Aging, Carbohydrates, Appetite and Weight Gain
August 24, 2008
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A new study has interesting evidence that a diet high in simple carbohydrates may over time damage the cells in the brain that control appetite. If this is correct it may mean that with aging, control of appetite may be blunted and this may account for the weight gain that occurs with aging.
This is just a theory, and may be rubbish. Instead it might just be that as our metabolism slows down with aging, we are less active and along with the natural loss of muscle that occurs with aging (sarcopenia), that we use fewer calories, so more of our energy intake (food) is converted to fat.
Ghrelin is a hormone that increases when we are hungry and decreases after we have eaten. This is the reverse of the appetite control hormone called leptin, which is low when we are hungry and high after a meal. A previous post talked about how leptin might be the key to weight loss and maintenance.
Ghrelin is made by certain cells in the stomach, the pancreas and the brain. In some bariatric procedures where part of the stomach is removed, as well as the decreased stomach capacity, there will be reduced appetite since some of the cells that produce ghrelin will have been removed.
In the brain ghrelin acts in several areas and causes an increase in activities of a number of enzymes associated with mitochondria (the “powerhouses” of cells). Some of these enzymes are involved in neutralization of ROS (reactive oxygen species) and are cellular antioxidants.
The new theory is that meals high in simple carbohydrates cause a large increase in ROS, and this ghrelin-caused increase in ROS overwhelms the antioxidant increase. The ROS then start to cause damage to the appetite controlling cells in the brain.
Certainly could be right, but the current evidence is rather flimsy. An article about the findings gives more details.
If age-related weight gain is due the loss of appetite control cells, then we should be increasingly eating more as we age. I’m not sure that this is the case. My guess is that we just use less calories.
photo credit: viZZZual.com
Technorati Tags: ghrelin, appetite, aging, weight gain, ROS, antioxidant
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[...] Aging and … used my picture of a fork for one of their articles and gave me the credits for the picture by linking back to the [...]
[...] public links >> mitochondria Aging, Carbohydrates, Appetite and Weight Gain Saved by nmlau on Fri 10-10-2008 Antioxidants. Photoreceptors. Retinal cells. Diet.”They found [...]
[...] A potential new weight loss treatment. An antibody has been developed that attacks ghrelin. This hormone is high when hungry and is low when we are full. If it works in humans will suppress appetite. To read more about ghrelin see the post Aging, Carbohydrates, Appetite and Weight Gain. [...]