Re: Leucine restriction burns fat

February 8, 2007

Hold on -- they're saying that starvation response=suppression of fat synthesis? If that is right then isn't it going against the oft-repeated idea that "starvation mode" means that the body conserves its fat stores? Could this be right? This is new to me.

chris

[ ] Leucine restriction burns fat

Another amino acid with profound effects..Cavener and Guo found that the removal of a single amino acid,leucine, from the diet is sufficient to provoke a starvation responsethat affects fat metabolism. "These findings are important fortreating two major problems in the world," Cavener says. "Thestarvation response we discovered can repress fat synthesis and inducethe body to consume virtually all of its stored fat within a few weeksof leucine deprivation. Because this response causes a striking lossof fatty tissue, we may be able to formulate a powerful new treatmentfor obesity."http://www.scienced aily.com/ releases/ 2007/02/07020613 2121.htm

February 9, 2007

>

> Another amino acid with profound effects..

>

> Cavener and Guo found that the removal of a single amino acid,

> leucine, from the diet is sufficient to provoke a starvation response

> that affects fat metabolism. " These findings are important for

> treating two major problems in the world, " Cavener says. " The

> starvation response we discovered can repress fat synthesis and induce

> the body to consume virtually all of its stored fat within a few weeks

> of leucine deprivation. Because this response causes a striking loss

> of fatty tissue, we may be able to formulate a powerful new treatment

> for obesity. "

>

> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070206132121.htm

I wonder how they actually restricted the leucine intake - if it was

specially formulated feed, or something else... When I look at protein

in foods, the amount of leucine in pretty much everything is VERY

high. Selectively choosing foods with low levels seems impossible.

For example, even coconut meat, which comes up as one of the highest

candidates in the protein/leucine ratio, has 110mg of Leucine in 1.5g

of protein overall....

in Albuquerque

February 9, 2007

Leucine is an essential amino acid. It is fairly impossible to

restrict only leucine in any type of natural diet because it comprises

from 7% to 9% of vegetable or animal proteins.

Clearly, the restriction of *any* essential amino acid is going to

cause a deficiency. The effect on the body is going to depend on the

types of crucial enzymes or proteins that cannot be built without the

missing amino acids.

I think that this is a laboratory curiosity similar to methionine

restriction, except that 50% methionine restriction can be achieved by

selecting vegetable over animal proteins, whereas leucine restriction

cannot be accomplished by dietary choices.

Tony

>

> Hold on -- they're saying that starvation response=suppression of

fat synthesis? If that is right then isn't it going against the

oft-repeated idea that " starvation mode " means that the body conserves

its fat stores? Could this be right? This is new to me.

>

> chris

>

> [ ] Leucine restriction burns fat