This is the minute installment inward a short-ish serial looking at roadblocks to obese loss, fifty-fifty when it seems similar you’re doing “all the correct things.” If y'all missed component 1, y'all tin check it out here, in addition to here’s a link to a post almost the complexity of weight loss inward general. Since nosotros covered some of the “duh” materials terminal time—the materials that most of y'all are already aware of in addition to were belike angry with me for fifty-fifty writing—this time, let’s acquire into some issues that mightiness resonate with to a greater extent than of you, and, perhaps most importantly, render y'all with data y'all tin apply directly if they do resonate.
In the serial I wrote almost insulin (which full general consensus says totally kicked butt, yesteryear the way), I oftentimes used the give-and-take lipolysis. I explained that that’s only a fancy agency to say “breaking downwardly fat.” (“Lipo” for fat, in addition to “lysis,” for splitting apart.) I farther explained that lipolysis is the splitting of a triglyceride into its factor pieces: a glycerol molecule in addition to 3 obese acids. The argue lipolysis is such an of import procedure is that it is the method yesteryear which trunk obese is released from adipose tissue (fat cells), inward monastic enjoin to go through the blood to brand it at a destination where it tin live on burned for energy, such equally inward musculus cells. (10-second refresher: triglycerides are likewise large to overstep through the jail mobile telephone membrane. In monastic enjoin for them to acquire out of the obese cell—which is what nosotros desire in addition to demand to give inward monastic enjoin to burn that fat—they receive got to live on broken downwardly into smaller pieces.)
As nosotros also covered inward the insulin posts, insulin gets inward the agency of lipolysis. (Scientifically speaking, insulin inhibits the enzyme hormone-sensitive lipase, which is what starts the lipolysis ball rolling.) This is i of the mechanisms yesteryear which low-carb diets work: hold insulin levels low, in addition to lipolysis is gratis to proceed. Keep insulin levels high, in addition to that obese ain’t goin’ nowhere, no-how.
But here’s the thing. And pay attention, because this is a very large thing:
Lipolysis is non the same thing
as burning fat
The breaking downwardly of triglycerides thus that they tin live on released from adipose cells is non the same affair equally burning (oxidizing) obese acids. Think of it this way: Lipolysis is similar cutting a gigantic fallen tree into less-gigantic logs that y'all tin carry to your backyard to chop upward for firewood. The procedure called beta-oxidation is similar taking those still-somewhat-large logs, chopping them into little logs, in addition to stacking them yesteryear the fireplace. Burning fat is when y'all receive got i of those little logs, put it inward the fireplace, in addition to laid give the sack to it. So y'all tin run across that lipolysis is great, but it’s only the beginning of the obese burning process.
You may receive got heard somewhere along the agency that mitochondria are our cells’ fuel burning factories. Mitochondria are sometimes referred to equally the cellular “energy generators,” because they receive got the destination products of glycolysis (the initiative of all stride inward the breakdown of carbohydrate) in addition to beta-oxidation (breaking downwardly fat), in addition to they convert these into ATP, which is the “universal loose energy currency of the cell.”
In instance anyone is having scary flashbacks to high schoolhouse or college biochemistry, let’s halt hither in addition to receive got a breath. Don’t live on overwhelmed. All I’m proverb is, the mitochondria are where the bulk of nutrient “calories” are genuinely turned into energy. (Way dorsum inward this post, I explained that the human trunk does non run on “calories.” The only affair the trunk tin utilization to “get materials done” is ATP.)
At this point, nosotros are interested inward two things that receive got house within the mitochondria. The initiative of all is beta-oxidation, in addition to the minute is the Krebs cycle. (I explained to a greater extent than than y'all would always desire to know almost mitochondrial construction in addition to the Krebs bike dorsum in this shipping service from the cancer series.) As I mentioned a infinitesimal ago, beta-oxidation is taking i long-ish obese acid in addition to breaking it upward into smaller pieces. (Chopping the logs into little firewood.) The Krebs bike is the fireplace, with a rip-roaring give the sack burning within it. (Putting the firewood into the fireplace and burning it.) The argue nosotros are interested inward these 2 things is because if they aren’t humming along effectively, y'all volition receive got a hard fourth dimension losing trunk fat. So, the interrogation nosotros should live on bespeak ourselves at nowadays is, what are some things that mightiness compromise beta-oxidation in addition to the Krebs cycle?
The initiative of all i that jumps to hear is…
Nutrient Deficiencies
Mitochondria aren’t magicians. They don’t oxidize fats in addition to hit ATP out of sparse air. They demand lots of helper molecules to do what they do. Specifically, they demand vitamins B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), in addition to B5 (pantothenic acid), iron, carnitine, manganese, in addition to coenzyme Q10. They belike demand a whole lot to a greater extent than than that; those are only the ones I know of off the top of my head. (If y'all desire me to opened upward my biochem textbook, the to the lowest degree y'all could do is purchase me dinner first! ;D)
I won’t bore y'all with the details on where in addition to why each of these nutrients is required. I could definitely geek out on all that, but for our purposes here, it’s plenty only to know y'all demand ‘em. I volition dot out i thing, though: if y'all are on a statin drug, y'all most definitely should also live on taking a CoQ10 supplement. (Refer to this post almost mitochondrial dysfunction for details, in addition to check out this post to run across only how awful statins are, inward general.)
…Aaaaand, because I can’t assistance myself, I’ve only decided that I will go ahead in addition to explicate the whys in addition to wherefores of these nutrients, equally they relate to burning fat—and, ultimately, losing weight. ‘Cuz, really, you can’t lose weight without burning obese at the cellular level. (Screw the treadmill; it’s far to a greater extent than of import what’s going on inward your mitochondria.) If y'all don Carnitine is an interesting one. If y'all speak whatever Spanish, this mightiness remind y'all of the give-and-take carne. Indeed, red meat is the richest source of this nutrient. (Lamb in addition to beef, specifically. As if y'all needed to a greater extent than skilful reasons to consume those!) Carnitine is non technically an “essential nutrient,” because nosotros tin brand it from the amino acids methionine in addition to lysine, but it’s yet possible to receive got an insufficiency. The large bargain with carnitine is that it is a required cofactor for the enzymes that carry obese acids into the mitochondria. If mitochondria are similar exclusive nightclubs that everyone is trying to acquire into, retrieve of carnitine equally the guy who knows the bouncers. If you’re attached to carnitine, y'all tin become to the front end of the business in addition to acquire inside. No carnitine, no entry. (In fact, ketogenic diets are contraindicated for individuals with inborn errors of carnitine metabolism; that's how crucial carnitine is for burning fat.)
Moving on, let’s run across almost pantothenic acid (B5). B5 is the principal edifice block for a molecule called coenzyme A (usually shortened to CoA). Coenzyme A is crucial for the production of ATP from all fuel sources—glucose, obese acids, ketones, etc. After lots in addition to lots of intracellular wheeling & dealing, all 3 of these fuel sources eventually destination upward equally something called acetyl-CoA, which is i of the substances that makes ATP production possible. (“That’s when y'all brutal in addition to hitting your caput in addition to had the vision for the flux capacitor, which is what…makes…time travel…possible.” :D Hopefully my overseas readers receive got seen this movie in addition to don’t retrieve I’ve completely lost my mind!) Specifically, acetyl-CoA tin grab a ride through the Krebs cycle. But fifty-fifty earlier nosotros get to acetyl-CoA, the procedure of beta-oxidation also requires coenzyme A. So nosotros demand CoA to intermission the long obese acid chains into smaller obese acid chains. In general, only almost all cellular loose energy production requires coenzyme A. (In the mitochondria, anyway. CoA is non required for glycolysis, which is the converting of glucose to pyruvate, with a cyberspace yield of 2 measly ATP.)
And how almost B2 and B3? Riboflavin in addition to niacin are other essential helper molecules required for the continued catamenia of the Krebs bike in addition to electron carry chain. So y'all tin run across why insufficiencies inward some of these nutrients volition resultant inward fatigue--and difficulty losing weight. If y'all receive got sub-par levels of these nutrients, thus y'all literally cannot hit loose energy effectively--that is, y'all cannot "burn fat." Your powerfulness to generate ATP from pretty much any type of fuel is compromised. This is why nutritional strategies for tackling chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, in addition to adrenal exhaustion typically include high doses of B-vitamins—B5, inward particular, but ordinarily all B-vitamins.
Yet some other nutrient of import for loose energy generation is magnesium. As illustrated in a yesteryear shipping service almost glycolysis, magnesium is essential for converting glucose into pyruvate, in addition to the subsequent conversion of pyruvate into acetyl-CoA is an of import stride that eventually helps keeps the Krebs bike humming along nicely. (This mightiness live on what’s behind a phrase y'all may receive got heard – “fat burns inward the flame of carbohydrate” – but it’s pretty oversimplified.) As y'all tin run across inward this diagram of glycolysis, no less than six molecules of magnesium (circled inward blue) are needed to plow only one molecule of glucose into a cyberspace of 2 measly ATP. It’s non surprising that many diabetics in addition to individuals with metabolic syndrome are magnesium-deficient. (Frankly, most people are belike depression on Mg.)
Antioxidant Nutrient Deficiencies
Another cardinal nutrient for salubrious mitochondrial function—and ATP production, inward particular—is iron. (For details, banking concern lucifer out this shipping service almost mitochondrial dysfunction.) Iron’s role inward mitochondrial business office is two-fold: First, it’s an essential component of the cytochrome proteins that are component of the electron carry chain. Second, Fe is a cofactor for catalase, which is an enzyme that converts hydrogen peroxide into H2O in addition to oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is groovy for whitening your teeth, but it's non something y'all desire a lot of to accumulate within your cells. Where does hydrogen peroxide come from within your cells? It comes from the activity of the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD). Inside the mitochondria, SOD takes highly damaging superoxide radicals (one type of “free radical”) in addition to converts them into hydrogen peroxide. Superoxide radicals are a normal byproduct of the electron carry system. Sometimes, oxygen radicals only sort of “leak out,” in addition to SOD is at that topographic point to comprise the province of affairs earlier it gets out of hand. Hydrogen peroxide is yet damaging inward itself, but it’s non quite equally bad equally superoxide. So SOD in addition to catalase piece of employment hand-in-hand: SOD turns oxygen radicals into hydrogen peroxide, in addition to catalase turns hydrogen peroxide into oxygen in addition to water. The nutrient cofactor required for mitochondrial SOD is manganese. While manganese in addition to Fe are non straight involved inward lipolysis or beta oxidation, Fe is required for the electron carry chain, in addition to both nutrients are needed for salubrious mitochondria. If your mitochondria are highly damaged from gratis radical assault, there’s a skilful gamble your fat-burning capability volition non live on optimal. (As an aside, manganese is the cofactor for mitochondrial SOD. The SOD institute inward the cytoplasm uses copper & zinc.)
Pretty neat, huh? We all know nosotros “need” vitamins in addition to minerals, but most of us receive got no thought what they genuinely do for us. We only consume skilful food, popular a few pills, in addition to hope for the best. Having fifty-fifty a rudimentary agreement of these cellular processes helps us appreciate the roles of diverse nutrients, in addition to mightiness guide us on our paths to obese loss.
Now, it’s non only overt deficiencies or subclinical insufficiencies that tin stand upward inward the agency of obese loss. It’s possible to receive got imbalances that compromise optimal cellular function. As only i example, copper excess inhibits catalase activity. (Probably because copper in addition to Fe [and zinc] receive got a fragile interrelationship, in addition to tipping the scales likewise far inward i direction tin upset the remainder of the others.)
If y'all are peculiarly concerned almost your nutrient status, banking concern lucifer with your healthcare practitioner almost doing some assessments. I don’t receive got a lot of experience inward this area, myself (virtually none, actually), but I’m told a pilus tissue mineral analysis tin live on quite revealing.
Poor Digestive Function
It would live on overnice if eating a salubrious diet were plenty to hold mitochondrial fat-burning going strong. In fact, if you’re next a Paleo, Primal, or LCHF strategy, thus you’re belike already consuming lots of nutrient-dense foods. The purists alongside y'all mightiness fifty-fifty become out of your agency to consume alone grass-fed meats, free-range eggs, organic produce, etc. (You wouldn’t fifty-fifty think almost doing “80/20.” You’re to a greater extent than similar 110/-10.) But what if you’re non absorbing the nutrients these foods contain? Remember: nosotros are non what nosotros eat, but rather, what nosotros digest in addition to absorb. If your digestive business office is compromised, thus y'all volition non necessarily live on getting the nutrients y'all retrieve y'all are. Just because you’ve position something downwardly your piehole doesn’t hateful the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, in addition to obese acids volition brand their agency to where they demand to go.
I won’t bore y'all with the specifics here. If you’re interested inward learning almost salubrious digestion, I wrote a really detailed—and funny, if I do say thus myself—series on digestion a spell back. It’s a whirlwind tour of the digestive procedure in addition to the GI tract, starting inward the encephalon in addition to ending at the bunghole anus. It starts here: Digestion for (not-so) Dummies.
How tin y'all tell if your digestion isn’t upward to snuff? *Shrug.* There are lots of signs to tip y'all off: heartburn/acid reflux, bloating, gas, diarrhea, poor pilus in addition to boom growth, greasy stools (and/or oily slicks inward the can bowl…ick), really dry out skin, achy joints—almost similar machine parts that demand oiling. (You tin run across where I’m going with those terminal 3 – misfortunate absorption of dietary fats.)
If y'all are on prescription or over-the-counter antacids, or receive got had your gallbladder removed, there’s a skilful gamble your digestive business office isn’t equally effective equally it could/should be. I can’t give personalized recommendations on this blog, thus piece of employment with your healthcare professional person to run across if y'all mightiness do goodness from supplemental HCl (hydrochloric acid/stomach acid), bile salts, pancreatic enzymes, etc.
You tin download some tips for supporting salubrious digestion here: Digestive function.
Now that we’ve come upward to the destination of this post, those of y'all who know almost the role of the thyroid inward regulating metabolic charge per unit of measurement are belike thinking, “Amy, jeez…how tin y'all perhaps utter almost nutrient deficiencies that impact obese loss in addition to non hollo iodine, selenium, in addition to vitamin A? Don’t y'all know anything?” Yes. Yes, I do. I know plenty to know that when we’re talking almost stubborn obese loss, thyroid business office warrants its ain post. (Two or 3 posts, actually.) So that’s where we’ll become adjacent time. All of y'all out at that topographic point -- in addition to I know at that topographic point are many of y'all -- who are on thyroid meds, in addition to receive got been for years, but still experience similar crap-ola in addition to are no slimmer than when y'all started, stay tuned.
Remember: Amy Berger, M.S., NTP, is non a doc in addition to , LLC, is non a medical practice. The data contained on this site is non intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or foreclose whatever medical condition.
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