. uniformis), and one strain had high similarity with Bilophila wadsworthia. All five strains that converted cholic acid to deoxycholic acid had greatest similarity with Clostridium hylemonae. A combination of 10 isolated strains converted taurocholic acid into deoxycholic acid both in vitro and in the mouse intestine. These results indicate that the predominant bacteria, mainly Bacteroides, in human feces comprise one of the main bacterial groups for the deconjugation of bile acids, and clostridia may play an important role in 7aplha-dehydroxylation of free-form primary bile acids in the intestine although these strains are not predominant. The gnotobiotic mouse with bacteria of human origin could be a useful model in studies of bile acid metabolism by human intestinal bacteria in vivo.
PMID: 17152920
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cabi/bjn/1989/00000062/00000003/art00005;jsessionid=2e953w9ke2hvh.alice?
Bile acid conjugation and hepatic taurine concentration in rats fed on pectin
Authors: Ide, T.1; Horii, M.1; Kawashima, K.1; Yamamoto, T.1
Source: British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 62, Number 3, November 1989 , pp. 539-550(12)
Publisher: CABI Publishing
A relationship between bile acid conjugation and hepatic taurine concentration was investigated in rats fed on citrus pectin. When rats were fed on the diets containing varying amounts of pectin (10, 30, 60 and 100 g/kg dietary levels), biliary excretion of bile acids increased as the dietary levels of pectin increased. The increase was entirely due to the glycine-conjugated bile acids. The biliary excretion of taurine-conjugated bile acid was somewhat decreased as the dietary level of the fibre increased. Consequently, most of the bile acids were conjugated with glycine in rats fed on the diet containing 100 g pectin/kg. On the other hand, dietary cellulose (60 and 100 g/kg) did not affect the biliary bile acid excretions. The major proportion of bile acids in rats receiving a fibre-free diet and the diets containing cellulose were conjugated with taurine. Hepatic taurine concentrations decreased as the dietary levels of pectin, but not of cellulose, increased. Although dietary pectin (100 g/kg) also slightly decreased the taurine concentration in the kidney, those concentrations in other non-hepatic tissues examined (heart, brain and serum) were unaffected by the dietary fibre. Supplementation of the diet containing 100 g pectin/kg with methionine (10 g/kg) and taurine (10 and 50 g/kg) strikingly increased hepatic taurine concentrations. In this situation, the conjugation of bile acid with glycine was almost abolished and taurine conjugates became abundant in the bile of these animals. It is suggested that dietary pectin mediated an increase in the biliary bile acid excretion which may have depleted the hepatic pool of taurine available for bile acid conjugation and, thus, increased glycine conjugation of bile acids.
Keywords: Bile acid conjugation; Pectin; Taurine; Rat
Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1079/BJN19890056
Affiliations: 1: Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, National Food Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tsukuba Science City, 305, Japan
Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2006;51(4):306-8
Effect of chitosan on the growth of human colonic bacteria.Simůnek J, Tishchenko G, Hodrová B, Bartonová H.Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czechia. simunek@iapg.cas.cz
Growth of 6 bacterial strains representing dominant members of the human colonic microflora was measured in the presence of 0.025, 0.05 and 0.5 % chitosan (from shrimp shells, with a 97 % final degree of deacetylation). The effect of chitosan was variable and dependent on bacterial species. The most susceptible to chitosan were bacteria belonging to genera Bacteroides and Clostridium (91-97% growth inhibition). On the other hand, Roseburia sp., Eubacterium sp. and Faecalibacterium sp. were more resistant (63-83 % inhibition of growth). Chitosan can thus be considered as one of the means for influencing the bacterial population in the human colon.PMID: 17007432
Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2003 Jun;54(5-6):381-6Influence of ethinyloestradiol propanolsulphonate on serum bile acids in healthy volunteers.
Barth A, Klinger G, Rost M.Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany. Astrid.Barth@mti-n.uni-jena.de
The present work was done to clarify the relevance of altered serum bile acid (BA) profile in healthy women after the administration of the depot oestrogen ethinyloestradiol propanolsulphonate (EES). In the serum of 20 healthy women before and two times after oral EES application, 11 free and 14 taurine- and glycine-conjugated BA were analysed by HPLC with postcolumn derivatisation and fluorescence detection. EES significantly enhanced the total serum BA concentration and that of taurine-conjugated BAs, more pronounced the secondary BAs taurodeoxycholic, tauroursodeoxycholic and taurolithocholic acid. These secondary BAs are produced in the intestine by bacteria due to 7alpha-dehydroxylation of the primary BAs cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid. Because of unchanged free BAs, also produced by intestinal bacteria due to deconjugation, the results were interpreted as a sign of disturbed transport of BAs into the liver. Inhibition of the liver Na(+)-bile salt co-transporter (Ntcp) in the sinusoidal membrane by ethinyloestradiol, formed from the prodrug EES, may be responsible for the altered BA profile in serum.
PMID: 12877349
Res Microbiol. 2006 Nov;157(9):876-84
Effect of tea phenolics and their aromatic fecal bacterial metabolites on intestinal microbiota.
Lee HC, Jenner AM, Low CS, Lee YK.Department of Microbiology, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117597, Republic of Singapore.
Tea is rich in polyphenols and other phenolics that have been widely reported to have beneficial health effects. However, dietary polyphenols are not completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and are metabolized by the gut microflora so that they and their metabolites may accumulate to exert physiological effects. In this study, we investigated the influence of the phenolic components of a tea extract and their aromatic metabolites upon bacterial growth. Fecal homogenates containing bacteria significantly catalyzed tea phenolics, including epicatechin, catechin, 3-O-methyl gallic acid, gallic acid and caffeic acid to generate aromatic metabolites dependent on bacterial species. Different strains of intestinal bacteria had varying degrees of growth sensitivity to tea phenolics and metabolites. Growth of certain pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile and Bacteroides spp. was significantly repressed by tea phenolics and their derivatives, while commensal anaerobes like Clostridium spp., Bifidobacterium spp. and probiotics such as Lactobacillus sp. were less severely affected. This indicates that tea phenolics exert significant effects on the intestinal environment by modulation of the intestinal bacterial population, probably by acting as metabolic prebiotics. Our observations provide further evidence for the importance of colonic bacteria in the metabolism, absorption and potential activity of phenolics in human health and disease. The bioactivity of different phenolics may play an important role in the maintenance of gastrointestinal health.
PMID: 16962743
Nerissa
By seeing the relationship of taurine and glycine in chocolate cravers (taurine high in non-cravers and glycine high in cravers) and knowing that only these two amino acids conjugate with bile it is fairly easy to determine the bacteria that bile salts are involved.
PMID 7611405, below, points out the amazing fact that chocolate is a mimic for the taurine conjugated type of bile salt. PMID 17152920, also below, takes this information and indicates the bacteria that consume this type of bile salt. These bacteria, mostly of the bacteriodes type, should be the ones that induce a chocolate craving.
What to do? Simple - increase the bacteria that consume glycine conjugated bile. These will out-compete the ones that induce chocolate cravings. Consuming a high pectin diet will do this. Citrus fruit and in particular grapefruit is sky high in pectin.
Another thing that might help is to consume chitosan. This substance selectively inhibits bacteriodes bacteria. It is extracted from the shells of shrimp and other sea crustaceans.
Also, consider regular consumption of tea. PMID 16962743 indicates this lowers bacteroides.
Grapefruit, chitosan and tea are already commonly used in weight reduction programs. While they may not help any particular person drop excess body weight they should at least lower their chocolate craving which might be a start to a better diet.
Special note for the ladies and my male to female transsexual friends - PMID 12877349, below, indicates that estrogen increases taurine bile salt and furthermore that the bacterial activity on the bile salt is elevated. Can it be a surprise that estrogen increases chocolate craving? My experience in transitioning from male physiology to female physiology supports this idea.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071012/ap_on_he_me/diet_chocolate_craving
Scientists explain chocolate cravings
By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer
Fri Oct 12, 4:34 AM ET
WASHINGTON - If that craving for chocolate sometimes feels like it is coming from deep in your gut, that's because maybe it is.
A small study links the type of bacteria living in people's digestive system to a desire for chocolate. Everyone has a vast community of microbes in their guts. But people who crave daily chocolate show signs of having different colonies of bacteria than people who are immune to chocolate's allure.
That may be the case for other foods, too. The idea could eventually lead to treating some types of obesity by changing the composition of the trillions of bacteria occupying the intestines and stomach, said Sunil Kochhar, co-author of the study. It appears Friday in the peer-reviewed Journal of Proteome Research.
Kochhar is in charge of metabolism research at the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. The food conglomerate Nestle SA paid for the study. But this isn't part of an effort to convert a few to the dark side (or even milk) side of cocoa, Kocchar said.
In fact, the study was delayed because it took a year for the researchers to find 11 men who don't eat chocolate.
Kochhar compared the blood and urine of those 11 men, who he jokingly called "weird" for their indifference to chocolate, to 11 similar men who ate chocolate daily. They were all healthy, not obese, and were fed the same food for five days.
The researchers examined the byproducts of metabolism in their blood and urine and found that a dozen substances were significantly different between the two groups. For example, the amino acid glycine was higher in chocolate lovers, while taurine (an active ingredient in energy drinks) was higher in people who didn't eat chocolate. Also chocolate lovers had lower levels of the bad cholesterol, LDL.
The levels of several of the specific substances that were different in the two groups are known to be linked to different types of bacteria, Kochhar said.
Still to be determined is if the bacteria cause the craving, or if early in life people's diets changed the bacteria, which then reinforced food choices.
How gut bacteria affect people is a hot field of scientific research.
Past studies have shown that intestinal bacteria change when people lose weight, said Dr. Sam Klein, an obesity expert and professor of medicine at Washington University in St. Louis.
Since bacteria interact with what you eat, it is logical to think that there is a connection between those microbes and desires for certain foods, said Klein, who wasn't part of Kochhar's study.
Kochhar's research makes so much sense that people should have thought of it earlier, said J. Bruce German, professor of food chemistry at the University of California Davis. While five outside scientists thought the study was intriguing, Dr. Richard Bergman at the University of Southern California School of Medicine, had concerns about the accuracy of the initial division of the men into groups that wanted chocolate or were indifferent to it.
What matters to Kochhar is where the research could lead.
Kochhar said the relationship between food, people and what grows in their gut is important for the future: "If we understand the relationship, then we can find ways to nudge it in the right direction."
Am J Physiol. 1995 Jun;268(6 Pt 1):G1051-9.
Role of amidation in bile acid effect on DNA synthesis by regenerating mouse liver.
Barbero ER, Herrera MC, Monte MJ, Serrano MA, Marin JJ.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Spain.
Effect of bile acids on DNA synthesis by the regenerating liver was investigated in mice in vivo after partial hepatectomy (PH). Radioactivity incorporation into DNA after [14C]thymidine intraperitoneal administration peaked at 48 h after PH. At this time a significant taurocholate-induced dose-dependent reduction in DNA synthesis without changes in total liver radioactivity content was found (half-maximal effect at approximately 0.1 mumol/g body wt). Effect of taurocholate (0.5 mumol/g body wt) was mimicked by chocolate, ursodeoxycholate, deoxycholate, dehydrocholate, tauroursodeoxycholate, taurochenodeoxycholate, and taurodeoxycholate. In contrast, chenodeoxycholate, glycocholate, glycochenodeoxycholate, glycoursodeoxycholate, glycodeoxycholate, 5 beta-cholestane, bromosulfophthalein, and free taurine lacked this effect. No relationship between hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance and inhibitory effect was observed. Analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography indicated that inhibition of thymidine incorporation into DNA was not accompanied by an accumulation of phosphorylated DNA precursors in the liver but rather by a parallel increase in nucleotide catabolism. Bile acid-induced modifications in DNA synthesis were observed in vivo even in the absence of changes in toxicity tests, which suggests that the inhibitory effect shared by most unconjugated and tauroconjugated bile acids but not by glycoconjugated bile acids should be accounted for by mechanisms other than nonselective liver cell injury.
PMID: 7611405
Lipids. 2006 Sep;41(9):835-43
Deoxycholic acid formation in gnotobiotic mice associated with human intestinal bacteria.
Narushima S, Itoha K, Miyamoto Y, Park SH, Nagata K, Kuruma K, Uchida K.
Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
In humans and animals, intestinal flora is indispensable for bile acid transformation. The goal of our study was to establish gnotobiotic mice with intestinal bacteria of human origin in order to examine the role of intestinal bacteria in the transformation of bile acids in vivo using the technique of gnotobiology. Eight strains of bile acid-deconjugating bacteria were isolated from ex-germ-free mice inoculated with a human fecal dilution of 10(-6), and five strains of 7alpha-dehydroxylating bacteria were isolated from the intestine of limited human flora mice inoculated only with clostridia. The results of biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that seven out of eight bile acid-deconjugating strains belong to a bacteroides cluster (Bacteroides vulgatus, B. distasonis, and B. uniformis), and one strain had high similarity with Bilophila wadsworthia. All five strains that converted cholic acid to deoxycholic acid had greatest similarity with Clostridium hylemonae. A combination of 10 isolated strains converted taurocholic acid into deoxycholic acid both in vitro and in the mouse intestine. These results indicate that the predominant bacteria, mainly Bacteroides, in human feces comprise one of the main bacterial groups for the deconjugation of bile acids, and clostridia may play an important role in 7aplha-dehydroxylation of free-form primary bile acids in the intestine although these strains are not predominant. The gnotobiotic mouse with bacteria of human origin could be a useful model in studies of bile acid metabolism by human intestinal bacteria in vivo.
PMID: 17152920
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cabi/bjn/1989/00000062/00000003/art00005;jsessionid=2e953w9ke2hvh.alice?
Bile acid conjugation and hepatic taurine concentration in rats fed on pectin
Authors: Ide, T.1; Horii, M.1; Kawashima, K.1; Yamamoto, T.1
Source: British Journal of Nutrition, Volume 62, Number 3, November 1989 , pp. 539-550(12)
Publisher: CABI Publishing
A relationship between bile acid conjugation and hepatic taurine concentration was investigated in rats fed on citrus pectin. When rats were fed on the diets containing varying amounts of pectin (10, 30, 60 and 100 g/kg dietary levels), biliary excretion of bile acids increased as the dietary levels of pectin increased. The increase was entirely due to the glycine-conjugated bile acids. The biliary excretion of taurine-conjugated bile acid was somewhat decreased as the dietary level of the fibre increased. Consequently, most of the bile acids were conjugated with glycine in rats fed on the diet containing 100 g pectin/kg. On the other hand, dietary cellulose (60 and 100 g/kg) did not affect the biliary bile acid excretions. The major proportion of bile acids in rats receiving a fibre-free diet and the diets containing cellulose were conjugated with taurine. Hepatic taurine concentrations decreased as the dietary levels of pectin, but not of cellulose, increased. Although dietary pectin (100 g/kg) also slightly decreased the taurine concentration in the kidney, those concentrations in other non-hepatic tissues examined (heart, brain and serum) were unaffected by the dietary fibre. Supplementation of the diet containing 100 g pectin/kg with methionine (10 g/kg) and taurine (10 and 50 g/kg) strikingly increased hepatic taurine concentrations. In this situation, the conjugation of bile acid with glycine was almost abolished and taurine conjugates became abundant in the bile of these animals. It is suggested that dietary pectin mediated an increase in the biliary bile acid excretion which may have depleted the hepatic pool of taurine available for bile acid conjugation and, thus, increased glycine conjugation of bile acids.
Keywords: Bile acid conjugation; Pectin; Taurine; Rat
Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1079/BJN19890056
Affiliations: 1: Laboratory of Nutrition Chemistry, National Food Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tsukuba Science City, 305, Japan
Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2006;51(4):306-8
Effect of chitosan on the growth of human colonic bacteria.Simůnek J, Tishchenko G, Hodrová B, Bartonová H.Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czechia. simunek@iapg.cas.cz
Growth of 6 bacterial strains representing dominant members of the human colonic microflora was measured in the presence of 0.025, 0.05 and 0.5 % chitosan (from shrimp shells, with a 97 % final degree of deacetylation). The effect of chitosan was variable and dependent on bacterial species. The most susceptible to chitosan were bacteria belonging to genera Bacteroides and Clostridium (91-97% growth inhibition). On the other hand, Roseburia sp., Eubacterium sp. and Faecalibacterium sp. were more resistant (63-83 % inhibition of growth). Chitosan can thus be considered as one of the means for influencing the bacterial population in the human colon.PMID: 17007432
Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2003 Jun;54(5-6):381-6Influence of ethinyloestradiol propanolsulphonate on serum bile acids in healthy volunteers.
Barth A, Klinger G, Rost M.Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany. Astrid.Barth@mti-n.uni-jena.de
The present work was done to clarify the relevance of altered serum bile acid (BA) profile in healthy women after the administration of the depot oestrogen ethinyloestradiol propanolsulphonate (EES). In the serum of 20 healthy women before and two times after oral EES application, 11 free and 14 taurine- and glycine-conjugated BA were analysed by HPLC with postcolumn derivatisation and fluorescence detection. EES significantly enhanced the total serum BA concentration and that of taurine-conjugated BAs, more pronounced the secondary BAs taurodeoxycholic, tauroursodeoxycholic and taurolithocholic acid. These secondary BAs are produced in the intestine by bacteria due to 7alpha-dehydroxylation of the primary BAs cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid. Because of unchanged free BAs, also produced by intestinal bacteria due to deconjugation, the results were interpreted as a sign of disturbed transport of BAs into the liver. Inhibition of the liver Na(+)-bile salt co-transporter (Ntcp) in the sinusoidal membrane by ethinyloestradiol, formed from the prodrug EES, may be responsible for the altered BA profile in serum.
PMID: 12877349
Res Microbiol. 2006 Nov;157(9):876-84
Effect of tea phenolics and their aromatic fecal bacterial metabolites on intestinal microbiota.
Lee HC, Jenner AM, Low CS, Lee YK.Department of Microbiology, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117597, Republic of Singapore.
Tea is rich in polyphenols and other phenolics that have been widely reported to have beneficial health effects. However, dietary polyphenols are not completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and are metabolized by the gut microflora so that they and their metabolites may accumulate to exert physiological effects. In this study, we investigated the influence of the phenolic components of a tea extract and their aromatic metabolites upon bacterial growth. Fecal homogenates containing bacteria significantly catalyzed tea phenolics, including epicatechin, catechin, 3-O-methyl gallic acid, gallic acid and caffeic acid to generate aromatic metabolites dependent on bacterial species. Different strains of intestinal bacteria had varying degrees of growth sensitivity to tea phenolics and metabolites. Growth of certain pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile and Bacteroides spp. was significantly repressed by tea phenolics and their derivatives, while commensal anaerobes like Clostridium spp., Bifidobacterium spp. and probiotics such as Lactobacillus sp. were less severely affected. This indicates that tea phenolics exert significant effects on the intestinal environment by modulation of the intestinal bacterial population, probably by acting as metabolic prebiotics. Our observations provide further evidence for the importance of colonic bacteria in the metabolism, absorption and potential activity of phenolics in human health and disease. The bioactivity of different phenolics may play an important role in the maintenance of gastrointestinal health.
PMID: 16962743
Nerissa
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Naturally lean women have it all
In (1) middle aged women who remain lean, as compared to those who do not, are reported to have a higher "female" estrogen to "male" androgen ratio. These women have a high activity of P450 aromatase which converts their androgens to estrogens. The study also reports that naturally lean women "indicated higher education and socioeconomic status, frequent sports activities, and better psychosocial adaptation and psychological health."
OTOH women who do not convert androgens well tend to become obese and unhealthy both physically and emotionally.
Not only do the naturally lean women have less androgen in their body but the receptors they have for androgen are less sensitive than the other women per the article. It appears that excessive activity of male androgens in a female are the kiss of death for her health.
Bonus health points to the women with active love lives. Semen has P450 aromatase in it (2). You can figure out how a woman might get more P450 aromatase activity in her body. :)
1. http://www.obesityresearch.org/cgi/reprint/10/2/115.pdf
The Lean Woman
Fariba Baghaei...
Obes Res. 2002;10: 115–121.
2. Hum Reprod. 2003 Aug;18(8):1650-9
Towards a physiological role for cytochrome P450 aromatase in ejaculated human sperm.
PMID: 12871877
Nerissa
OTOH women who do not convert androgens well tend to become obese and unhealthy both physically and emotionally.
Not only do the naturally lean women have less androgen in their body but the receptors they have for androgen are less sensitive than the other women per the article. It appears that excessive activity of male androgens in a female are the kiss of death for her health.
Bonus health points to the women with active love lives. Semen has P450 aromatase in it (2). You can figure out how a woman might get more P450 aromatase activity in her body. :)
1. http://www.obesityresearch.org/cgi/reprint/10/2/115.pdf
The Lean Woman
Fariba Baghaei...
Obes Res. 2002;10: 115–121.
2. Hum Reprod. 2003 Aug;18(8):1650-9
Towards a physiological role for cytochrome P450 aromatase in ejaculated human sperm.
PMID: 12871877
Nerissa
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Ladies: SAMe/whey or hot love making - you decide!
Hi everyone,
The male brain stinks! I'm not speaking figuratively. Males literally have brains that smell like rotten eggs. The rotten egg smell is hydrogen sulfide (H2S). (1) indicates that testosterone increases the production of H2S in the brain.
This topic is the most under-researched of any topic I've ever reviewed. We're talking Nobel prize winning material is still out there waiting to be studied. Brain H2S may account for many of the differences between men and women.
Yet, there is very little in the literature about the significance of this difference. But, from what little is available it appears that low H2S harms our ability to learn and makes us prone to depression. It also leads to a sensitivity to glutamate as in MSG which I've observed.
H2S may be elevated in the feminized brain by consuming more cysteine which is most available in undentatured whey protein. Cysteine will also elevate the level of glutathione in the brain leading to one having more psychological energy. Elevating glutathione is also useful for people with chronic fatigue (http://www.dfwcfids.org/medical/whey.html) and related problems like fibromyalgia. Warning - some sources mention a brief worsening of symptoms may happen after taking whey. Ride these through and whey may help.
Some companies selling "undenatured whey" products are misleading the public and are not doing so. Two undenatured whey products which appear to be legitimate are the following:
ProPeptide by CNP - available many places. http://www.affordablesupplements.com/propeptide.asp has a good price.
Beyond a Century brand - the 90% whey seems the best bang for our buck. See http://www.easycart.net/BeyondACenturyInc./Protein_Meal_Replacement.html .
A reputable health food store can provide similar products. I advise avoiding the health food chain stores due to the questionable quality of their products and lack of knowledge of their staffs.
H2S may also be increased by taking the natural anti-depressant S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe).
SAMe effects join my increasingly long list of female beneficial substances which involve semen. (3) points out that SAMe works in part by elevating spermidine and spermine in the brain. You can tell by the names of these compounds that they are associated with semen. Putrescine, also elevated by SAMe, is in semen also. So, semen provides all these beneficial compounds and elevates H2S too.
Research in this and other areas over-whelmingly supports my contention that biogals and male to female transsexuals on feminizing drug treatment function best if they have regular unprotected sex with men. Obviously, this only the case if we avoid catching a serious disease we'd be best off without.
(4) agrees with me about the value of semen when it comes to relieving depression. My contention is the woman who is not into having unprotected sex with men, or who couldn't get a man if she payed one, can compensate by taking SAMe and consuming undenatured whey protein.
1. J Neurochem. 2002 Oct;83(1):80-6 The production of hydrogen sulfide is regulated by testosterone and S-adenosyl-L-methionine in mouse brain. Eto K, Kimura H. National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is endogenously produced in the brain from L-cysteine by the enzyme cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) and functions as a neuromodulator in the brain. H2S selectively enhances NMDA receptor-mediated responses and alters hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). The production of H2S is regulated by Ca2+/calmodulin-mediated pathways and is enhanced in response to neuronal excitation. In addition to this fast regulation, we describe here a slower form of the regulation of H2S production by testosterone and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), a CBS activator. Endogenous H2S in the mouse brain increases after birth, reaches a maximum level at 8 weeks and then decreases. Female brain contains less H2S than male brain at each age. A single administration of testosterone to female mice increases the endogenous H2S and SAM, which reach levels similar to those of male mice. In contrast, castration of male mice decreases the levels of testosterone, SAM and H2S in the brain. Administration of SAM once a day for 3 days increases the brain H2S without significantly changing the testosterone level. These observations suggest that testosterone can regulate the brain H2S level via changing the level of SAM. PMID: 12358731
2. http://www.cassmd.com/library/SAMe.support.html SAMe for Depression...and Arthritis and Liver Support ... What is SAMe? SAMe, or s-adenosyl-methionine is a naturally occurring substance in the body, with the following uses:
It is used in the production of the feel-good neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers in the brain that mediate our mood. These include dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. ... SAMe has also been shown to protect the liver and body from the effects of excess and unbalanced estrogen levels, seen in some estrogen replacement therapy, oral contraceptive use, and premenstrual syndrome. ... SAMe's antidepressant activity may lead to the manic phase in individuals with bipolar (manic) depression.
3. Neuroreport. 2001 Dec 21;12(18):3939-42 Influence of SAMe on the modifications of brain polyamine levels in an animal model of depression. Genedani S, Saltini S, Benelli A, Filaferro M, Bertolini A. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41100 Modena, Italy. The mechanism(s) of the antidepressant activity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) have not yet been elucidated. SAMe is essential for the synthesis of polyamines, which have a key role in protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and neuronal plasticity. On the other hand, accumulating data indicate that depression is associated with a reduction in regional brain volume and that antidepressants increase neurogenesis in defined brain regions and also influence neuronal plasticity. Here we show that in a validated rat model of depression (chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced anhedonia) there is a significant reduction of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in the hippocampus, and of only putrescine in the nucleus accumbens septi. SAMe, at a fully antidepressant dose (300 mg/kg i.m., daily for 7 days), completely restores the levels of putrescine in the nucleus accumbens, and restores in part the levels of both spermidine and spermine in the hippocampus. These results may suggest (i) a role for brain polyamines in depression and in reward processes, and (ii) that the antidepressant effect of SAMe may be due, at least in part, to a normalization of putrescine levels in the nucleus accumbens septi. PMID: 11742215
4. http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20021002-000009.html Crying Over Spilled Semen Why women who don't use condoms feel happier. By:Tiffany Kary The finding that women who do not use condoms during sex are less depressed and less likely to attempt suicide than are women who have sex with condoms and women who are not sexually active, leads one researcher to conclude that semen contains powerful—and potentially addictive—mood-altering chemicals.
Study author Gordon G. Gallup, Ph.D., a psychologist at the State University of New York in Albany, also found that women who routinely had intercourse without condoms became increasingly depressed as more time elapsed since their last sexual encounter. There was no such correlation for women whose partners regularly used condoms.
Nerissa
The male brain stinks! I'm not speaking figuratively. Males literally have brains that smell like rotten eggs. The rotten egg smell is hydrogen sulfide (H2S). (1) indicates that testosterone increases the production of H2S in the brain.
This topic is the most under-researched of any topic I've ever reviewed. We're talking Nobel prize winning material is still out there waiting to be studied. Brain H2S may account for many of the differences between men and women.
Yet, there is very little in the literature about the significance of this difference. But, from what little is available it appears that low H2S harms our ability to learn and makes us prone to depression. It also leads to a sensitivity to glutamate as in MSG which I've observed.
H2S may be elevated in the feminized brain by consuming more cysteine which is most available in undentatured whey protein. Cysteine will also elevate the level of glutathione in the brain leading to one having more psychological energy. Elevating glutathione is also useful for people with chronic fatigue (http://www.dfwcfids.org/medical/whey.html) and related problems like fibromyalgia. Warning - some sources mention a brief worsening of symptoms may happen after taking whey. Ride these through and whey may help.
Some companies selling "undenatured whey" products are misleading the public and are not doing so. Two undenatured whey products which appear to be legitimate are the following:
ProPeptide by CNP - available many places. http://www.affordablesupplements.com/propeptide.asp has a good price.
Beyond a Century brand - the 90% whey seems the best bang for our buck. See http://www.easycart.net/BeyondACenturyInc./Protein_Meal_Replacement.html .
A reputable health food store can provide similar products. I advise avoiding the health food chain stores due to the questionable quality of their products and lack of knowledge of their staffs.
H2S may also be increased by taking the natural anti-depressant S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe).
SAMe effects join my increasingly long list of female beneficial substances which involve semen. (3) points out that SAMe works in part by elevating spermidine and spermine in the brain. You can tell by the names of these compounds that they are associated with semen. Putrescine, also elevated by SAMe, is in semen also. So, semen provides all these beneficial compounds and elevates H2S too.
Research in this and other areas over-whelmingly supports my contention that biogals and male to female transsexuals on feminizing drug treatment function best if they have regular unprotected sex with men. Obviously, this only the case if we avoid catching a serious disease we'd be best off without.
(4) agrees with me about the value of semen when it comes to relieving depression. My contention is the woman who is not into having unprotected sex with men, or who couldn't get a man if she payed one, can compensate by taking SAMe and consuming undenatured whey protein.
1. J Neurochem. 2002 Oct;83(1):80-6 The production of hydrogen sulfide is regulated by testosterone and S-adenosyl-L-methionine in mouse brain. Eto K, Kimura H. National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is endogenously produced in the brain from L-cysteine by the enzyme cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) and functions as a neuromodulator in the brain. H2S selectively enhances NMDA receptor-mediated responses and alters hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). The production of H2S is regulated by Ca2+/calmodulin-mediated pathways and is enhanced in response to neuronal excitation. In addition to this fast regulation, we describe here a slower form of the regulation of H2S production by testosterone and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), a CBS activator. Endogenous H2S in the mouse brain increases after birth, reaches a maximum level at 8 weeks and then decreases. Female brain contains less H2S than male brain at each age. A single administration of testosterone to female mice increases the endogenous H2S and SAM, which reach levels similar to those of male mice. In contrast, castration of male mice decreases the levels of testosterone, SAM and H2S in the brain. Administration of SAM once a day for 3 days increases the brain H2S without significantly changing the testosterone level. These observations suggest that testosterone can regulate the brain H2S level via changing the level of SAM. PMID: 12358731
2. http://www.cassmd.com/library/SAMe.support.html SAMe for Depression...and Arthritis and Liver Support ... What is SAMe? SAMe, or s-adenosyl-methionine is a naturally occurring substance in the body, with the following uses:
It is used in the production of the feel-good neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers in the brain that mediate our mood. These include dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. ... SAMe has also been shown to protect the liver and body from the effects of excess and unbalanced estrogen levels, seen in some estrogen replacement therapy, oral contraceptive use, and premenstrual syndrome. ... SAMe's antidepressant activity may lead to the manic phase in individuals with bipolar (manic) depression.
3. Neuroreport. 2001 Dec 21;12(18):3939-42 Influence of SAMe on the modifications of brain polyamine levels in an animal model of depression. Genedani S, Saltini S, Benelli A, Filaferro M, Bertolini A. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Campi 287, 41100 Modena, Italy. The mechanism(s) of the antidepressant activity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) have not yet been elucidated. SAMe is essential for the synthesis of polyamines, which have a key role in protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and neuronal plasticity. On the other hand, accumulating data indicate that depression is associated with a reduction in regional brain volume and that antidepressants increase neurogenesis in defined brain regions and also influence neuronal plasticity. Here we show that in a validated rat model of depression (chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced anhedonia) there is a significant reduction of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in the hippocampus, and of only putrescine in the nucleus accumbens septi. SAMe, at a fully antidepressant dose (300 mg/kg i.m., daily for 7 days), completely restores the levels of putrescine in the nucleus accumbens, and restores in part the levels of both spermidine and spermine in the hippocampus. These results may suggest (i) a role for brain polyamines in depression and in reward processes, and (ii) that the antidepressant effect of SAMe may be due, at least in part, to a normalization of putrescine levels in the nucleus accumbens septi. PMID: 11742215
4. http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20021002-000009.html Crying Over Spilled Semen Why women who don't use condoms feel happier. By:Tiffany Kary The finding that women who do not use condoms during sex are less depressed and less likely to attempt suicide than are women who have sex with condoms and women who are not sexually active, leads one researcher to conclude that semen contains powerful—and potentially addictive—mood-altering chemicals.
Study author Gordon G. Gallup, Ph.D., a psychologist at the State University of New York in Albany, also found that women who routinely had intercourse without condoms became increasingly depressed as more time elapsed since their last sexual encounter. There was no such correlation for women whose partners regularly used condoms.
Nerissa
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Nerissa's Romantic Love Diet
The Romantic Love Diet (RLD) is the easiest way to practice calorie restriction. While possible for men it is much easier for women to the point that an alternative name for the diet is the Amazon Diet. Unfortunately that name is taken so the "Romantic Love Diet" will have to do.
To be fair using the term "my" with the RLD is a bit misleading. It turns out the RLD was perfected by a man well known to most of us - Jesus. Doubt this? When is the last time you ever saw a picture of a fat disciple?
Flashing back 2000 years see http://www.reuniting.info/node . Early Christianity encouraged nonsexual but sensuous relationships known as "agape." Agape is defined as "spiritual, selfless, chaste love."
http://www.reuniting.info/wisdom/agapetae goes into more detail. An agape type relationship was characterized by sensous activity such as sleeping together. It was non-sexual in the sense that the relationship did not lead to orgasm.
http://www.reuniting.info/wisdom/samael_aun_weor_sex_secret_gate_to_eden explains that this type of love has been encouraged by various religions over time.
Least you think I'm kidding you, to take this to the scientific plane consider http://www.reuniting.info/science/prolactin_sex_libido which points out that prolactin surges after having an orgasm. Bad news! This increases appetite leading to a tendency for weight gain.
However, sensous but non-orgasmic love increases dopamine which is a natural narcotic which lowers appetite. The RLD also encourages strong friendships even without the sensuality. As you can see from (1) modern research suggests that being in a sensous physical relationship (i.e. increases dopamine which is like morphine and which has the normal narcotic effect of lowering appetite immediately) leads to a long term increase in appetite BUT the desire for being sociable increases even more. Fullfilling that desire eliminates the long term appetite stimulation effects of sensous relationships.
So, how hard can my RLD be? Have a handful of physically sensous relationships that do not involve orgasms and a lot of close friends one socializes with regularly.
Of course if you know men you'll realize that a RLD is going to be difficult if they are on the receiving end of romance! Most men will not avoid trying to have sex with you for long!
So, a woman on the RLD is best off practicing agape type romance with other women. From http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb07/lovesnot.html we see that romantic partners best have the following qualities: "kindness, warmth, a sense of humor, sociability, trustworthiness and a stable personality."
Compare and make your own decision -
Tradional diet - count calories and exercise fanatically - FOREVER!
The Romantic Love Diet - have a few non-orgasmic yet physically sensous relationships with women who are kind, amusing, dependable, etc. and have a lot of close friends of both genders that one socializes with regularly.
Keep in mind that I've been in relationships like this with my transgendered and bisexual friends in Houston. These being the same friends who often smoke lots of pot while staying quite slim. The power of the lifestyle easily overcomes the appetite stimulating aspect of marijuana. How did the RLD work for me? I lost about 30 pounds without counting calories and with very little exercise.
1. Behav Brain Res.
2007 Apr 20
Prior morphine experience induces long-term increases in social interest and in appetitive behavior for natural reward.
Nocjar C, Panksepp J.
Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Brecksville, OH 44141, United States.
Brain opioids regulate social emotional responsivity. One neuro-evolutionary theory of addiction suggests that exogenous opiates may induce addiction via opioid-controlled emotional changes; with the drug eventually fulfilling the need for social comfort that is normally provided by endogenous opioids. This view predicts that past opiate experience may enduringly alter social responsivity. Although the acute social effects of opiates are well known, little evidence is available concerning the enduring effects of past opiate experience on social motivation aside from copulatory behaviors. This study evaluated the long-term effects of 10 daily morphine (10mg/kg/day) or saline injections on social and non-social motivated behaviors. Following 3 days or 2 weeks drug abstinence, social interest, food-seeking, and sexual pursuit were assessed. After 2-weeks opiate withdrawal, sexual pursuit and food-seeking behaviors were significantly increased. After a shorter 3-day withdrawal, these effects were not seen. Importantly, social interest was consistently magnified, even after short-term 3-day opiate withdrawal, and it was magnified more than sexual or food pursuit. These findings indicate that the incentive for social and non-social natural rewards were increased following withdrawal from intermittent opiate treatment, but that different morphine-induced neuroadaptations may regulate their expression.
PMID: 17512616
Nerissa
To be fair using the term "my" with the RLD is a bit misleading. It turns out the RLD was perfected by a man well known to most of us - Jesus. Doubt this? When is the last time you ever saw a picture of a fat disciple?
Flashing back 2000 years see http://www.reuniting.info/node . Early Christianity encouraged nonsexual but sensuous relationships known as "agape." Agape is defined as "spiritual, selfless, chaste love."
http://www.reuniting.info/wisdom/agapetae goes into more detail. An agape type relationship was characterized by sensous activity such as sleeping together. It was non-sexual in the sense that the relationship did not lead to orgasm.
http://www.reuniting.info/wisdom/samael_aun_weor_sex_secret_gate_to_eden explains that this type of love has been encouraged by various religions over time.
Least you think I'm kidding you, to take this to the scientific plane consider http://www.reuniting.info/science/prolactin_sex_libido which points out that prolactin surges after having an orgasm. Bad news! This increases appetite leading to a tendency for weight gain.
However, sensous but non-orgasmic love increases dopamine which is a natural narcotic which lowers appetite. The RLD also encourages strong friendships even without the sensuality. As you can see from (1) modern research suggests that being in a sensous physical relationship (i.e. increases dopamine which is like morphine and which has the normal narcotic effect of lowering appetite immediately) leads to a long term increase in appetite BUT the desire for being sociable increases even more. Fullfilling that desire eliminates the long term appetite stimulation effects of sensous relationships.
So, how hard can my RLD be? Have a handful of physically sensous relationships that do not involve orgasms and a lot of close friends one socializes with regularly.
Of course if you know men you'll realize that a RLD is going to be difficult if they are on the receiving end of romance! Most men will not avoid trying to have sex with you for long!
So, a woman on the RLD is best off practicing agape type romance with other women. From http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb07/lovesnot.html we see that romantic partners best have the following qualities: "kindness, warmth, a sense of humor, sociability, trustworthiness and a stable personality."
Compare and make your own decision -
Tradional diet - count calories and exercise fanatically - FOREVER!
The Romantic Love Diet - have a few non-orgasmic yet physically sensous relationships with women who are kind, amusing, dependable, etc. and have a lot of close friends of both genders that one socializes with regularly.
Keep in mind that I've been in relationships like this with my transgendered and bisexual friends in Houston. These being the same friends who often smoke lots of pot while staying quite slim. The power of the lifestyle easily overcomes the appetite stimulating aspect of marijuana. How did the RLD work for me? I lost about 30 pounds without counting calories and with very little exercise.
1. Behav Brain Res.
2007 Apr 20
Prior morphine experience induces long-term increases in social interest and in appetitive behavior for natural reward.
Nocjar C, Panksepp J.
Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Brecksville, OH 44141, United States.
Brain opioids regulate social emotional responsivity. One neuro-evolutionary theory of addiction suggests that exogenous opiates may induce addiction via opioid-controlled emotional changes; with the drug eventually fulfilling the need for social comfort that is normally provided by endogenous opioids. This view predicts that past opiate experience may enduringly alter social responsivity. Although the acute social effects of opiates are well known, little evidence is available concerning the enduring effects of past opiate experience on social motivation aside from copulatory behaviors. This study evaluated the long-term effects of 10 daily morphine (10mg/kg/day) or saline injections on social and non-social motivated behaviors. Following 3 days or 2 weeks drug abstinence, social interest, food-seeking, and sexual pursuit were assessed. After 2-weeks opiate withdrawal, sexual pursuit and food-seeking behaviors were significantly increased. After a shorter 3-day withdrawal, these effects were not seen. Importantly, social interest was consistently magnified, even after short-term 3-day opiate withdrawal, and it was magnified more than sexual or food pursuit. These findings indicate that the incentive for social and non-social natural rewards were increased following withdrawal from intermittent opiate treatment, but that different morphine-induced neuroadaptations may regulate their expression.
PMID: 17512616
Nerissa
Saturday, April 14, 2007
calorie restriction and leaky gut syndrome
Every time my weight drops into the range I desire I develop leaky gut syndrome. Which means I feel like dog meat until I regularly eat more. This has lead to an endless cycle of dropping weight, feeling bad, regaining weight...
Least you think I'm some anorexic nut case my BMI fluctuates around about 24 +/- 1. I want to get down to about BMI 21 to 22 which still is safely out of the "please hold me down and stuff food into my mouth" anorexic range.
Why does calorie restriction (CR) trash our guts out? Two reasons:
First, CR elevates the so-called anti-inflammatory hormone adiponectin. High adiponectin is a really good thing for our health per many references. Unfortunately, adiponectin is PROinflammatory in our gut (1).
Second, CR lowers insulin. In many ways this is great for our health. Unfortunately, low insulin is associated with INCREASED gut permeability (2).
Surf the net and you can find many ideas for dealing with leaky gut. A treatment I've come up with is the following:
Combine a scoop of Citrucel (methylcellulose) with 1/2 glass of lemonade, 400 mg of magnesium citrate and a tablespoon of coconut oil and drink it just prior to bedtime. The methylcellulose binds most pathological bacteria (via binding to their type 4 fimbriae; PMID: 9811650), the lemonade has anti-inflammatory properties, the magnesium lowers permeability of the intestine (PMID: 16180088) and the coconut oil is great for killing various pathological bacteria (too many references to list).
1. Gastroenterology. 2007 Feb;132(2):601-14
Adiponectin deficiency protects mice from chemically induced colonic inflammation.
...APN deficiency is associated with protection from chemically induced colitis. APN exerts proinflammatory activities in the colon by inducing production of proinflammatory cytokines and inhibiting bioactivity of protective growth factors. Thus, in colitis, APN exerts an opposite role compared with atherosclerosis.
PMID: 17258715
2. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2006;34(1-2):259-63
Permeability response of the rat mesenteric microvasculature to insulin.
...insulin reduces mesenteric venule permeability differently in males and females. Further studies are needed to differentiate the permeability responses with respect to age and gender.
PMID: 16543645
Nerissa
Least you think I'm some anorexic nut case my BMI fluctuates around about 24 +/- 1. I want to get down to about BMI 21 to 22 which still is safely out of the "please hold me down and stuff food into my mouth" anorexic range.
Why does calorie restriction (CR) trash our guts out? Two reasons:
First, CR elevates the so-called anti-inflammatory hormone adiponectin. High adiponectin is a really good thing for our health per many references. Unfortunately, adiponectin is PROinflammatory in our gut (1).
Second, CR lowers insulin. In many ways this is great for our health. Unfortunately, low insulin is associated with INCREASED gut permeability (2).
Surf the net and you can find many ideas for dealing with leaky gut. A treatment I've come up with is the following:
Combine a scoop of Citrucel (methylcellulose) with 1/2 glass of lemonade, 400 mg of magnesium citrate and a tablespoon of coconut oil and drink it just prior to bedtime. The methylcellulose binds most pathological bacteria (via binding to their type 4 fimbriae; PMID: 9811650), the lemonade has anti-inflammatory properties, the magnesium lowers permeability of the intestine (PMID: 16180088) and the coconut oil is great for killing various pathological bacteria (too many references to list).
1. Gastroenterology. 2007 Feb;132(2):601-14
Adiponectin deficiency protects mice from chemically induced colonic inflammation.
...APN deficiency is associated with protection from chemically induced colitis. APN exerts proinflammatory activities in the colon by inducing production of proinflammatory cytokines and inhibiting bioactivity of protective growth factors. Thus, in colitis, APN exerts an opposite role compared with atherosclerosis.
PMID: 17258715
2. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2006;34(1-2):259-63
Permeability response of the rat mesenteric microvasculature to insulin.
...insulin reduces mesenteric venule permeability differently in males and females. Further studies are needed to differentiate the permeability responses with respect to age and gender.
PMID: 16543645
Nerissa
Friday, January 12, 2007
Hot sex for hard bones
Hi everyone,
Exposure to low frequency mechanical vibration for two to ten minutes per day stimulates musculoskeletal development (1, 2). The vibration used in both studies was 30 Hz. Before you rush out and buy a vibration machine consider that the natural frequency of orgasmic vibrations is 8 Hz. Which is of little value if you're the only one experiencing them. But, consider if you're with a partner. The phenomenon of resonance kicks in.
http://www.elitesoft.com/sci.hvac/itreson1.html explains what resonance is: "When the natural frequency of an object is excited by a vibration of the same frequency the objects natural frequency escalates to a point much greater than the exciting force or vibration. Hence, the singer breaks the glass, or the walls of Jerico come falling down."
So, hot sex will lead to resonance vibrations in both partners of 16 Hz, 32 Hz, etc. 32 Hz is close enough, I suspect, to help our bones and muscles.
Note that 32 Hz is 4 times 8 Hz which makes (3) interesting indeed. Research has shown that having mutual orgasms is four times as beneficial as doing it solo. The researcher seems to have a blind spot for gay sex since the two choices were heterosexual or solo. I'm sure gay sex together works just fine too although some of the men might have trouble making the two minute point. :)
6/13/2008 update - see (4) for a recent report on vibration and our health. The researchers note that vibration improves flexibility. No kidding!
11/27/2016 update - see (5) which discusses vibration and obesity control. It links to a study at (6) which mentions how this ties in with bone health.
1. J Bone Miner Res. 2006 Sep;21(9):1464-74
Low-level, high-frequency mechanical signals enhance musculoskeletal development of young women with low BMD....
The potential for brief periods of low-magnitude, high-frequency mechanical signals to enhance the musculoskeletal system was evaluated in young women with low BMD. Twelve months of this noninvasive signal, induced as whole body vibration for at least 2 minutes each day, increased bone and muscle mass in the axial skeleton and lower extremities compared with controls....CONCLUSIONS: Short bouts of extremely low-level mechanical signals, several orders of magnitude below that associated with vigorous exercise, increased bone and muscle mass in the weight-bearing skeleton of young adult females with low BMD. Should these musculoskeletal enhancements be preserved through adulthood, this intervention may prove to be a deterrent to osteoporosis in the elderly.
PMID: 16939405
2. J Sports Sci. 2007 Jan;25(1):111-9
Whole-body vibration can reduce calciuria induced by high protein intakes and may counteract bone resorption: A preliminary study....
Excess protein intake can adversely affect the bone via an increase in calcium excretion, while suitable mechanical loading promotes osteogenesis. We therefore investigated whether vibration exposure could alleviate the bone mineral losses associated with a metabolic acidosis. Ten healthy individuals aged 22 - 29 years (median = 25) underwent three 5-day study periods while monitoring their dietary intake. The study consisted of recording the participants' usual dietary intake for 5 consecutive days. Participants were then randomly divided into two groups, one of which received a protein supplement (2 g . kg-1 body mass . day-1; n = 5) and the other whole-body low-magnitude (3.5 g), low-frequency (30 Hz) mechanical vibration (WBV) delivered through a specially designed vibrating plate for 10 min each day (n = 5). ...results indicate that vibration stimulation can moderate the increase in bone resorption and reduction in bone formation caused by a metabolic acidosis.
PMID: 17127586
3. http://sexuality.about.com/od/sexualscience/a/weirdscience3.htm
Weird Sexual Science: Sex with a partner is 400% better
From Cory Silverberg,
Orgasm Study Offers Status Quo and Universal Generalizations
The same researcher who last month brought us the study suggesting that heterosexual intercourse was much better than any other kind of sexual behavior, is at it again.
This month New Scientist is reporting on a study by Prof. Stuart Brody (and colleague) that examined the blood level of the hormone prolactin following heterosexual intercourse versus masturbation. Prolactin is related to feelings of sexual release. The results?
After orgasm from sexual intercourse, the increase in blood prolactin levels was 400 per cent higher in both sexes compared with after orgasm from masturbation. The resulting headline (which I copied above) suggests that heterosexual sex is 400% better than masturbation. Prof. Brody is quoted as saying “this explains why orgasm from intercourse is more satisfying than masturbation.”
4. http://www.galenicom.com/es/medline/article/18477873/Whole+body+vibration+exercise:+training+and+benefits.
Whole body vibration exercise: training and benefits.
Autores:
Dennis G Dolny, G Francis Cisco Reyes
Idioma:
Eng.
Fecha:
14-05-2008
Revista:
Current sports medicine reports (1537-8918)
Entrega:
Curr Sports Med Rep. ;7(3):152-7
Abstract:
In recent years, it has been suggested that exercise using whole body vibration (WBV) platforms may increase muscle activity and subsequently enhance muscle performance in both acute and chronic conditions. WBV platforms produce frequencies ranging from 15-60 Hz and vertical displacements from ~1-11 mm, resulting in accelerations of ~2.2-5.1 g. Acute exposure to WBV has produced mixed results in terms of improving jump, sprint, and measures of muscle performance. With WBV training, younger fit subjects may not experience gains unless some type of external load is added to WBV exercise. However, sedentary and elderly individuals have demonstrated significant gains in most measures of muscle performance, similar with comparable traditional resistance exercise training programs. WBV training also has demonstrated gains in flexibility in younger athletic populations and gains or maintenance in bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. These promising results await further research to establish preferred WBV training parameters.
Copyright:
Current sports medicine reportsDepartment HPERD, University of Idaho, College of Education, Human Performance Laboratory, Moscow, ID 83844, USA. ddolny@uidaho.edu
5. https://theconversation.com/why-so-many-people-regain-weight-after-dieting-65095
Anyone who has tried to lose weight and keep it off knows how difficult the task can be. It seems like it should be simple: Just exercise to burn more calories and reduce your calorie intake. But many studies have shown that this simple strategy doesn’t work very well for the vast majority of people.
A dramatic example of the challenges of maintaining weight loss comes from a recent National Institutes of Health study. The researchers followed 14 contestants who had participated in the “World’s Biggest Loser” reality show. During the 30 weeks of the show, the contestants lost an average of over 125 pounds per person. But in the six years after the show, all but one gained back most of their lost weight, despite continuing to diet and exercise.
Why is it so hard to lose weight and keep it off? Weight loss often leads to declines in our resting metabolic rate – how many calories we burn at rest, which makes it hard to keep the weight off. So why does weight loss make resting metabolism go down, and is there a way to maintain a normal resting metabolic rate after weight loss? As someone who studies musculo-skeletal physiology, I will try to answer these questions.
Activating muscles deep in the leg that help keep blood and fluid moving through our bodies is essential to maintaining resting metabolic rate when we are sitting or standing quietly. The function of these muscles, called soleus muscles, is a major research focus for us in the Clinical Science and Engineering Research Center at Binghamton University. Commonly called “secondary hearts,” these muscles pump blood back to our heart, allowing us to maintain our normal rate of metabolic activity during sedentary activities.
Resting metabolism and weight maintenance...
6. http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/288/3/R623.long
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2005 Mar;288(3):R623-9.
DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00513.2004
Plantar vibration improves leg fluid flow in perimenopausal women.
Stewart JM1, Karman C, Montgomery LD, McLeod KJ.
Abstract
Recent studies have indicated that plantar-based vibration may be an effective approach for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. We addressed the hypothesis of whether the plantar vibration operated by way of the skeletal muscle pump, resulting in enhanced blood and fluid flow to the lower body. We combined plantar stimulation with upright tilt table testing in 18 women aged 46-63 yr. We used strain-gauge plethysmography to measure calf blood flow, venous capacitance, and the microvascular filtration relation, as well as impedance plethysmography to examine changes in leg, splanchnic, and thoracic blood flow while supine at a 35 degrees upright tilt. A vibrating platform was placed on the footboard of a tilt table, and measurements were made at 0, 15, and 45 Hz with an amplitude of 0.2 g point to point, presented in random order. Impedance-measured supine blood flows were significantly (P = 0.05) increased in the calf (30%), pelvic (26%), and thoracic regions (20%) by plantar vibration at 45 Hz. Moreover, the 25-35% decreases in calf and pelvic blood flows associated with upright tilt were reversed by plantar vibration, and the decrease in thoracic blood flow was significantly attenuated. Strain-gauge measurements showed an attenuation of upright calf blood flow. In addition, the microvascular filtration relation was shifted with vibration, producing a pronounced increase in the threshold for edema, P(i), due to enhanced lymphatic flow. Supine values for P(i) increased from 24 +/- 2 mmHg at 0 Hz to 27 +/- 3 mmHg at 15 Hz, and finally to 31 +/- 2 mmHg at 45 Hz (P < 0.01). Upright values for P(i) increased from 25 +/- 3 mmHg at 0 Hz, to 28 +/- 4 mmHg at 15 Hz, and finally to 35 +/- 4 mmHg at 45 Hz. The results suggest that plantar vibration serves to significantly enhance peripheral and systemic blood flow, peripheral lymphatic flow, and venous drainage, which may account for the apparent ability of such stimuli to influence bone mass.
PMID: 15472009
Nerissa
Exposure to low frequency mechanical vibration for two to ten minutes per day stimulates musculoskeletal development (1, 2). The vibration used in both studies was 30 Hz. Before you rush out and buy a vibration machine consider that the natural frequency of orgasmic vibrations is 8 Hz. Which is of little value if you're the only one experiencing them. But, consider if you're with a partner. The phenomenon of resonance kicks in.
http://www.elitesoft.com/sci.hvac/itreson1.html explains what resonance is: "When the natural frequency of an object is excited by a vibration of the same frequency the objects natural frequency escalates to a point much greater than the exciting force or vibration. Hence, the singer breaks the glass, or the walls of Jerico come falling down."
So, hot sex will lead to resonance vibrations in both partners of 16 Hz, 32 Hz, etc. 32 Hz is close enough, I suspect, to help our bones and muscles.
Note that 32 Hz is 4 times 8 Hz which makes (3) interesting indeed. Research has shown that having mutual orgasms is four times as beneficial as doing it solo. The researcher seems to have a blind spot for gay sex since the two choices were heterosexual or solo. I'm sure gay sex together works just fine too although some of the men might have trouble making the two minute point. :)
6/13/2008 update - see (4) for a recent report on vibration and our health. The researchers note that vibration improves flexibility. No kidding!
11/27/2016 update - see (5) which discusses vibration and obesity control. It links to a study at (6) which mentions how this ties in with bone health.
1. J Bone Miner Res. 2006 Sep;21(9):1464-74
Low-level, high-frequency mechanical signals enhance musculoskeletal development of young women with low BMD....
The potential for brief periods of low-magnitude, high-frequency mechanical signals to enhance the musculoskeletal system was evaluated in young women with low BMD. Twelve months of this noninvasive signal, induced as whole body vibration for at least 2 minutes each day, increased bone and muscle mass in the axial skeleton and lower extremities compared with controls....CONCLUSIONS: Short bouts of extremely low-level mechanical signals, several orders of magnitude below that associated with vigorous exercise, increased bone and muscle mass in the weight-bearing skeleton of young adult females with low BMD. Should these musculoskeletal enhancements be preserved through adulthood, this intervention may prove to be a deterrent to osteoporosis in the elderly.
PMID: 16939405
2. J Sports Sci. 2007 Jan;25(1):111-9
Whole-body vibration can reduce calciuria induced by high protein intakes and may counteract bone resorption: A preliminary study....
Excess protein intake can adversely affect the bone via an increase in calcium excretion, while suitable mechanical loading promotes osteogenesis. We therefore investigated whether vibration exposure could alleviate the bone mineral losses associated with a metabolic acidosis. Ten healthy individuals aged 22 - 29 years (median = 25) underwent three 5-day study periods while monitoring their dietary intake. The study consisted of recording the participants' usual dietary intake for 5 consecutive days. Participants were then randomly divided into two groups, one of which received a protein supplement (2 g . kg-1 body mass . day-1; n = 5) and the other whole-body low-magnitude (3.5 g), low-frequency (30 Hz) mechanical vibration (WBV) delivered through a specially designed vibrating plate for 10 min each day (n = 5). ...results indicate that vibration stimulation can moderate the increase in bone resorption and reduction in bone formation caused by a metabolic acidosis.
PMID: 17127586
3. http://sexuality.about.com/od/sexualscience/a/weirdscience3.htm
Weird Sexual Science: Sex with a partner is 400% better
From Cory Silverberg,
Orgasm Study Offers Status Quo and Universal Generalizations
The same researcher who last month brought us the study suggesting that heterosexual intercourse was much better than any other kind of sexual behavior, is at it again.
This month New Scientist is reporting on a study by Prof. Stuart Brody (and colleague) that examined the blood level of the hormone prolactin following heterosexual intercourse versus masturbation. Prolactin is related to feelings of sexual release. The results?
After orgasm from sexual intercourse, the increase in blood prolactin levels was 400 per cent higher in both sexes compared with after orgasm from masturbation. The resulting headline (which I copied above) suggests that heterosexual sex is 400% better than masturbation. Prof. Brody is quoted as saying “this explains why orgasm from intercourse is more satisfying than masturbation.”
4. http://www.galenicom.com/es/medline/article/18477873/Whole+body+vibration+exercise:+training+and+benefits.
Whole body vibration exercise: training and benefits.
Autores:
Dennis G Dolny, G Francis Cisco Reyes
Idioma:
Eng.
Fecha:
14-05-2008
Revista:
Current sports medicine reports (1537-8918)
Entrega:
Curr Sports Med Rep. ;7(3):152-7
Abstract:
In recent years, it has been suggested that exercise using whole body vibration (WBV) platforms may increase muscle activity and subsequently enhance muscle performance in both acute and chronic conditions. WBV platforms produce frequencies ranging from 15-60 Hz and vertical displacements from ~1-11 mm, resulting in accelerations of ~2.2-5.1 g. Acute exposure to WBV has produced mixed results in terms of improving jump, sprint, and measures of muscle performance. With WBV training, younger fit subjects may not experience gains unless some type of external load is added to WBV exercise. However, sedentary and elderly individuals have demonstrated significant gains in most measures of muscle performance, similar with comparable traditional resistance exercise training programs. WBV training also has demonstrated gains in flexibility in younger athletic populations and gains or maintenance in bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. These promising results await further research to establish preferred WBV training parameters.
Copyright:
Current sports medicine reportsDepartment HPERD, University of Idaho, College of Education, Human Performance Laboratory, Moscow, ID 83844, USA. ddolny@uidaho.edu
5. https://theconversation.com/why-so-many-people-regain-weight-after-dieting-65095
Anyone who has tried to lose weight and keep it off knows how difficult the task can be. It seems like it should be simple: Just exercise to burn more calories and reduce your calorie intake. But many studies have shown that this simple strategy doesn’t work very well for the vast majority of people.
A dramatic example of the challenges of maintaining weight loss comes from a recent National Institutes of Health study. The researchers followed 14 contestants who had participated in the “World’s Biggest Loser” reality show. During the 30 weeks of the show, the contestants lost an average of over 125 pounds per person. But in the six years after the show, all but one gained back most of their lost weight, despite continuing to diet and exercise.
Why is it so hard to lose weight and keep it off? Weight loss often leads to declines in our resting metabolic rate – how many calories we burn at rest, which makes it hard to keep the weight off. So why does weight loss make resting metabolism go down, and is there a way to maintain a normal resting metabolic rate after weight loss? As someone who studies musculo-skeletal physiology, I will try to answer these questions.
Activating muscles deep in the leg that help keep blood and fluid moving through our bodies is essential to maintaining resting metabolic rate when we are sitting or standing quietly. The function of these muscles, called soleus muscles, is a major research focus for us in the Clinical Science and Engineering Research Center at Binghamton University. Commonly called “secondary hearts,” these muscles pump blood back to our heart, allowing us to maintain our normal rate of metabolic activity during sedentary activities.
Resting metabolism and weight maintenance...
6. http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/288/3/R623.long
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2005 Mar;288(3):R623-9.
DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00513.2004
Plantar vibration improves leg fluid flow in perimenopausal women.
Stewart JM1, Karman C, Montgomery LD, McLeod KJ.
Abstract
Recent studies have indicated that plantar-based vibration may be an effective approach for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. We addressed the hypothesis of whether the plantar vibration operated by way of the skeletal muscle pump, resulting in enhanced blood and fluid flow to the lower body. We combined plantar stimulation with upright tilt table testing in 18 women aged 46-63 yr. We used strain-gauge plethysmography to measure calf blood flow, venous capacitance, and the microvascular filtration relation, as well as impedance plethysmography to examine changes in leg, splanchnic, and thoracic blood flow while supine at a 35 degrees upright tilt. A vibrating platform was placed on the footboard of a tilt table, and measurements were made at 0, 15, and 45 Hz with an amplitude of 0.2 g point to point, presented in random order. Impedance-measured supine blood flows were significantly (P = 0.05) increased in the calf (30%), pelvic (26%), and thoracic regions (20%) by plantar vibration at 45 Hz. Moreover, the 25-35% decreases in calf and pelvic blood flows associated with upright tilt were reversed by plantar vibration, and the decrease in thoracic blood flow was significantly attenuated. Strain-gauge measurements showed an attenuation of upright calf blood flow. In addition, the microvascular filtration relation was shifted with vibration, producing a pronounced increase in the threshold for edema, P(i), due to enhanced lymphatic flow. Supine values for P(i) increased from 24 +/- 2 mmHg at 0 Hz to 27 +/- 3 mmHg at 15 Hz, and finally to 31 +/- 2 mmHg at 45 Hz (P < 0.01). Upright values for P(i) increased from 25 +/- 3 mmHg at 0 Hz, to 28 +/- 4 mmHg at 15 Hz, and finally to 35 +/- 4 mmHg at 45 Hz. The results suggest that plantar vibration serves to significantly enhance peripheral and systemic blood flow, peripheral lymphatic flow, and venous drainage, which may account for the apparent ability of such stimuli to influence bone mass.
PMID: 15472009
Nerissa
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