Monthly Archives: September 2012

Dairy is Protective of Diabetes

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Type 2 diabetes is increasingly common in Western nations and is associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. These conditions are thought to be caused by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, that results from poor quality diet combined with … Continue reading →

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Muscle Carnitine in Vegetarians

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Robert Barrington

L-carnitine is a quaternary ammonium compound required for the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria for oxidation. Carnitine is synthesised endogenously from lysine and methionine with total synthesis producing roughly ≤1µmol L-carnitine per kg body mass per day. However, 2 … Continue reading →

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Leucine Increase Post-Exercise Protein Synthesis

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Resistance training exerts high contractile forces on skeletal muscle which results in an anabolic response that is characterised by muscle protein synthesis possibly via activation of the insulin signalling mTOR kinase pathway. This period of protein synthesis can last for … Continue reading →

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Lean Mass and Weight Regain

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Evidence suggests that calorie restriction is not effective at causing long term body composition improvements because weight lost initially is nearly always regained. According to research, only 20% of people who undergo weight loss programmes are successful and most individuals … Continue reading →

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Vascular Benefits of Docosahexanoic Acid

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Consumption of fructose is associated with an increase in serum triglyceride levels, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, as well as elevated levels of serum free fatty acids (FFA). Elevated triglycerides and FFA may lead to lipid accumulation in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiovascular Disease, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Fatty Acids, Fish Oils, Insulin Resistance, Saturated Fatty Acids, Triglycerides / Triacylglycerols | Comments Off on Vascular Benefits of Docosahexanoic Acid

Sugar Consumption from Soft Drinks Falls in America

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Robert Barrington

The consumption of refined sugars is increasingly being associated with the development of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and hyperglycaemia. Of the commonly consumed sugars, sucrose and high fructose corn syrup may be particularly problematic because they … Continue reading →

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Chewing and Energy Intake

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Traditionally, obesity has been thought of as a simple energy imbalance, whereby calorie intake becomes too great when compared to the amount of energy expended on metabolic processes and physical activity. However, within the last decade, a picture is emerging … Continue reading →

Posted in Cholecystokinin, Energy Expenditure, Ghrelin, Glucagon-like Peptide 1 | Comments Off on Chewing and Energy Intake

Breakfast Affects Subsequent Feeding Habits

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Reports suggest that decreasing numbers of people are consuming breakfast regularly, and yet at the same time evidence suggests that breakfast may be protective of obesity. For example, epidemiological studies have reported that regular consumption of breakfast is associated with … Continue reading →

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Glutamine and Insulin

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Metabolic dysfunction regarding the insulin system is thought to lead to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes and hyperglycaemia. The insulin system is complex and not fully understood, but recent advances have uncovered further details of its mode … Continue reading →

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Aspartame Toxicity

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Aspartame is a commonly used artificial sweetener that is a methyl ester of an L-aspartate and L-phenylalanine dipeptide (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester). Aspartame ingestion has been shown to result in some gastrointestinal discomfort including nausea, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. However, of … Continue reading →

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