Written by Team MD
09 August 2017

16NN270-Fat

The Science of Fat Loss - Six Research Facts

 

 

1.) Vitamin D Causes Fat Cells to Lose Fat

Vitamin D is synthesized in the body in a reaction involving sunlight. Vitamin D can also be consumed in the diet by eating fatty fish, mushrooms and supplements. Several recent studies have linked low vitamin D levels to poor bone health, muscle weakness, deficiencies in reproductive hormones, low aerobic capacity and increased body mass index (the proportion of weight to height). A Korean study showed that vitamin D triggered fat loss in fat cells exposed to vitamin D. Vitamin D also affected genes that affect fat cell formation, fat breakdown and fat use as energy. Recent research has shown that 4,000 IUs of vitamin D-3 is most effective for weight loss and fat loss. The only health claims allowed by government agencies for vitamin D are reducing the risk of osteoporosis, preventing inflammation and promoting normal muscle function. (Nutrition, 32: 702-708, 2016)

 

2) Drink More Water to Lose Weight?

Drinking more water promotes fat loss by decreasing food intake and promoting fat use— according to a literature review by Simon Thornton from University of Lorraine in Nancy, France. Greater water intake increases cell volume throughout the body, which accelerates metabolic rate and caloric expenditure. Increased water intake decreases the hormone angiotensin II, which regulates body fluids. Dehydration promotes insulin resistance, which increases fat storage. The review emphasized the effects of dehydration on weight gain. It doesn’t follow that normal or overhydration will lead to weight loss. Few human studies show that drinking extra water promotes weight loss. (Frontiers in Nutrition, published online June 10, 2016)

 

3) Ursolic Acid Promotes Fat Loss and Protects the Heart

Ursolic acid is a chemical found in apples, basil, cranberries, peppermint, oregano and prunes. It is used in a variety of cosmetic products and can inhibit the growth of some types of cancer cells. A Chinese study on rats found that ursolic acid supplements reduced bodyweight, increased caloric expenditure and decreased fat levels in muscle. Ursolic acid promoted fat loss by increasing the activity of uncoupling proteins in the cells, which causes fat loss by promoting heat formation. Ursolic acid is also anabolic. A University of Iowa study on mice found that ursolic acid found in apple peels prevented muscle deterioration following fasting and spinal cord injury. Ursolic acid supplements also increased muscle mass in normal mice. The anabolic effect of ursolic acid is caused by increased insulin signaling in skeletal muscle and the suppression of gene activity linked to atrophy (decreased muscle size). Ursolic acid might speed fat loss and build muscle. A Taiwanese study found that ursolic acid protects against cardiovascular disease triggered by obesity. (Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 94: 627-633, 2016)

 

4) Normal and Ketogenic Weight-Loss Diets Have Similar Effects

The ketogenic diet has been a popular weight-loss technique since the early 1970s. The concept behind the diet is that high carbohydrate intake triggers large increases in the hormone insulin, which suppresses energy expenditure and promotes fat storage. Substituting fats for carbohydrates increases fat oxidation and promotes fat loss. A sophisticated study led by Kevin Hall from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases showed that weight loss was similar during ketogenic diets (high fat and protein, and low carbohydrates) and mixed diets. Energy expenditure was slightly higher during the ketogenic diet. The study cast doubt on the value of ketogenic diets for weight loss. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published online July 6, 2016)

 

5) Is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?

Most nutrition experts recommend eating breakfast because it increases energy levels, restores blood sugar after a night without eating, and helps restore carbohydrate stores in the muscles and liver. Carbohydrates are essential for brain function and during exercise at intensities above 65 percent of maximum effort. Also, breakfast reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol. A literature review led by James Betts from the University of Bath in the U.K. found that skipping breakfast has no effect on metabolic rate and bodyweight control. Reduced caloric intake from skipping breakfast is balanced by a reduction in metabolic rate. Skipping breakfast has no long-term effects on weight loss, but may affect energy levels during the day. (Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, published online 13:1-11, 2016)

 

6) Weight-Loss Supplement Ingredient Toxic to the Liver

Usnic acid, an ingredient found in some weight-loss supplements, may be hazardous to your health. Some weight-loss products include usnic acid because it causes thermogenesis— an increase in caloric expenditure and metabolic rate, which promotes fat loss. It is found in Usnea barbata lichen, a plant species composed of algae and fungus that grows on rocks and tree trunks. Usnic acid causes uncoupling in the mitochondria, the energy centers of the cells. This means that the cells lose food energy as heat instead of converting it into usable energy or storing it as fat. Drugs such as amphetamines, ephedrine and dinitrophenol cause uncoupling but can have severe side effects. Researchers from the National Centers for Toxicological Research and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in a study on rats, reported that usnic acid supplements caused liver cell and DNA damage. Usnic acid also triggered oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant levels. This study was part of ongoing research by the FDA to determine if usnic acid and Usnea barbata lichen are poisonous or safe for human consumption. (Archives of Toxicology, published online July 1, 2016)

 

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