Has the Brain Obesity Riddle been Solved?
A compelling study has been released that supposedly uncovers the brain pathway responsible for obesity. Once again, inflammation seems to be right in the thick of things. The findings, published in the journal Cell, point to a potentially revolutionary way to fight obesity...or maybe not. Let's see what all the fuss is about.
- The researchers (led by Dongsheng Cai at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health) looked specifically at the hypothalamus - the metabolic mothership of the brain. They found that a pathway primarily associated with inflammation also influences the regulation of food intake.
- Stimulating this pathway led the mice to eat more, while suppressing it helped them maintain normal food intake and henceforth body weight.
- "Metabolic Inflammation", a condition whereby low grade inflammatory responses occur at the molecular level, can disrupt many physiological processes, according to Cai and has been associated with many of the chronic diseases that plague modernized societies.
- Feeding mice high sugar, high fat diets appeared to interfere with the pathway that metabolizes fats, sugars and proteins in liver, fat and muscle tissue.
- It would appear that this impact has a ripple effect - impacting the hypothalamus
- Research also keyed in on the impact of the Endoplasmic Reticulum (such as in this study). A stressed ER appears to be caused by overnutrition - pushing the undesirable pathway into an active state, while suppression of this stress preserves normal food regulation.
You guessed it - more studies needed
There is still a lot we don't know about the complex interaction between our genes and the environment. This pathway discovery, while fascinating, appears to be an effect, not a cause of our overeating. Am I foolish here to assume that if our ER's aren't stressed to begin with that this pathway will not be activated and we will hence not inflame our bodies? Well it turns out that mice genetically predisposed to obesity have shown high activity for this pathway.
We still have to map out the complexities of the genetic/environmental continuum, though. One day I'm sure we'll be able to pinpoint predispositions and tweak pathways here and there to help regulate metabolisms.
The Advice Remains the Same
While the research continues to sort itself out and pharmaceutical companies frenzy to develop the "anti-metabolic inflammation super-pill", go with scientific and common sense nutritional strategies that control inflammation. Eat plenty of whole foods including an array of colourful produce, lean meats and a variety of other 1-ingredient foods and add exercise to your daily routine and you will be on a path towards better health.
Story Source: Eureka Alerts
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I have seen some very interesting, things about how the environment can affect our bodies and I do think sometimes that, there is some kind of gene transfer mechanism that is causing some people. Two over eat more than they would do normally.
Still fascinating stuff nonetheless but then again as with all weight loss it's a matter of common sense which I tend to feel that we do miss at times.
ReplyMike - you hit the nail on the head with your reference to the Pharmaceutical companies scrambling to find a pill that combats the (probably) diet-induced inflammation.
Whilst there is no money to be made from persuading people to eat less sugar, there is plenty to be made from allowing them to continue to do so and peddling an antidote.
We can't blame the pharmas, per se, because their function is to make money. We can't even blame them for channeling their vast research funds away from anything that would point to a non-pharmaceutical solution.
Let's just hope that the researchers who are not reliant on pharma-funding and the well-intentioned but often behind-the-times regulators and other independant bodies can collectively influence things in a positive direction.
ReplyUnlike mice, humans have the ability to decide not to over-eat. We can choose. This human ability is not unlimited, but it is sufficient to control body weight when it is used consistently.
ReplyApparently those that have given their opinion doesn't have a weight problem. A person with a weight problem, just can't "STOP" eating when they should. That's why gastric bypass surgeries have been know to trigger a spot in the brain that cause the appetite to diminish. If there is a spot in the brain for that, why can't we make a pill to numb it, and wah la, us obese people can lose weight.
ReplyThe point is that research is increasingly showing that certain types of food mess with our ability to stop eating when we should. So it would be better to avoid those foods and regain that control naturally than continue to eat those foods and seek another way to regain control that requires drugs or surgery. IMHO.
ReplyDifferent problem. Same recommendation. Balanced diet, high in vegetables and low in processed foods.
ReplyI think this study could really lead to some interesting findings. Thinking back on things, when I used to eat a lot of junky, high-calorie foods, I was constantly hungry and I always had cravings. I made a conscious decision to start eating a healthier diet and I found that I wasn't hungry as often and I didn't get horrific cravings anymore. Perhaps part of what makes GB surgery so effective is that it FORCES people to eat a diet that's lower in calories and higher in protein and a similar thing happens. I guess this could be another chicken-or-egg question...do you start a healthy diet to decrease ER inflammation or are some people just born with inflammed ERs that predisposes them to overeat? Interesting topic, but I'd definitely like to see more research being done in the future.
ReplySo, if I take an anti-inflammatory everyday I will be fine? Fish oil saves the day again!
Reply>>>Feeding mice high sugar, high fat diets appeared to interfere with the pathway that metabolizes fats, sugars and proteins in liver, fat and muscle tissue.
...ultimately making them obese. No surprises there then!
ReplyThe comment about the reduced appetite experienced by gastric bypass recipients...doesn't that result from the reduction in the production of a hormone called leptin, secreted by the lining of the stomach...a stomach whose lining has been signifigantly reduced?
ReplyI have been searching for the method to reduce the production of leptin without the bypass. Has anyone heard of anything on the horizon?
Call me a skeptic, but I doubt that we will see an "easy" solution (from a dieter's standpoint) anytime soon. There has been "research" in the obesity field for years, and no real long-term solutions have been offered. The mantra "eat less, move more" has obviously failed for a large portion of the population. Those who find this solution useful have either never had weight problems, or keep the weight off once it's lost. Others, either never lose the weight, or are constantly "yo-yo"ing back and forth between losing and gaining.
The fact of the matter is that obese individuals are excellent consumers. We spend money on "diet" foods, supplements, books, exercise gimmicks, etc., in hopes that they help us shed the pounds. When we fail, we get discouraged, upset and give up - a perfect mood to buy into those mouthwatering fast-food and ice-cream commercials. We then feel guilty about "falling off the wagon", get back to the store and stock up on those "diet" foods again, and so the cycle of begins anew.
The pharmaceutical (more health problems = more prescription drugs sold) and the food industries (among others) stand to lose a lot of money if all of a sudden a solution is found for the rest of us who have struggled with weight loss for years. What is more profitable - a one-time "cure", even if it costs a lot of money, or a lifetime of drug sales to help combat obesity complications?
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