G. Reaven, M.D. & Syndrome X

[Guest guest]

Stanford Univ. researcher Gerald Reaven's new book, *Syndrome X*, challenges

the popular belief that insulin levels can be lowered simply by reducing

carbs. Reaven has been studying insulin effects for four decades (in the

shadow of the dominant cholesterol theory) and insists that both carbs and

protein raise insulin virtually equally.

Reaven's research has shown that compensatory hyperinsulinemia (due to

insulin resistance) exposes the arteries to damage from excessive

insulin-- " Syndrome X " .

For those 25-30% of the population subject to Syndrome X, he strongly

advises altering the common low-fat, high-carb diet by reducing carbs down

to 45%, keeping protein down at 15% while increasing fat way up to 40%.

(The Atkins diet meets Reaven's insulin lowering criteria, but fails to be

heart healthy because of the LDL raising effect of excessive saturates.)

In connecting excessive insulin with other diseases, Barry Sears (Zone Diet)

and the Eades (Protein Power Diet) rely strongly on their analysis of the

prostaglandin-generating linoleic acid cascade and the supposed enhancement

of type 2 prostaglandins by insulin, but Reaven denies that insulin has

negative effects outside those included in Syndrome X, and doesn't mention

omega-6 or omega-3 fats or their optimum ratios.

It will be interesting to see how the Zone and Protein Power proponents

respond to this book, written by the very M.D. whose research is cited in

evidence of their dietary theory.

-Bill

______________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> Reaven has been studying insulin effects for four decades (in the

> shadow of the dominant cholesterol theory) and insists that both

> carbs and protein raise insulin virtually equally.

I suppose we have no choice now but to eat a high-fat, low-carb and

low-protein diet! :-)

Pass the butter please....

Seriously, I wonder what is meant by " carbs and protein raise insulin

virtually equally " . I wonder how the curves are shaped.

-gts

[AntiAgingResearch] G. Reaven, M.D. & Syndrome X

> From: " wry " <wry35@...>

>

> Stanford Univ. researcher Gerald Reaven's new book, *Syndrome X*,

challenges

> the popular belief that insulin levels can be lowered simply by reducing

> carbs. Reaven has been studying insulin effects for four decades (in the

> shadow of the dominant cholesterol theory) and insists that both carbs and

> protein raise insulin virtually equally.

>

> Reaven's research has shown that compensatory hyperinsulinemia (due to

> insulin resistance) exposes the arteries to damage from excessive

> insulin-- " Syndrome X " .

>

> For those 25-30% of the population subject to Syndrome X, he strongly

> advises altering the common low-fat, high-carb diet by reducing carbs down

> to 45%, keeping protein down at 15% while increasing fat way up to 40%.

>

> (The Atkins diet meets Reaven's insulin lowering criteria, but fails to be

> heart healthy because of the LDL raising effect of excessive saturates.)

>

> In connecting excessive insulin with other diseases, Barry Sears (Zone

Diet)

> and the Eades (Protein Power Diet) rely strongly on their analysis of the

> prostaglandin-generating linoleic acid cascade and the supposed

enhancement

> of type 2 prostaglandins by insulin, but Reaven denies that insulin has

> negative effects outside those included in Syndrome X, and doesn't mention

> omega-6 or omega-3 fats or their optimum ratios.

>

> It will be interesting to see how the Zone and Protein Power proponents

> respond to this book, written by the very M.D. whose research is cited in

> evidence of their dietary theory.

>

> -Bill

> ______________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Protein raises insulin only by increasing glucose levels. Amino acids are

converted to glucose (gluconeogenesis) whenever plasma amino acid levels are

high due to high protein ingestion, or with low carbohydrate intake to

provide the glucose that the body wants to burn to meet energy requirements.

Amino acids have no direct effect on the pancreas. Only glucose and/or

IGF-1, when elevated, stimulate insulin secretion.

During ketosis, protein cannot raise insulin levels, because gluconeogenesis

ceases when carbohydrate metabolism is disrupted.

Elevated insulin with glycogen depletion and no carb intake would cause

hypoglycemic coma and death, just like what can happen when a diabetic

injects too much insulin

Doc.

[Guest guest]

Others say that Reaven is wrong, and that protein causes a much smaller

insulin increase. This disagreement is pretty frustrating! One wonders how

a researcher spending four decades studying insulin would not know the

protein-induced insulin state like he knows his own name.

>From: " gordon " <gts@...>

>Reply-longevityegroups

><longevityegroups>

>Subject: Re: G. Reaven, M.D. & Syndrome X

>Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 01:01:08 -0500

>

>

> > Reaven has been studying insulin effects for four decades (in the

> > shadow of the dominant cholesterol theory) and insists that both

> > carbs and protein raise insulin virtually equally.

>

>I suppose we have no choice now but to eat a high-fat, low-carb and

>low-protein diet! :-)

>

>Pass the butter please....

>

>Seriously, I wonder what is meant by " carbs and protein raise insulin

>virtually equally " . I wonder how the curves are shaped.

>

>-gts

>

>

> [AntiAgingResearch] G. Reaven, M.D. & Syndrome X

>

>

> > From: " wry " <wry35@...>

> >

> > Stanford Univ. researcher Gerald Reaven's new book, *Syndrome X*,

>challenges

> > the popular belief that insulin levels can be lowered simply by reducing

> > carbs. Reaven has been studying insulin effects for four decades (in

>the

> > shadow of the dominant cholesterol theory) and insists that both carbs

>and

> > protein raise insulin virtually equally.

> >

> > Reaven's research has shown that compensatory hyperinsulinemia (due to

> > insulin resistance) exposes the arteries to damage from excessive

> > insulin-- " Syndrome X " .

> >

> > For those 25-30% of the population subject to Syndrome X, he strongly

> > advises altering the common low-fat, high-carb diet by reducing carbs

>down

> > to 45%, keeping protein down at 15% while increasing fat way up to 40%.

> >

> > (The Atkins diet meets Reaven's insulin lowering criteria, but fails to

>be

> > heart healthy because of the LDL raising effect of excessive saturates.)

> >

> > In connecting excessive insulin with other diseases, Barry Sears (Zone

>Diet)

> > and the Eades (Protein Power Diet) rely strongly on their analysis of

>the

> > prostaglandin-generating linoleic acid cascade and the supposed

>enhancement

> > of type 2 prostaglandins by insulin, but Reaven denies that insulin has

> > negative effects outside those included in Syndrome X, and doesn't

>mention

> > omega-6 or omega-3 fats or their optimum ratios.

> >

> > It will be interesting to see how the Zone and Protein Power proponents

> > respond to this book, written by the very M.D. whose research is cited

>in

> > evidence of their dietary theory.

> >

> > -Bill

> > ______________________________________________________

> >

>-----

______________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

>Pass the butter please....

> gts

Actually, Reaven opposes butter because of saturates and spends an entire

page-or-so leading the reader towards lower trans-fat margarines only to

finally and briefly recommend olive oil as a better choice.

-Bill

______________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> Others say that Reaven is wrong, and that protein causes a much smaller

> insulin increase. This disagreement is pretty frustrating!

Yes, this is why I was wondering how the curves are shaped. People can

bicker and argue all day long but the statistical data will give us the true

picture if the clinical tests were fair.

The area under the curve (AUC) for insulin may be similar after intake of

carbs and protein but like most people I would expect a high narrow curve

for carbs and a broad low curve for protein.

I'm thinking of course of a curve with insulin on the y axis and time on the

x axis.

There is a statistical test to determine objectively within a reasonable

degree of confidence whether or not any differences in the two curves are a

result of random factors.

-gts

[AntiAgingResearch] G. Reaven, M.D. & Syndrome X

> >

> >

> > > From: " wry " <wry35@...>

> > >

> > > Stanford Univ. researcher Gerald Reaven's new book, *Syndrome X*,

> >challenges

> > > the popular belief that insulin levels can be lowered simply by

reducing

> > > carbs. Reaven has been studying insulin effects for four decades (in

> >the

> > > shadow of the dominant cholesterol theory) and insists that both carbs

> >and

> > > protein raise insulin virtually equally.

> > >

> > > Reaven's research has shown that compensatory hyperinsulinemia (due to

> > > insulin resistance) exposes the arteries to damage from excessive

> > > insulin-- " Syndrome X " .

> > >

> > > For those 25-30% of the population subject to Syndrome X, he strongly

> > > advises altering the common low-fat, high-carb diet by reducing carbs

> >down

> > > to 45%, keeping protein down at 15% while increasing fat way up to

40%.

> > >

> > > (The Atkins diet meets Reaven's insulin lowering criteria, but fails

to

> >be

> > > heart healthy because of the LDL raising effect of excessive

saturates.)

> > >

> > > In connecting excessive insulin with other diseases, Barry Sears (Zone

> >Diet)

> > > and the Eades (Protein Power Diet) rely strongly on their analysis of

> >the

> > > prostaglandin-generating linoleic acid cascade and the supposed

> >enhancement

> > > of type 2 prostaglandins by insulin, but Reaven denies that insulin

has

> > > negative effects outside those included in Syndrome X, and doesn't

> >mention

> > > omega-6 or omega-3 fats or their optimum ratios.

> > >

> > > It will be interesting to see how the Zone and Protein Power

proponents

> > > respond to this book, written by the very M.D. whose research is cited

> >in

> > > evidence of their dietary theory.

> > >

> > > -Bill

> > > ______________________________________________________

> > >

> >-----

> ______________________________________________________

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

Interesting!

Also, Tom s says, " While protein does cause insulin release (to take

it into cells) is does not do so

nearly as much as glucose (which all carbohyrdrates turn into

eventually) and protein generates little

glucose (only by metabolizing some the amino acid and then only as

there are inexcess of protein

building needs). "

Tom seems to be saying that a little insulin is necessary to move amino

acids into cells(?)

>From: BIGDOC127@...

>Reply-longevityegroups

>longevityegroups

>Subject: Re: G. Reaven, M.D. & Syndrome X

>Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 08:56:45 EST

>

>

>Protein raises insulin only by increasing glucose levels. Amino acids are

>converted to glucose (gluconeogenesis) whenever plasma amino acid levels

>are

>high due to high protein ingestion, or with low carbohydrate intake to

>provide the glucose that the body wants to burn to meet energy

>requirements.

>Amino acids have no direct effect on the pancreas. Only glucose and/or

>IGF-1, when elevated, stimulate insulin secretion.

>

>During ketosis, protein cannot raise insulin levels, because

>gluconeogenesis

>ceases when carbohydrate metabolism is disrupted.

>Elevated insulin with glycogen depletion and no carb intake would cause

>hypoglycemic coma and death, just like what can happen when a diabetic

>injects too much insulin

>

>Doc.

>

>------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

....then, maybe Reaven considers higher protein intakes (e.g., Zone 30%

protein) to be so excessive as to be converted to glucose, as described

below, with consequent insulin elevation in some people.

It seems likely that Reaven vs. Sears, Eades, etc. have a different

understanding about amino acid requirements.

-Bill

>From: BIGDOC127@...

>Reply-longevityegroups

>longevityegroups

>Subject: Re: G. Reaven, M.D. & Syndrome X

>Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 08:56:45 EST

>

>

>Protein raises insulin only by increasing glucose levels. Amino acids are

>converted to glucose (gluconeogenesis) whenever plasma amino acid levels

>are

>high due to high protein ingestion, or with low carbohydrate intake to

>provide the glucose that the body wants to burn to meet energy

>requirements.

>Amino acids have no direct effect on the pancreas. Only glucose and/or

>IGF-1, when elevated, stimulate insulin secretion.

>

>During ketosis, protein cannot raise insulin levels, because

>gluconeogenesis

>ceases when carbohydrate metabolism is disrupted.

>Elevated insulin with glycogen depletion and no carb intake would cause

>hypoglycemic coma and death, just like what can happen when a diabetic

>injects too much insulin

>

>Doc.

>

>--

______________________________________________________