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Five Things You Should Really Look for In a Multivitamin

Choosing a quality multivitamin is
easier with a few guidelines

Choosing a multivitamin-mineral supplement can be puzzling. Conflicting messages abound in the marketplace, especially on the Internet. And, as expected, the confusion is not helped by reports from the media that tend to overemphasize observational studies that confirm bias against supplementation. The reality is that the quality of multivitamin-mineral supplements ranges widely.

The highest quality dietary supplements are those designed according to current science and technologies—they use the most stable and efficacious forms of vitamins and minerals, have optimal solubility rates, are third-party tested for potency and shelf life, and provide optimal vitamin-and-mineral dosages that are divided over the course of the day for best absorption.

On the other end of the quality spectrum are the popular “one-a-day” supplements, which claim to provide all that the body needs in a single tablet; they may provide adequate amounts of many nutrients, but severely neglect others. Other supplements use synthetic vitamins when science demonstrates the body’s preference for the natural forms. Finally, some supplement companies claim higher absorption or bioavailability because their nutrients come directly from, or are paired with, “whole foods”; such claims are misleading because they are not presented with data. These vitamins do not actually come from whole foods, but are simply combined with botanicals that may even inhibit absorption.

Far be it for all marketers to paint a clear picture of the science, or for the media to do a little homework before lumping all dietary supplements in the same category of low quality and worthless. The fact is though, that there have been well-designed studies showing clear benefits from taking supplements in forms appropriate and in dosages that assist in meeting dietary recommendations for optimal health. If this weren't true, or if multivitamins were somehow “dangerous”, then why do most medical doctors continue prescribing prenatal multivitamins to women who are expecting?

A proper review and critique of multivitamin-mineral supplements should be based on how well it reflects positions of scientific consensus on dosage, forms, and delivery. A few of the things to look for in a supplement are these:

1. Quality – According to a recent Consumer Labs report, one in three supplements either contained fewer nutrients than promised on the label, provided far more nutrients than claimed, had incorrect labeling of ingredients, or simply failed to disintegrate in the allotted time for proper absorption. If uncertain about whether or not a supplement really provides what it claims to, it’s probably a supplement to avoid. Take a multivitamin-mineral only if it comes from a reputable company that tests label claims through an independent laboratory.
2. Efficacy – It’s well-known that some forms of vitamins or minerals are more stable, or more bioavailable, than others. For example, natural vitamin D3 exhibits greater retention in the body compared to synthetic vitamin D2 (1). Likewise, vitamin E in its natural form of d-alpha tocopherol provides greater activity than its synthetic mixture counterpart, dl-alpha tocopherol, which contains only a small percentage of the natural form (2). Another example is vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin, which is more stable than other forms of vitamin B12, thus allowing for greater shelf life.
3. Optimal dosages – Multivitamin-mineral supplement makers will often add a mineral such as calcium or an antioxidant such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to help it sell better in the marketplace, but not in high enough doses to really strengthen bones or support the heart. Such supplements should be avoided in favor of others that actually supply enough of each nutrient to truly be effective. Similarly, should a supplement contain omega-3 fatty acids, it should contain a high enough concentration of both DHA and EPA for heart health. In short, dosages should reflect the latest that science has to offer as recommendations for health and longevity.
4. Solubility – Have you heard of “bed pan bullets”? That’s what doctors used to call tableted multivitamin pills that passed through the body unabsorbed. Science has come a long way to provide technologies for better solubility, but there still are a few multivitamins on the market that don’t disintegrate appropriately enough to be absorbed properly. The standard for a quality multivitamin-mineral tablet is to disintegrate within 60 minutes or less in an acidic solution mimicking the environment in the stomach—even better is if it can disintegrate easily in plain water or rice vinegar.
5. Absorption and bioavailability – Companies make misleading claims when they market their supplements as more highly absorbed or bioavailable because they are from, or combined with, “whole food” or “vegetable components.” For one thing, the source of their vitamins is really not different than anyone else’s, which is obtained through yeast fermentation. The “whole-food” source supplements also seldom meet label claims or stability for shelf life. In addition, they don’t account for anti-nutrient components; for example, a supplement containing leafy green vegetables such as spinach may also contain anti-nutrient compounds called oxalates that inhibit absorption of other minerals in the supplement through chelation (that’s not to say people should avoid eating spinach, but that improved absorption and bioavailability from a spinach supplement is false) (3). There are also supplements on the market (obviously not designed by nutritionists familiar with the science) that completely disregard well-known absorption problems when dosages of minerals such as calcium are too high, or when mineral competitiveness occurs between iron, calcium, zinc, and copper (3 & 4). A quality supplement will use forms of minerals without absorption-inhibiting anti-nutrients and have an appropriate amount of minerals in each tablet to be taken in divided doses over the course of the day.

Before ever venturing out to choose a multivitamin-mineral, each of the five points presented above should be considered by those looking to achieve the greatest value from their supplements. All things considered, our choice is Ageless Essentials Daily Pack, which comes in convenient A.M. and P.M. packets. Over the course of the day, the pack provides optimal dosages of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D3 (2000 IU), calcium (800 mg for men, 900 mg for women), vitamin E as mixed tocopherols and d-alpha tocopheryl succinate (90 IU), and vitamin K2 (80 mcg).

The pack also includes a potent combination of bioactive compounds that support optimal health and longevity. These include patented, lipid-soluble CoQ10 (100 mg) backed by studies showing eight times greater bioavailability, maximum concentrations of ultra-purified DHAand EPA omega-3 fatty acids (600 mg EPA, 440 mg DHA), trans-resveratrol (250 mg), and more.

Add in Product B to the order—Ageless Essentials with Product B—and as clearly displayed on every box, “Imagine adding life to your years with an increased feeling of youth, health and vitality.”

References

1. Food and Nutrition Board. Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference intakes. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000, pp. 186-283.
2. Heaney R et al. Vitamin D3 is More Potent Than Vitamin D2 in Humans. J Clin Endocrin & Metab. 2011;96(3):E477 doi: 10.1210/jc.2010-2230
3. Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2009.
4. Hoffman H et al. Zinc-induced copper deficiency. Gastroenterology 1988; 94:508-12.

Why You Should Keep Taking Your Vitamins

A recent article questions the use of supplements,
but research tells another story.

Do recent media reports have you confused about multivitamins?

You can always count on the mass media for a dose of sensationalism—and even scaremongering—when it comes to the topic of dietary supplements use. Unfortunately, some articles are so slanted against dietary supplements that they fail to offer an appropriate perspective of the scientific literature.

The latest example is an article in The Atlantic called “The Vitamin Myth” by Paul Offit. The article clearly cherry-picks unfavorable studies on multivitamins to depict them as dangerous. The author even goes as far as launching an attack on Nobel laureate Linus Pauling by downplaying his scientific contributions and misrepresenting views on vitamin C supplementation. The article was highly circulated and has caused a great deal of confusion surrounding the safety and efficacy of multivitamins.

As you might expect, nutritional scientists have taken issue with the article. Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute (LPI) published an article entitled “Keep Taking Your Vitamins: LPI’s Response to Recent Articles” in which they challenge Offit’s approach. Here’s an excerpt from LPI’s response:

Paul Offit ignores much of the research on vitamins and health. It is easy to select individual studies that support your point of view, and this appears to be the trap that has snared Offit. Linus Pauling extolled the myriad health benefits of vitamin C, many of which have been validated by studies after his death. 

In addition, LPI helped bring some perspective to the subject of supplementation with multivitamins:

While Offit highlights only negative studies on multivitamin/mineral supplements, observational studies have found that many Americans do not get adequate daily amounts of many vitamins and nutritionally essential minerals, which may be remedied by judicious supplementation. For example, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics has found that more than 40% of U.S. adults do not meet recommended levels, from usual food intake, of vitamins A, C, D, E and K, magnesium, calcium and potassium (Fulgoni et al. 2011). 

Many studies provide sufficient evidence that the majority of people have suboptimal intake of vitamins and minerals. For example, a 2012 study from the National Institute for Health (NIH) found that, “Those who do not use vitamin supplements had significantly higher prevalence of inadequate vitamin intakes” (1).

The study by NIH that was cited by LPI reported that at least 25 percent of the U.S. population consumed less that the estimated average requirement (EAR) for six vitamins or minerals (2). The results from this study were particularly striking when examining the dietary intake of vitamins D and E, where 80 to 95 percent failed to meet the EAR from diet. What’s more, 60 percent of those who were supplementing still failed to achieve the EAR level.

When you’re trying to decide whether to use multivitamins for your health, a clear picture of the research is of key importance. You cannot rely on the results of cherry-picked studies. For this reason, LPI calls for a “balanced presentation of the role of vitamins, minerals, and other dietary factors in human health.”

References 

1. Bailey RL et al. Examination of vitamin intakes among US adults by dietary supplement use. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012;112:657-663.
2. Fulgoni VL 3rd et al. Foods, fortificants, and supplements: Where do Americans get their nutrients? J Nutr 2011;141:1847-54.

Work Wednesday!

More Proof You Can’t Out-Exercise a Bad Diet

Diet may play a bigger role than
exercise in weight loss, says new study.

Know someone who works out often, but can’t seem to lose any weight? Many Americans are having the same problem: a new study from the University of Washington has found that while more people are exercising, the rate of obesity is climbing too.

The findings imply that many people are ramping up their exercise routine with hopes of dropping weight quickly; only they’re finding out that weight loss is more about what you put in your mouth rather than the time you put in at the gym.

“Americans are not doing enough to control what they eat,” said the study’s senior author Ali Mokdad in a press release. “They still consume more energy than they burn off through exercise.”

The nine-year study included data from two U.S. health surveys and found that, from 2001 to 2009, the amount of adults who met recommendations for physical activity increased in most U.S. counties. Those recommendations are 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.

People exercising more is always a good thing, since exercise boosts health in multiple ways—keeping bones and muscles strong, supporting brain function, revving up energy levels, and reducing overall risk of chronic disease. But on the other hand, the corresponding rise in obesity raises concerns.

Unfortunately, the fact is that physical activity can rarely compensate for overeating a poor diet. Consider that an average 150-pound person would have to run more than 5 miles just to work off the calories found in a fast food milk shake or a quarter pounder (~600 kcals). Exercising off excess calories daily is not always easy when you are continuously tempted by high-calorie foods.

Sticking with a weight-loss or weight-maintenance program is easier with Isagenix products. The company provides clinically supported nutritional products and systems along with program guides that offer an easy and efficient way to get thinner, or maintain that thin, without risking your nutritional needs.

When compared against a doctor-prescribed heart-healthy diet, a clinical research study (see detailshere) found that the Isagenix system resulted in more weight loss, more fat loss–including twice as much loss of deadly visceral fat–and more improvements to overall health markers. The subjects on the Isagenix system also reported better compliance and more predictable weight loss. Not to mention, they didn’t want to stop taking the IsaLean Shakes.

Exercise should always be encouraged; however, Isagenix exists to help people get their diet under control and keep it that way, which is the larger part of the equation for weight control. With delicious products based on the latest findings in nutritional science and systems that are clinically studied and easy to follow, what Isagenix offers is perfectly primed to help reverse the trend of increasing waistlines—exercise included or not.

Reference: Dwyer-Lindgren L, Freedman G, Engell RE et al. Prevalence of physical activity and obesity in US counties, 2001–2011: a road map for action. Popul Health Metr 2013;11:7.

Does Obesity Equate to Diseased?

AMA defines obesity as a disease, but can you be
“fat and fit”?

Are all obese people unhealthy or ill? While your initial answer may be “yes”, some research does not agree. The idea that a person with a body mass index (BMI) indicating obesity (>30) could be healthier than someone with a normal BMI seems unfounded. This trialed theory of “fat fit” has recently come into light as a medical council agreed to define obesity as a disease rather than a risk factor.

According to a press release, health professionals who attended the annual American Medical Association (AMA) meeting voted almost unanimously to “recognize obesity as a disease state with multiple pathophysiology aspects requiring a range of interventions to advance obesity treatment and intervention.”

While this decision has no legal authority, medical policy and health regulations are commonly established based on the policy stances of the AMA. The hope of defining obesity as a disease is that the endorsement will lead to greater investments and even insurance coverage for someone who is suffering from the ailments of obesity.

With one-third of the US population falling into the obese category, it is at the top of the list of health concerns. However, there is some opposition to the AMA’s decision.

Many health experts argue that the use of BMI is an imperfect measure. Because BMI determines obesity based on height and weight, it neglects body composition. For example, an athlete with a large amount of muscle mass could be classified as obese based on their BMI. In fact, some research has shown that people considered obese can be otherwise fit and healthy.

A major contributor to this “fat fit” theory is data collected from a prospective Aerobic Center Longitudinal Study (1, 2). This study included more than 80,000 participants over a 35-year period. Methods involved anthropometric measurements, lab work, and treadmill maximal testing to determine cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The results were surprising—the greatest decline in the mortality rate was related to fitness rather than fatness. In other words, a lean but unfit person was at greatest risk of dying than someone who was obese yet had good CRF.

Another study, the Lipid Research Clinics Study, involved more than 5,000 participants and showed that while fitness did contribute to lowering all-cause mortality risk, it could not completely reverse the increased risk of mortality from increased body fat (3).

Critics of the AMA’s decision to label obesity as a disease also worry about increased health care costs without significantly improving patient outcomes. While obesity is a serious health condition, many believe that it is the result of behavioral habits such as overindulging at meals and living a sedentary lifestyle. Because it can result from personal choices, some believe it should not be classified as a disease.

Nevertheless, the AMA’s decision reemphasizes the urgency in finding a solution to the obesity epidemic and may be the kick that we need to take action.

Reference:

1. Blair SN, Kohl HW, 3rd, Paffenbarger RS, Clark DG, Cooper KH, Gibbons LW.: Physical fitness and all-cause mortality: a prospective study of healthy men and women. JAMA 1989; 262: 2395– 2401.
2. Lee CD, Jackson AS, Blair SN.: US weight guidelines: is it also important to consider cardiorespiratory fitness? Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998; 22: S2– S7.
3. Stevens J, Cai J, Evenson KR, Thomas R.: Fitness and fatness as predictors of mortality from all causes and from cardiovascular disease in men and women in the Lipid Research Clinics Study.Am J Epidemiol 2002; 156: 832– 841.

Tips for Your Best Cleanse Day Ever

By incorporating these tips, you are sure to have a
successful Cleanse Day.

Cleanse Days may not always be easy, but sticking to your Cleanse Days “guns” (habits) will help you to glide right through and be on your way to optimal fat and weight loss, not to mention health. Whether cleansing with an Isagenix system is already second nature to you or you’re starting your first cleanse, there’s a few tips—seven in all—to remember for success:

1.) Follow a schedule. During a Cleanse Day, temptations to slip-up can be overwhelming. Whether it’s your co-workers convincing you to go to the Chinese buffet for lunch or the fast food joint calling your name on the way home, it can be easy to stray from your Cleanse Day commitment.

The best way to avoid these temptations is to set a schedule. (See Page 4 of the 30-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System guide for an example.) It should outline your plan for the entire day including when to drink Cleanse for Life, take Natural Accelerator, and enjoy Isagenix Snacks! or an IsaDelight. You can also schedule in time throughout the day to drink water and when you plan to go to bed since they are both important parts of cleansing. (More on this below.) The best part is you can tailor the plan to your personal lifestyle; just remember the recommendation to drink four ounces or two scoops of Cleanse for Life four times during Deep Cleansing Days.

2.) Personalize your routine. If you enjoy having your Cleanse for Life drink warm (like a tea) in the morning, but want to add ice to make a slushy in the afternoon, go for it. Maybe you feel most satisfied by having two Isagenix Snacks! with your Cleanse for Life or saving an IsaDelight to curb an afternoon craving. Personalization is key and by taking control over your Cleanse Day, you’ll be more likely to stick with the plan.

3.) Get sleep. Because you are consuming fewer calories on a Cleanse Day, it’s possible to feel tired come late afternoon. Your body may not be able to perform at the same level as Shake Days, so take it easy if you need to and maybe head to bed early.

Sleep is not only a time for your body to rest, but also a time to rebuild and restore. In fact, not getting enough quality sleep can actually cause your fat cells to become “too tired” and become less efficient at using energy. This can lead to a whole host of health complications including obesity. Instead, give your body the rest it needs to truly benefit from cleansing and get some shut-eye.

4.) Use your tools. You don’t have to feel deprived on a Cleanse Day. Isagenix has a plethora of tools including Isagenix Snacks!, IsaDelights, e+ Natural Energy Shot, and Ionix Supreme—all of which can give you the extra boost you need to make it through the day.

If you find yourself hitting a wall in the middle of a Cleanse Day, e+ Natural Energy Shot may be the answer. With naturally sourced caffeine from green tea and yerba mate, e+ provides the safe and healthy energy boost you need. It has even been tested in a pilot trial showing that it supports weight loss when included in an Isagenix Cleansing and Fat Burning system.

5.) Drink water throughout the day. Our thirst mechanisms are very tricky. Sometimes we can feel hungry when we’re actually thirsty. In fact, studies have shown that drinking water instead of reaching for food when a craving comes along can actually help with weight loss. Keeping the body hydrated also helps it function optimally, especially when it comes to flushing out impurities. Shoot for 8 to 10 glass of water not only on Cleanse Days, but every day.

6.) Engage in light exercise. Although high-intensity exercise is not recommended on Cleanse Days (See To Exercise or Not to Exercise on Cleanse Days?), engaging in light physical activity such as walking or yoga may have some fat burning benefits. These low-intensity forms of exercise are less likely to induce high amounts of stress on the body and can increase calorie expenditure.

Additionally, these activities can act as distractions from eating and can even provide motivation to stick with your Cleanse Day schedule. Just remember to listen to your body and keep activity light.

4.) Have an IsaLean shake for your first meal after a Cleanse Day. After giving your body time to rest and detoxify, it craves balanced nutrition, especially the high-quality protein found in IsaLean Shakes. Together, Cleanse Days and Shakes Days help fuel fat loss while maintaining muscle mass—a sure-fire way to not only lose weight, but to also maintain weight loss.

The most important thing to remember is that there are many ways to be successful on Cleanse Days—it just takes finding the ways and habits that work for you.  Take ownership of your Cleanse Day, personalize it to your needs and body, and the motivation and commitment will come effortlessly. Before you know it, weight loss goals will be all but a memory, and you’ll be happily maintaining your weight and health.

  

Reference: Dennis et al. Water consumption increases weight loss during hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults. Obesity. 2010; 18(2):300-307. doi 10.1038/oby.2009.235

This entry was posted in Cleansing, Weight Management and tagged Cleanse for Life, cleansing, successful cleanse, tips byIsagenix Nutritional Sciences. Bookmark the permalink.

HOW TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT LOSS & BEAT WEIGHT LOSS RESISTANCE

One of the most well established phenomena in all of weight loss research is weight regain. It has been shown that between 80 and 95% of dieters regain their lost weight. It has also been shown that two thirds of these “weight re-gainers” actually end up fatter after the diet than before they started.

But why? Why does this compensatory weight re-gain happen?  And, is there anything you can do about it?

*Just a note. If you don’t like to know the WHY behind things and just want to know WHAT to do, skip to the “actions to take” section.

The Law of Metabolic Compensation

The calorie zealots want you to believe your body is a rudimentary calculator that only engages in adding and subtracting.  Eat too many calories and/or use too little, and you gain weight.  Add in more food and subtract out any exercise, and you will gain weight.

These calorie counting fanatics are either unaware, or don’t want you to know, about what we call the law of metabolic compensation. This law dictates that your metabolism is not like a calculator at all, but more like a thermostat or see-saw. You eat less and exercise more to burn calories and your body compensates by making you more hungry and at the same time decreases the amount of calories you burn at rest (resting energy expenditure or REE).

This is no small thing.  This metabolic compensatory effect is undisputed in research on weight loss and means the harder you push on one end of your metabolism, the harder and more forcibly it will push back in the other direction.

Big and individualized effects

We humans can be a bit dense at times and often forget this key fact: a solution that works in the short-term, but fails to work or makes things worse in the long run, is not a solution that works.  At best it is a waste of time and at worst it amplifies the problem further. Hence the stats on weight regain and fat overcompensation quoted above.

Low calorie dieting, on average, decreases the amount of calories you burn per day by about 300.  But that is the average. For some, this effect is much larger and for others less.

Just briefly I want to mention something for the more savvy readers out there. Many who are well versed in metabolism will immediately point out that if you lose weight, then of course you are going to be burning less calories because you have less body tissue. True.  But what research shows, and my clinical experience validates, is that the reduced rate of metabolic output goes far beyond what would be predicted from loss of fat mass or muscle mass.

A person who weighed 180 pounds who diets down to 150 pounds burns significantly less energy than another person of the same height who also weighs 150 pounds who did not diet. Something about dieting causes an exaggerated slow down in metabolic rate that goes beyond what would be predicted based on tissue loss. And, as pointed out previously, this comes along with strong and unrelenting biological sensations to seek food. That is a recipe for compensatory weight regain.

Let me give you an example of this. A person decides to follow a low calorie diet. They determine that their resting metabolic rate is 2000 calories per day. They decide, according to conventional wisdom, to reduce their daily calorie intake by 500 calories per day. Now they are consuming 1500 calories per day. They remain compliant and in a few weeks have lost a few pounds.

But, the metabolism compensates. This person starts feeling hungry all the time.  Their energy begins to suffer and they feel cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods. This makes it harder for them to comply. But worse than that, depending on their individual response to the law of metabolic compensation, their metabolism has now put on the brakes, slowing their daily calorie burn rate by between 200 and 800 calories per day.

Now lets say they are one of those people that has a very large metabolic compensation. So large that it equals or exceeds the 500 calorie deficit they were following.  At this point not only will all progress stall, but the person may even start gaining weight. This is something the calorie zealots will never tell you and if you don’t want to take my word for it, follow the links throughout this blog or read the very nice free review article out of the International Journal of Obesity posted in the references.

The damage can last and some proof.

You may have first hand experience with this metabolic slowdown or witnessed it happen with a friend or a family member. What you may not be aware of is that this effect can last for long-periods after the diet is over, even after you have already gained back all the weight you lost or more!

Research shows the compensatory effects from dieting last for months and possibly years and may “damage” the metabolism over the long run.

As a clinician who works with weight loss and obesity I can tell you with certainty that people can and do become weight loss resistant and can develop some degree of “metabolic damage”.  Metabolic damage is a non-diagnostic term many in the weight loss industry use to describe a set of functional disturbances.  These disturbances include severe metabolic compensations that result in a depressed metabolic rate, chronic fatigue, immune suppression, and multiple hormonal effects (i.e. suppressed thyroid function, adrenal stress maladaptation, and loss of libido and/or menses).

Research has shown this is NOT an imaginary issue. As far back as 1975 researchers published a study in the journal Lancet that looked at the issue of weight loss resistance.  29 women who claimed they could not lose weight were studied.  The researchers, like many of us, assumed these women simply were not compliant and wanted to test their metabolism by sequestering them in a house and controlling all food and exercise they did.  Each women was put on a strict 1500 calorie a day diet.

At the end of the 3 week period most of the women ended up losing weight.  However, 10 women did not lose any weight and 1 of the women actually gained weight. This makes two points very clear.  First, metabolism varies from person to person. Second, compensatory reactions can suppress the metabolism so much that even very low calorie diets are no longer effective even in the short-term.

3 major causes of metabolic slow-down

The study in this area is fairly robust and scientists have a pretty good handle on what might be happening.  There are many potential issues here, but I am going to cover what appear to be the three major effects that are leading to this issue of weight loss resistance and weight gain. One of them is probably going to surprise you.

• Loss of muscle mass

Research shows basal metabolic rate (BMR) accounts for over 2/3 of the calories burned at rest. Over 1/2 of BMR can be accounted for by the amount muscle mass a person has.  This means one of the best ways to offset the law of metabolic compensation is to do everything in your power to gain or at least maintain muscle.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in April 1999 showed this effect. This study looked at a group of obese individuals who were put on a very low calorie diet and assigned to one of two exercise regimes. One group did aerobic exercise (walking, biking, or jogging four times per week) while the second group did resistance training three times per week and no aerobic exercise.

At the end of the twelve-week study, both groups lost weight but the difference in the amount of muscle vs. fat loss was telling.  The aerobic group lost 37 pounds over the course of the study. Ten of those pounds came from muscle.  In contrast, the resistance-training group lost 32 pounds. None of their weight lost came from muscle. When the resting metabolic rate of each group was calculated, the aerobic group was shown to be burning 210 fewer calories per day. The resistance-training group avoided this metabolic decline and instead was burning 63 more calories per day.

• Hormonal changes: Leptin and thyroid

Whether you reduce calories or lower carbs one of the first things that occur in dieters is a beneficial change in either the amount and/or sensitivity of the hormone insulin. Insulin also acts as a hunger hormone, so this change, while beneficial, is one of the first and earliest changes resulting in metabolic compensation. This causes increased hunger. Other hormones are also impacted.  Cortisol and ghrelin both will be elevated in pulses while dieting. This too causes increased hunger and cravings.

Along with the increased hunger and cravings comes the metabolic slow down. This is most impacted by the hormone leptin.  Less insulin exposure to the fat cell and a shrinking fat cell means the metabolic hormone leptin is reduced.  Low leptin means increased hunger.  Low leptin also means decreased activity of the body’s two major metabolic engines, the thyroid and the adrenal glands. So as leptin decreases your metabolism gets the signal to stop burning energy and to start consuming it.

Leptin is considered by many to be THE most important metabolic hormone as far as setting metabolic output and weight regain.  If you want to keep your metabolic rate up, you have to make sure leptin levels don’t fall too fast. One way to overcome this appears to be a short period of overeating of between 1 and 3 days.  This technique raises leptin levels and has also been shown to substantially raise a depressed metabolic rate.  This effect varies substantially from person to person with some people showing no effect from the brief overfeeding and others seeing a jump in resting calorie burn of several hundred calories per day.

• POPs

Now for the big surprise cause.  There is another set of signaling molecules that have a huge impact on metabolic compensations during dieting. These compounds are present in your fat cells so that when fat is burned they are released in significant concentrations. The shocking thing about these compounds is they did not come from your body.  They are man made chemicals that you eat, put on your skin, drink in your water and inhale through the air.

POPS stand for Persistent Organic Pollutants and up until very recently no one understood how these compounds were involved in weight loss resistance. Here is how it works:

• POPs are fat soluble and so concentrate in animal fat, including humans. You can almost see this as a protective mechanism.  If the POPS are in your fat cells, then they can’t do damage. So when they get in your body you store them away in fat.
• When you lose fat, they are released in significant amounts and can do damage and slow the metabolism.
• POPs primarily impact the thyroid gland by decreasing its ability to make thyroid hormone, disrupting thyroid hormones once they are made and causing thyroid hormones to be removed from the body faster. If your metabolism is a large jumbo jetliner, the thyroid gland is one of the engines. POPs appear to work in part by blowing out the thyroid engine.
• In other words, POPs shut down thyroid function and drastically suppress metabolic function (for more on this read the review article in the reference section).

And if you think this effect is small, it may surprise you to know these POPs have a greater impact on metabolic rate then the all mightly hormone leptin. In other words, this is a very BIG deal.

Actions to take

• When you go on a diet set your protein intake higher. Studies have shown that a higher protein diet, one that exceeds the RDA of .8g/kg body weight, helps offset the decline in metabolic rate that occurs with dieting. At metabolic effect we set the protein level to 40% of total calories during fat reducing stages (i.e. 30:40:30 carbs:protein:fat). Another way to look at this is to make sure you are getting at least 1g of protein per pound of body weight (if you want to try to gain muscle) or 1g per pound of muscle mass (if you are trying to just maintain muscle).
• Eating a diet that has a lower glycemic load has also been shown to reduce the amount of muscle lost and at the same time increase the amount of fat lost while dieting. This means getting most of your carbohydrate intake from non-starchy vegetables, low sugar fruits and “wet carbs” like oats and beans versus breads and pasta.
• While diet is the most important aspect of achieving fat loss, increasing physical output after the weight is lost is essential and makes up some of the calorie deficit created by the slowed metabolism.  This exercise should be something that does not stimulate appetite and can easily be incorporated into any lifestyle.  We suggest you start with leisure walking and shoot for 1-2 hours daily (2.5-5miles or 5K to 10K steps)
• Cycle the diet in a way that has periods of reduced energy intake and periods of increased energy intake.  This helps offset the leptin decline that occurs with dieting.  There is individual variation with this, but for those who respond well a day or a few days of overeating can set the metabolic rate back to a higher level.
• Incorporating fish oil into the diet while losing can reduce the metabolic decline due to its positivie impact on leptin signaling and hypothalamic sensitivity to other hormones. We prefer krill oil over fish oil at 1-3g per day or regular fish oil can be used at 6g-12g per day.
• Curcumin may be another agent that has applicability in this regard since it also has similar effects on brain and whole body inflammatory signals and leptin which can drive metabolic resistance and play a role in weight rebound. It also may play a role in protecting the body from the effect of POPs due to its effect on NF-kappaB.
• This last one is going to really bother the primal crowd, but the number one way to avoid POPs is to avoid high fat animal products.  This means that a lower carb and higher fat diet may not be the best option as a fat loss diet. Making non-starchy vegetables and lean protein sources may be best to deal with the POP effect above. If you have been doing well on a low carb high fat diet, don’t stop, just realize that this POP issue may become an issue in slowing the rate of your weight loss or be a factor in weight regain. If this has been something you deal with you may want to try something closer to a 30:40:30 diet.
• Lipase inhibitors can play a role.  These are foods that have action in decreasing the digestion of fats so they move out of the body instead of get absorbed. Since the digestive tract is both the major place where POPs are both removed from the body and taken into the body, doing what is possible to NOT allow fat soluble compounds reentry is important.  Some common lipase inhibitors include green tea, oolong tea, mate tea and  ginger root.
• Finally increasing the livers ability to detoxify and remove POPs is key. Dandelion root, milk thistle, alpha lipoic acid and vitamin C play a role here.

Major Reference for this blog is:
Tremblay, et. al. Adaptive thermogenesis can make a difference in the ability of obese individuals to lose body weight. Int J Obes 2013 37: 759-764

Science Behind Cleansing

To view the “How Do Isagenix Cleanse Days Work?”
PDF Flyer, click the image above.

Cleansing is one of the many reasons that Isagenix systems are different from other “diets”. In fact, diet is really the wrong word to use to describe Isagenix. We offer a collection of systems that can be customized to your own health goals and adopted as a lifestyle, meaning these are habits and tools you’ll have for the long haul. Cleansing is one of those habits within an Isagenix lifestyle.

Isagenix has been leading the way to health by advocating the practice of cleansing for more than a decade. Now, recent scientific findings are leading nutritional researchers to believe that this practice of “cleansing”—a combination of intermittent fasting with herbs and vitamins that support detoxification—provides surprising health benefits.

A body of evidence in both animals and humans has been steadily building to support cleansing in combination with herbal supplementation and calorie restriction as a foundation for weight control, appetite regulation, improved insulin sensitivity, brain health, cell and tissue maintenance, and detoxification.

Weight Control

One of the first things that people notice when they embark on Cleanse Days is the weight loss. Studies on intermittent fasting have shown that it is just as an effective approach for weight loss as compared to cutting calories (1). In one study, overweight women who fasted intermittently for six months lost more weight than women who restricted their calories each day (2).

Reset Food Cravings

It would seem that after a day of not eating, one would be more likely to gorge on food when it was re-introduced. Not so. Evidence suggests that when intermittent fasting becomes a habit, less food is commonly eaten during normal calorie days (3). Some theories imply that this could be due to shrinking of the stomach on fast days so that you are less likely to overindulge at meal time. Along the same concept, Isagenix cleansers proclaim that Cleanse Days practically erase any previous food cravings they used to have.

Reset Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin sensitivity—how well insulin does its job of ushering glucose in the blood (after eating food) into the appropriate body tissues where it is used for energy—also looks to be “reset” by fasting. One study showed that healthy men who fasted for 20 hours every other day for 15 days had increased rates of glucose uptake, signifying improved insulin sensitivity and better blood sugar control (4).

Brain Protection

Research on fasting’s effect on brain and mood has so far been done on animals, but the results are still promising. It appears that fasting stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which increases the resistance of brain neurons to degeneration and preserves learning and memory (5). Fasting has also shown to be beneficial in the brain for stimulating growth of new brain neurons, called neurogenesis (6). When levels of BDNF increase, so do levels of serotonin, otherwise known as the “feel good” neurotransmitter (7). This could help explain why one study among aging men found that after two-day fasts, their moods and perceptions of quality of life were improved (8).

Time for the Body to go to Work–On Itself  

One of the most important defense mechanisms the body has to guard itself against aging is a process called autophagy (8). Autophagy can be thought of as the body doing its own internal “housekeeping” so that all organ systems and processes continue to run smoothly. Old, damaged cell components are repaired or discarded so that cells can continue to function optimally. Autophagy in the body decreases as we age, so the body’s ability to self-help itself is reduced as well. Calorie restriction, including fasting, has been found to promote autophagy to repair the body’s cells (9). It’s as if the consumption of fewer calories allows the body to rest and to go into repair mode. This has been proposed to be the reason why calorie restriction and fasting have an “anti-aging” effect.

Detoxification

Lastly, there is the detoxification that can take place on Cleanse Days. Often misunderstood, improved detoxification (or the increased efficiency of phase 1, 2, and 3 enzyme systems) while on Cleanse Days may be one of the most fascinating parts of the scientific story behind Cleanse Days. Nutritional support in the form of antioxidant vitamins and botanicals is essential in the detoxification process because some toxins are produced as the result of free radical activity. Additionally, nutritional support is needed to counteract the oxidative damage caused by toxins.

Isagenix Cleanse Days do more than just help you lose weight. As science has shown, cleansing benefits aspects of the entire body, helping it to repair, reset, and restore. By including Isagenix Cleanse Days in your lifestyle, you are committing to living healthier and for longer.

References

1. Eshghinia S, Mohammadzadeh F. The effects of modified alternate-day fasting diet on weight loss and CAD risk factors in overweight and obese women. J Diabetes Metab Disord 2013;12:4.

2. Harvie MN, Pegington M, Mattson MP et al. The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomized trial in young overweight women. Int J Obes (Lond) 2011;35:714-27.

3. Varady KA, Hellerstein MK. Alternate-day fasting and chronic disease prevention: a review of human and animal trials. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:7-13.

4. Halberg N, Henriksen M, Soderhamn N et al. Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. J Appl Physiol 2005;99:2128-36.

5. Mattson MP. Energy intake, meal frequency, and health: a neurobiological perspective. Annu Rev Nutr 2005;25:237-60.

6. Mattson MP, Wan R. Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting and caloric restriction on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. J Nutr Biochem 2005;16:129-37.

7. Martinowich K, Lu B. Interaction between BDNF and serotonin: role in mood disorders.Neuropsychopharmacology 2008;33:73-83.

8. Teng NI, Shahar S, Manaf ZA, Das SK, Taha CS, Ngah WZ. Efficacy of fasting calorie restriction on quality of life among aging men. Physiol Behav 2011;104:1059-64.

9. Bergamini E, Cavallini G, Donati A, Gori Z. The role of autophagy in aging: its essential part in the anti-aging mechanism of caloric restriction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007;1114:69-78.