FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BLOG
Includes over 800 monographs reporting on emerging studies in the medical and scientific literature of practical clinical importance, easily searched for content.
Sugar calories are worse for diabetes and obesity than others
Attentive clinicians who have been exhorting their patients for years to avoid excessively stimulating insulin production with sugar are heartily welcoming the superb research just published in PLoS One (Public Library of Science) that drives a stake through the heart of the mistaken notions that calories from sugar have the same effect as others, and that obesity causes diabetes.
Weight loss and insulin resistance improved by branched-chain amino acids
Weight loss and improvement in insulin resistance naturally go hand in hand, and a study just published in the journal Diabetologia confirms that consumption of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) helps both. Isoleucine, leucine and valine are already known to promote muscle growth and repair, influence brain signaling for appetite and metabolic rate, help with burn recovery, and be remedial for autism when it includes genetic mutations in BCAA pathways.
Insulin resistance correlates with blood vessel damage leading to heart attack and stroke
Insulin resistance correlates with blood vessel damage evidenced by carotid intima-media thickness, a well-recognized index of vascular damage and is widely utilized surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease.
Statins reduce coenzyme Q10 and glucose tolerance in skeletal muscle
It's long been known that statins impair synthesis of the important metabolic cofactor and antioxidant coenzyme Q10 while inhibiting the production of cholesterol. Clinical research just published in the American Journal of Cardiology further confirms that the muscle pain and exercise intolerance experienced by many taking statins is caused at least in part by decreased CoQ10.
Lipid accumulation product is a useful index for detecting insulin resistance
Lipid accumulation product is a useful index for detecting insulin resistance
A low carbohydrate diet can increase cardiovascular disease
A low carbohydrate high protein diet can increase cardiovascular disease
Sweetened drinks cause muscles to prefer burning sugar to fat
Sweetened drinks cause muscles to prefer burning sugar to fat
High glycemic load is a risk factor for some breast cancers
High glycemic load is a risk factor for some breast cancers
Breaks in prolonged sitting reduce cardiovascular risk and obesity
Breaks in prolonged sitting reduce cardiovascular risk and obesity
Less frequent eating predicts greater weight gain in female adolescents
Less frequent eating predicts greater weight gain in female adolescents
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is effectively treated with the right diet and lifestyle changes
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is effectively treated with the right diet and lifestyle changes
Metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure can be helped by sleep apnea treatment
Metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure can be helped by sleep apnea treatment
Modest doses of resveratrol produce metabolic changes similar to caloric restriction
Modest doses of resveratrol produce metabolic changes similar to caloric restriction
Elevated blood sugar is associated with colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women
Elevated blood sugar is associated with colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women
Elevated fasting blood sugar is a risk factor for prostate enlargement
Elevated fasting blood sugar is a risk factor for prostate enlargement
Brazil nuts improve lipids, oxidative stress and blood vessel function in obese adolescents
Brazil nuts improve lipids, oxidative stress and blood vessel function in obese adolescents
Understanding obesity as an inflammatory condition
Understanding obesity as an inflammatory condition
Kidney disease is another reason to prevent metabolic syndrome
Kidney disease is another reason to prevent metabolic syndrome