Stress and Obesity: The Biological Connection

Obesity causes many negative changes within our physiology. Obesity can cause systemic inflammation which causes an increase in production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause oxidative stress.  Oxidative stress will contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction. Consuming excessive amounts of macronutrients and calories can overwhelm the Krebs cycle and the mitochondrial respiratory chain, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction, and greater ROS formation. 

A quick review of the hormones, neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters that play a role in our metabolism will help you better understand how obesity can contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction.  Please read below for a quick recap. 

Cortisol. Researchers have also discovered that chronic stress can cause the body to release excess cortisol, a hormone critical in managing fat storage and energy use in the human body. Cortisol is known to increase appetite and may encourage cravings for sugary or fatty foods.

Neuropeptide Y. More recent studies also suggest that our bodies may process food differently when we're under stress. One study found that lab mice fed a diet high in fat and sugar gained significant amounts of body fat when placed under stressful conditions. Mice fed a normal diet, however, didn't gain as much weight despite stress. Researchers linked that phenomenon to a molecule called neuropeptide Y that is released from nerve cells during stress and encourages fat accumulation. A diet high in fat and sugar appears to further promote the release of neuropeptide Y.

Serotonin. When we reach for fattening comfort foods during stressful times, it may be an attempt to self-medicate. When you eat carbohydrates, it raises the body's serotonin level. Serotonin is the body's feel-good chemical. It makes you feel better. Not surprisingly, people under stress don't tend to make smart food choices. Very often the carbohydrates that people go for are laden with fat, like muffins, pastries, doughnuts, and cookies.

Hormonal Regulators of Appetite and Body Weight/Composition

Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones that have a major influence on energy balance. Leptin is a mediator of long-term regulation of energy balance, suppressing food intake and inducing weight loss. Ghrelin is a fast-acting hormone playing a role in meal initiation. Understanding the influence of various hormones and neurotransmitters will allow for successful nutritional therapies for helping the increasing obese population.

Insulin resistance was initially proposed as a concept in the 1930’s to describe the escalating insulin requirements seen in diabetic patients. Today, this metabolic abnormality is thought to have a major physiologic role not only in type 2 diabetes but also in conditions ranging from impaired glucose tolerance to coronary artery disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Insulin resistance is often defined as a decreased sensitivity of target tissues to the metabolic actions of insulin, including decreased insulin-mediated glucose disposal into skeletal muscle, impaired inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis, and a reduced ability of insulin to inhibit lipolysis in adipose tissue. One consequence of insulin resistance is that higher than normal blood insulin concentrations are required to produce normal physiologic responses to glucose. Initially this results in a long period of compensatory increases in insulin production by pancreatic beta-cells. As resistance progresses, it is often accompanied by a gradual decline in beta cell activity and decreasing beta cell mass, and when the pancreas can no longer sustain the overproduction of insulin, diabetes results.

Hyperglycemia is an important factor in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications of diabetes (e.g. neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy). Oxygen-derived free radicals are believed to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, cataracts, and some other complications of diabetes. Diabetics have been reported to have higher concentrations of lipid peroxidation products and significantly lower concentrations of antioxidants (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and glutathione) when compared to healthy controls.

Hyperglycemia increases the rate of protein glycation and the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE’s) which appear to contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, renal damage, and other diabetic complications.

Another factor that contributes to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications is intracellular accumulation of sorbitol. When glucose levels are elevated, sorbitol is synthesized inside the cells faster than it can be metabolized. Since sorbitol cannot cross cell membranes, it builds up inside cells, leading to osmotic swelling, metabolic dysfunction, and cell death. Intracellular sorbitol accumulation may be a factor in the development of diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, cataract, and other complications.

For years, many people have suspected that stress and obesity are linked — and now scientific research has found evidence to support this connection. Specific biochemical reactions appear to help explain this link.

Chronic stress combined with positive energy balance may be a contributor to the increased risk of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sauerkraut a natural cure for acid Reflux:

Image
Fermented foods have unique functional properties that promote many health benefits due to the presence of functional microorganism that possess probiotics properties, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and peptide production.   Sauerkraut has many powerful benefits because it is living fermented food. Fermentation brings to life wonderful microbes, such as lactobacillus and is far more superior in the probiotic content than yogurt.   The lactic acid that sauerkraut creates is beneficial for the intestinal flora; it also balances pH and helps break down proteins. It is a good source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, K minerals such as iodine, calcium, folate, iron, potassium and manganese. The fermentation process increases the bioavailability of nutrients making it an excellent source of a living food; it also helps on removing heavy metals and toxins in the body, assisting on improving the immune system. Sauerkraut as many other fermented foods are benefic...
Read more

Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorus

1. What are the best methods of assessment for calcium, magnesium and phosphorus? • Phosphorus can be assessed by monitoring serum concentration and urinary excretion; when dietary intake of phosphorus increases the serum level increases as well; also, when urinary excretion increases this can indicate high dietary intake, high PTH and acidosis. We also have to keep in mind that when urinary excretion decreases this means that there is an effect on calcitriol, alkalosis, estrogen, thyroid and growth hormones. • For Magnesium, serum levels are tightly controlled, and due to this, it is not a good marker for the status of magnesium in the body. Therefore, the best way to assess magnesium is through urine excretion before and after magnesium is administered into the body intravenously. When the body is deficient in magnesium, it will hold onto it opposed to excreting it through the urine. When an individual is deficient in magnesium less than 80% of the magnesium is sec...
Read more
Image
Protocol for immune system support:  How to support your immune system? The best way to support your immune system is by adding Glutathione and high levels of vitamin C to your diet. It is a straightforward formula and extremely important to your health. Most people are Glutathione deficient; we are experiencing an epidemic of Glutathione deficiency in our population due to poor diet, toxins, pollution, medications, stress, and trauma. All of these conditions deplete our body from its natural Glutathione production [1,2] What is Glutathione: It is a simple molecule that is made of 3 amino acids cystine, glycine, and glutamic acid. Glutathione is the mother of all antioxidants and the powerhouse of the immune system. It is needed to recover and prevent all medical conditions. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant found in both plants and animals. Often called the “master antioxidant,” Glutathione also boosts other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, as we...
Read more
Image
Comprehensive Elimination Diet The Comprehensive Elimination Diet is a dietary program designed to clear the body of foods and chemicals you may be allergic or sensitive to and, at the same time, to improve your body’s ability to handle and dispose of these substances. This is called an Elimination Diet because you will be asked to remove certain foods, and food categories, from your diet. The main rationale behind the diet is that these modifications allow your body’s detoxification machinery, which may be overburdened or compromised, to recover and begin to function efficiently again. The dietary changes help the body eliminate or “clear” various toxins that may have accumulated due to environmental exposure, foods, beverages, drugs, alcohol, or cigarette smoking.  Clinical experience has shown this process to be generally well-tolerated and extremely beneficial. There is really no “typical” or “normal” response. A person’s initial response to any new diet is...
Read more

How to control BAD cholesterol in the body!

Image
Cholesterol is made in the liver and is vital for human life. Cholesterol aids in the production of sex hormones, it assist the liver in bile production and is a building block for human tissue. Cholesterol is know as VLDL, LDL and HDL they are all lipoproteins which are compounds made of fat and protein that are responsible for delivering the cholesterol where is most needed in the body. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol.   LDL could lead to plaque accumulation on the walls of the arteries narrowing the blood vessels and straining the necessary flow of oxygen in the blood throughout the body. It could also lead to blood clots that if breaking loose they could block the flow of blood causing a heart attack or stroke. LDL ideally should be lees than 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) in blood test (1). HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol. HDL keeps the cardiovascular system healthy and it aids on the removal of LDL from the a...
Read more
Image
Neurotransmitters in the gut: Serotonin, GABA, Norpinephrine, & Dopamine Neurological diseases and mental disorders are some of the most current research areas in the medical field. According to Liang et al. (2018), only when we take the human self and its microbiota into consideration at the same time is when we can better understand these diseases. Liang et al. (2018) noted that new research has found that the human being carries billions of microorganisms such as archaea, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozola living in symbiosis with their human host. These microorganisms contain 300 to 3,000 different species that exceed 10 14 the number of human cells representing more than 200 times the number of human genes. These microorganisms have mutated and established a relationship with their host over evolution; therefore, they are called commensal microbiota (Liang et al. 2018). Strandwitz, (2018) shows that the gut microbiota has trillions of bacteria est...
Read more

Anti-Inflammatory Menu

Anti-Inflammatory Menu Dietary Tips Aim for variety Include as much fresh food as possible Minimize your consumption of processed foods and fast food Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables Aim for 40 to 50 percent from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fat, and 20 to 30 percent from protein in your caloric intake Try to include carbohydrates, fat, and protein at each meal Carbohydrates The majority of your carbs should be in the form of less-refined, less- processed foods with a low glycemic load. Reduce your consumption of foods made with wheat flour and sugar, especially bread and most packaged snack foods (including chips and pretzels). Eat more whole grains such as brown rice and bulgur wheat in which the grain is intact or in a few large pieces. These are preferable to whole wheat flour products, which have roughly the same glycemic index as white flour products.    Eat more beans, winter squ...
Read more

Best diets for children with Autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD.

Clinical research shows that children diagnosed or suspected diagnosis with autism and ADHD will benefit with nutritional changes including the removal of common problem foods in their diet. The gut and brain connection in autism and ADHD is still under research however; experts in the field agree that many children with these conditions have food sensitivities and most likely they also suffer from gastrointestinal problems, including chronic congestion and frequently ear infections [1]. Most problematic foods are protein found in dairy products, gluten, rye and soy are the foods that trigger the most problems. Some children with food sensitivities symptoms could mimic signs of ADHD. When kids eliminate trigger foods their symptoms decrease substantially. Best diet for children with Autism and ADHD are diet that supports the gut. Probiotics is a good supplement to start. Probiotics is an intake of healthy bacteria that increases immunity and helps bowel diso...
Read more

Type 2 diabetes management and prevention without medication!

 Type 2 diabetes is affecting over 35% of adults in the United States. Diabetes has been categorized as an inflammatory disease, sharing many of the characteristics of cardiovascular disease (1).   Obesity and type 2 diabetes are strongly associated with increase inflammation in the body and as the inflammation in the adipose tissue increases this becomes a systematic inflammation that results in metabolic syndrome, and followed by development of type 2 diabetes. Research suggested that a reversal of both conditions could be achieved by reducing the levels of inflammation though the use of anti-inflammatory diets.   Medical nutrition therapy has been recommended for treatment of diabetes and inflammation (2). Components of the Mediterranean diet offer many advantages, as they are anti-inflammatory foods. As suggested in this article the Mediterranean diet such as fruits, vegetables, olive oil, oily fish, tree nuts they all serve as a model for functional foods f...
Read more
Image
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: The human intestinal microbiota has a complex ecology, and it has the most abundant microbial population in the human body. It is also characterized by its diversity and complex interaction. Per Bures et al. (2010), any disbalance in the intestinal microbiota will have serious health consequences. One of the most commonly developed syndromes due to bacteria overgrowth is called SIBO small intestinal bacteria overgrowth. It is defined as an alteration of bacteria in the upper gastrointestinal tract and is one of the most common forms of disbalances in the gut. The duodenum and jejunum contain a small number of bacteria, such as lactobacilli and enterococci gram-positive bacteria. However, high amounts of coliform gram negative bacteria are found in the small bowel of people with SIBO.   Sorathia et al. (2015) reported that gastric secretion and intestinal motility limit the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine...
Read more