sscientific studies and media coverage are pervasive with warnings But how Sugar, Carbohydrate, Saturated fat And lack of exercise contribute to obesity. And Millions of Americans are still overweight or obese In large part due to the classic Western diet and lifestyle.
As one teacher, researcher and professor of medicineI have spent more than 20 years Investigating the causes of obesityAs well as related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.
During my many years of studying obesity and related health conditions, I have noticed that relatively little is said about two important pieces of this complex puzzle: lack of hydration and excessive salt intake. Both are known to contribute to obesity.
Lessons learned from a desert sand rat
Nature provides a clue to the role these factors play with the desert sand rat siamomi obesus, a half-pound rodent with a high-pitched squeak that lives in the salty marshes and deserts of North Africa. It barely survives by eating the stems of salicornia – glass plant – a plant that resembles asparagus.
Although low in nutrients, the fleshy, succulent juice of glasswort is filled with water that is rich in salt, similar to that found in seawater.
recent research provided new insights Why the desert sand rat may crave the salty juice of glasswort. Although this has not yet been proven specifically in the sand rat, it is likely that a high-salt diet helps the sand rat convert relatively small amounts of carbohydrates into fructose, a type of sugar found in fruits, honey and sugar. occurs naturally. some vegetables.
This helps the animal survive When food and fresh water are scarce. This is because fructose activates a “survival switch” that stimulates forage, food intake and the storage of fats and carbohydrates that protect the animal from starvation.
However, when the rat is brought into captivity and fed a normal rodent diet of about 50% carbohydrates, it Rapidly develops obesity and diabetes, But if fresh vegetables are given low in starchy carbohydrates, the rodent remains lean.
my research, and research by several other scientists over the decades suggests that many Americans unknowingly behave like a captive desert sand rat, although some in a setting where food and water are limited. They are constantly activating the survival switch.
Fructose and our diet
As mentioned, fructose, a simple sugar, plays a key role in activating this survival switch that leads to fat production.
Small amounts of fructose, such as that found in an individual fruit, are not the problem – rather it is the excessive amounts of fructose that are problematic for human health. Most of us get our fructose from table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. these two sugars about 15% of total calories in the average American diet.
These sugars encourage people to eat more, which leads to Weight gain, fat accumulation and prediabetes,
Our bodies also make fructose on their own – and experimental studies suggest that may be enough. accelerate the development of obesity,
Since fructose is made from glucose, the production of fructose increases when blood sugar levels are high. This process occurs when we eat a lot of rice, cereals, potatoes and white bread; They are carbs that rapidly release glucose into the blood.
and in particular, the production of fructose may also be dehydratedwhich drives fat production.
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fat provides water
Fats have two major functions. The first, which is well known, is to store calories for a later time when food is not available.
Other major but lesser known functions of fats have to water,
To be clear, fat does not contain water. But when fat is broken down, it produces water in the body. The quantity produced is substantial, and roughly equal to the amount of fat burned. It is so important that some animals rely on fat to provide water In times when it is not available.
Whales are but one example. When they drink some seawater, they get most of their water from the foods they eat. And when they go a long time without food, they get their water mainly by metabolizing fat,
grab the fries
The role of dehydration as a contributor to obesity should not be underestimated. This usually happens after eating salty foods. Caused by both dehydration and salt intake production of fructose and fat,
This is why salty french fries are especially fattening. Salt causes a dehydration-like condition that encourages the conversion of the starch in french fries to fructose.
Furthermore, studies show that most people are overweight or obese. don’t drink enough water, They are more likely to become dehydrated than lean people. Their salt intake is also much higher than that of lean people.
Research shows that people who are obese often have high levels of vasopressinA hormone that helps the kidneys hold water to regulate the amount of urine.
But recent studies suggest that vasopressin has another purpose, which is to stimulate fat production,
For someone at risk of dehydration or starvation, vasopressin may have a real survival benefit. But for those who are not at risk, vasopressin can exacerbate most of the metabolic effects of excess fructose, such as weight gain, fat accumulation, fatty liver and prediabetes.
drink more water
So does this mean that drinking more water can help us lose weight? medical community is often ridicule the claim, However, our research team found that giving the rats more water slowed down Weight gain and development of prediabetesEven when the rats ate a diet rich in sugar and fat.
There is also increasing evidence that Most people drink very little water In general, and increasing water intake may help obese people. reduce weight,
That’s why I recommend drinking eight tall glasses of water a day. And eight is likely enough; Don’t assume that more is better. There have been cases of people drinking so much that they become “water intoxicated”. This is especially a problem with people who have heart, kidney or liver conditions, as well as those who have recently had surgery or are long distance runners, It is always good to check with your doctor first regarding water intake.
For the desert sand rat, and for our ancestors who scavenged for food, a diet of high salt and limited water made sense. But humans no longer live that way. These simple measures — drinking more water and reducing salt intake — offer affordable, easy and healthy strategies that can prevent or treat obesity.
Richard JohnsonProfessor of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article,
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