Diet Wars : Who wins in the battle of the bulge reduction? by Jerry Brainum

   In an effort to clear up the considerable confusion about which diet is most effective for fat loss, researchers from Stanford University spent a year testing four popular diet plans on 311 overweight women, aged 25 to 50. Published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association, the study examined the Atkins low-carb plan, which starts at 20 grams a day of carbs and gradually increases to 50 grams a day; the Zone diet, which features a percentage formula of 40-30-30 for carbs, protein and fat; the LEARN plan, a traditional balanced diet usually suggested for promoting good heath, consisting of 55 to 60 percent carbs and less than 10 percent saturated fat intake; and the Ornish diet, which contains 10 percent fat or less. The Zone and LEARN plans call for a specific daily calorie limit, while the Atkins and Ornish plans don’t.

   The greatest criticism of low-carb diets is that their high fat content predisposes dieters to cardiovascular disease. That was adamantly denied by Robert Atkins, M.D., the heart specialist who developed the Atkins diet. Atkins suggested that control of insulin, a cornerstone of low-carb diets, would more than make up for eating lots of fat. Besides, because carbs are so restricted on the Atkins plan, most of the dietary fat is oxidized.

   Dean Ornish, also a cardiologist and whose diet philosophy is the opposite of Atkins when it comes to eating fat, noted that levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which is linked to cardiovascular disease, rose in those who followed a low-carb diet during the study. As one of the authors noted, however, blood triglycerides dropped more than 30 percent in the low-carb dieters. That’s significant because when triglycerides drop, you get a larger, more buoyant LDL molecule. The type of LDL linked to cardiovascular disease is small and dense and is more likely to oxidize than the larger version. LDL is dangerous only when oxidized.

   Other critics of the new study said that while those on the Atkins diet clearly lost more fat initially, after a year the differences in fat loss from the diets become similar. The women on the Atkins plan found it easy to follow, with no precise guidelines other than carb restriction. The high-protein feature of the Atkins diet brings greater satiety, making it far easier to stick with than lowfat, high-carb diets like the Ornish plan, on which most people get ravenously hungry.

   Those in the Atkins group also had elevations in high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, which protects against cardiovascular disease. HDL tends to rise with a higher fat intake, an effect confirmed with those who followed the Ornish lowfat plan. No change at all occurred in their HDL levels, although LDL did drop.

   Because most people diet to lose bodyfat, it’s just common sense that the diet with the best results would be more motivating. Losing fat is important for health reasons because excess bodyfat triggers inflammation all over the body that’s linked to all forms of disease and mortality, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

   Bodybuilders used low carb-diets long before they became popular with the public. In fact, most top bodybuilders still rely on carb restriction to get into contest condition. They know that when you control insulin release, you rapidly tap into bodyfat stores. It’s true that glycogen, which is the major exercise fuel source in muscles, is itself a complex carbohydrate, but it’s not that difficult to take your carbs in strategically, meaning before and after training. That makes for maximum fat burning while providing needed energy.

Gardner, C.D., et al. (2007). Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish and LEARN diets for change in weight and related risk factors among overweight women. JAMA. 297:969-77.

©,2013, Jerry Brainum.Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.

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High Protein and Fat Oxidation by Jerry Brainum

    Most fat-loss diets recommend a higher protein intake, and for good reason. More protein yields a greater thermogenic effect, meaning calories are converted into heat and not stored as bodyfat. Protein boosts calorie burn-off by 20 to 30 percent, compared to 5 to 10 percent for carbs and 0 to 3 percent for fat. In addition, despite the fact that some of the amino acids in dietary protein can be converted into glucose, protein intake is not associated with the large release of insulin that occurs when you eat high-glycemic, or rapidly absorbed carbohydrate. Because a high insulin count is linked to both retention and synthesis of bodyfat, the control of insulin also aids fat loss.
     Fat oxidation, or burning, is impaired in people who have a lot of bodyfat for a number of reasons. For one thing, they often have a blunted sympathetic hormonal response that affects hormones involved in fat mobilization, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. Most of the supplements touted to help reduce bodyfat modulate the blunted sympathetic response and may improve the blunted calorie burn.
      A recent study examined the effect on fat oxidation in obese people who ate high-protein meals that included carbohydrates of various glycemic-index contents.¹ The diets consisted of the following:
1) Control diet—14 percent protein, glycemic index 65 percent
2)High protein, high GI—33 percent protein, GI 74
3) High protein, low GI—35 percent protein, 45 GI
The glycemic index is a measure of how rapidly the body absorbs glucose. The highest GI is 100, often represented by white bread or glucose itself. It was originally developed for diabetics, since rapid carbohydrate absorption can influence their insulin requirements, but it’s also relevant to nondiabetics. The GI system applies only to single foods and is less applicable to mixed meals. For example, a meal containing carbohydrate and protein tends to result in a lower GI number, since protein and fat considerably blunt carb uptake.
     What the study found was that fat oxidation wasn’t suppressed in obese people who ate meals high in protein. Surprisingly, the GI number of the meal didn’t have any effect on the boost in fat oxidation they got from eating protein. The effect appears specific to those with higher bodyfat, however. When people who have low bodyfat eat a high protein meal, fat use is spared.
    The study underscores the importance of a high protein intake for anyone who wants to lose excess bodyfat. Not only does it aid fat oxidation, but it also spares lean mass at the expense of bodyfat. That, in turn, maintains the resting metabolic rate, which would otherwise drop with a loss of lean mass—something that occurs in those who eat low-calorie diets with insufficient or poor protein, such as plant foods, and who don’t engage in resistance exercise. In those instances, the loss of vital lean mass guarantees a regain of lost bodyfat. That explains the 95 percent recidivism of most diets, particularly the ones that feature both insufficient protein intake and lack of weight-training exercise.
     Another way that a high-protein diet aids fat loss is by inducing increased satiety. Eating a meal high in protein provides the greatest feeling of fullness, followed by carbs, then fat. A recent study compared two different amounts of casein as the sole source of protein in a diet that also contained 55 percent carbs.²
Twelve men and 12 women stayed for 36 hours in a respiration chamber. Their diets contained either 25 percent or 10 percent of energy derived from casein. That was the only difference between the two diets; total calorie intake was identical because the fat content of the diets was manipulated.
    As a slowly absorbed milk protein, casein releases amino acids over a seven-hour period. The 25 percent casein diet resulted in a 2.6 percent higher 24-hour total energy expenditure than the 10 percent casein diet. Those in the higher casein group also showed a higher sleeping metabolic rate and a more positive protein balance than the 10 percent group, and satiety was 33 percent higher. That resulted in a whopping 41 percent less hunger than in the 10 percent group, which explains why it’s far easier to stick with a higher-protein diet than a lower-protein, higher-carb, lowfat diet.
     A previous study, which used the same measures of casein during breakfast, found that the 25 percent casein meal was more satiating than the 10 percent version, an outcome attributed to prolonged elevation of plasma amino acids. The lessened hunger in the later study was also attributed to the prolonged release of amino acids from casein.
   Although both diets contained the same level of carbohydrate (55 percent), the plasma glucose levels were lower in the 25 percent diet, likely related to slower gastric emptying. Those getting the 25 percent casein diet had lower insulin counts, which aids in fat reduction. The 25 percent diet also produced lower amounts of intestinal hormones that modify appetite, again thought to occur because casein delayed gastric emptying.

References

¹ Batterham, M., et al. (2008). High protein meals may benefit fat oxidation and energy expenditure in individuals with higher bodyfat. Nut Dietetics. 65:246-52.

² Hochstenbach-Waelen, A., et al. (2009). Comparison of two diets with either 25 percent or 10 percent of energy as casein on energy expenditure, substrate balance and appetite profile. Am J Clin Nutr.89(3): 831-838.

©,2013, Jerry Brainum.Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.

 

Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com

 
 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com

 

Carb Blocker, Protein Shocker by Jerry Brainum

                                     Does tea interfere with digestive enzymes?

    Several studies have shown that drinking green tea appears to help you lose bodyfat, perhaps because of its caffeine and its potent antioxidants, which may increase resting metabolism. Some studies show that green tea inhibits the enzyme lipase, which is required to digest fat. Other studies show that both black and green teas inhibit the activity of alpha-amylase, an enzyme involved in carbohydrate, especially starch, digestion.
      While many studies examining the effects of tea on enzyme activity have had an  in vitro or test-tube, design, a newer study looked at the effects of black, green and mulberry teas on human subjects.¹ In it subjects took concentrated tea extracts before eating meals containing either carbohydrates or fat.
The tea extracts didn’t affect fat absorption but did induce a 25 percent malabsorption of carbohydrates. The active ingredients in the extracts were the equivalent of drinking five to 20 cups of tea daily. The authors note that if you ate 400 grams of carbs daily, reducing the absorption of 25 percent of those carbs would lead to a loss of 16 kilograms, or 35 pounds, of fat a year with no other changes in diet or exercise. They also warn, however, that inhibiting that much carb absorption could lead to some side effects, such as intestinal gas and diarrhea.
     Another study examined the effects of the active ingredients in tea, the polyphenols, on digestive enzymes that break down carbs (a-amylase), fat (lipase) and protein (pepsin, trypsin).² The in vitro experiment found that in the presence of 0.05 milligrams per milliliter of tea polyphenols, a-amylase, pepsin, trypsin and lipase activity was inhibited by 61 percent, 32 percent, 38 percent and 54 percent, respectively
The interference with protein-digesting enzymes (pepsin and trypsin) may be a problem for bodybuilders. It isn’t clear from the study how much of the tea polyphenols would produce the effect. Odds are, though, that a high concentration would be required. That’s consistent with previous studies showing high levels of green tea interfered with thyroid function. The amount needed to produce the effect would be hard to reach, and the same may be true for protein enzymes. Those who are concerned may opt to take green tea supplements separately from when they have protein meals and supplements. You wouldn't want to go overboard with green tea supplements anyway, since high doses are linked to liver problems.
    The enzyme inhibition promoted by tea polyphenols was considerably more potent for fat and carbs than protein. For those seeking to lose bodyfat, taking tea supplements with meals high in fat or carbs may prove beneficial. Recent research shows that ingesting green tea supplements with milk proteins, such as whey or casein, causes the active polyphenols in the tea to bind to the proteins, possibly inactivating the polyphenols. For this reason, it's best to ingest any type of tea supplement away from concentrated milk protein supplements.
                                                     References
¹ Zhong, L., et al. (2006). An extract of black, green and mulberry teas causes malabsorption of carbohydrate but not of triacylglycerol in healthy volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 84:551-555.

² He, Q., et al. (2006). Effects of tea polyphenols on the activation of a-amylase, pepsin, trypsin, and lipase. Food Chemistry. 101:1178-82.

©,2013 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.

Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com

 
 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com

 

Run away Muscle : How overdoing aerobic exercise can cause muscle loss by Jerry Brainum

Run Away Muscle by Jerry Brainum in the 2009 issue

   Aerobics offers the most efficient form of cardiovascular exercise. The increased cardiac fitness that results, along with better vascular tone, improves overall endurance. You can train harder and faster with less fatigue when you’re in good cardiovascular shape. And since the number-one cause of death is some form of cardiovascular disease, the importance of doing aerobics is self-evident.

   Competitive bodybuilders usually have no particular fondness for aerobics but grudgingly do it to lose fat, particularly prior to a contest. That makes sense, since fat can only be burned in the presence of oxygen, and no form of exercise requires a greater oxygen intake than aerobics. Contrary to what you may read or hear, it’s just not possible to fully duplicate the effects of aerobics with weight training alone. In fact, attempting to do so defeats the whole purpose of weight training, which is based on progressive resistance.

   But many bodybuilders have slipped into overtraining by becoming a bit too enthusiastic about aerobics. In their zeal to get as cut as possible, some follow the maxim that “more is better” when it comes to aerobics.

   Unfortunately, the brain perceives excess aerobics as a form of stress and responds by initiating a cascade of hormonal events that results in an increased secretion of cortisol. Among its many functions, cortisol promotes a catabolic pathway, leading to muscle breakdown and loss.

   When cortisol is elevated, opposing hormones, the anabolic ones, usually decline. That helps explain the often low testosterone levels seen in endurance athletes, particularly those who overtrain and don’t get enough rest.

   From a bodybuilding perspective, low testosterone coupled with high cortisol is disastrous. Not only do muscles atrophy under such conditions, but the higher cortisol levels also promote fat deposition in the trunk, obscuring muscle definition. Cortisol’s promotion of water retention further blunts hard-earned muscle definition.

   A new animal study points to another mechanism whereby excessive aerobics may reduce testosterone levels.1 Twelve rats were divided into exercise and control groups. Those in the exercise group swam for three hours a day, five days a week.

   That regimen led to significant declines in testosterone levels, sperm manufacture and internal sex-organ mass. The researchers measured levels of chemicals known to increase under oxidative conditions and noted that they were high in the exercising rats. The high oxygen intake associated with aerobics produces more free radicals, which are by-products of oxygen metabolism.

   Normally, the body’s defense mechanisms neutralize the effects of free radicals, but in this case the level of exercise overwhelmed the rats’ defenses, leading to unchecked free-radical production. Free radicals tend to attack tissues rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as cellular membranes, and compromised cell function leads to various negative health consequences, including cancer and heart disease.

   In the study the excessive aerobic activity led to damage to testicular cell membranes, which are rich in polyunsaturated fats. That, in turn, decreased the activity of enzymes involved in testosterone synthesis. It also reduced blood flow to the testes, lowering testosterone output.

   Some caveats are in order. First, the study involved rats, and what happened to the rats may or may not occur in humans. On the other hand, human-subject studies have shown that excessive endurance activity often does result in lower testosterone levels. Another thing to consider is what constitutes “excessive” endurance exercise. The rats in this study exercised for three hours a day. Recent studies involving human subjects show that cortisol levels rise after one hour of continuous aerobic exercise. One hour would likely be a sensible time limit for aerobics, enabling you to gain all the benefits while avoiding the possible side effects.

   Research shows that the body responds to regular exercise by upgrading its free-radical defense system, including the various antioxidant enzymes produced in the body that constitute the first line of defense. Still, it would be prudent to assist the defense systems by taking antioxidant supplements and eating foods rich in natural antioxidants, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. While all antioxidants offer benefits, a nutrient called lycopene, which is found in watermelon and in such cooked red vegetables as tomatoes, is known to concentrate in the testes. In fact, studies indicate that men who consume lycopene show about a 30 percent reduced risk of prostate cancer. I suspect that lycopene may also help prevent the oxidation that leads to the lowered testosterone synthesis described in the rat-based study.

   Another factor to consider is recent research that shows free radicals, also known as "reactive oxygen species",(ROS), play a role in promoting the muscle hypertrophy process by acting as signaling elements in muscle. As such, producing free radicals during exercise may exert a beneficial effect in helping to promote gains in muscular size and strength. The optimal scenario may be not too much, or too little production of free radicals following exercise, since excessive free radicals are associated with delayed muscle recovery and muscle soreness.


1 Manna, I., et al. (2003). Effect of intensive exercise-induced testicular gametogenic and steroidogenic disorders in mature Wistar strain rats: a correlative approach to oxidative stress. Acta Physiol Scand. 178:33-40.

©,2013, Jerry Brainum.Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.

 

Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com

 
 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com

 

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Blueberry power! by Jerry Brainum

One Serving Has the Antioxidant Potency of Five Servings of Fruits and Vegetables

Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!
And all ripe together, not some of them green
And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!
—Robert Frost, 1915

   You can only imagine the pressure on Jamie Gold of Santa Monica, California. Here he was, a relatively unknown participant in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. He’d made it to the final table and was closing in on a $12 million payday. Under the stress of hours of intense concentration, Gold munched on something he later credited with helping him maintain his energy as he went on to win the $12 million: blueberries.
    Bodybuilders and anyone else interested in health and disease prevention can take a tip from Gold’s poker-tournament power snack. It may not help you win $12 million, but eating blueberries will provide a wealth of health benefits: potent antioxidant activity that protects against cardiovascular disease and cancer, preservation of brain function with age, prevention of urinary tract infections, possible prevention of diabetes and more.
    Bodybuilders especially should find eating blueberries useful. They contain a moderate amount of carbs balanced by a respectable fiber content that slows carb release and prevents a fat-producing insulin spike. Many bodybuilders don’t eat the minimum five servings a day of fruits and vegetables linked to disease prevention; blueberries are a source of concentrated protective nutrients and won’t make you gain fat. A hundred grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of blueberries deliver the antioxidant power of five servings of fruits and vegetables.
    Small wonder that when food scientists from the United States Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Center ranked 40 fruits and vegetables, blueberries topped the list. Blackberries, garlic, cranberries, kale, strawberries and spinach came next. The total antioxidant value of blueberries is twice that of spinach and three times that of oranges.
    The medicinal value of blueberries was recognized by early American settlers. They learned the value of the fruit from Native Americans, who used blueberries to treat coughs and as a relaxant during childbirth. The settlers added blueberries to soups, stews and other foods.
    Blueberries are available fresh, frozen, pureed, concentrated and dried. They’re also low in calories, fat and sodium and are a good fiber source. While fresh blueberries are higher in vitamins A and C than frozen or canned, one study found that the frozen version was highest in antioxidants.¹ Frozen blueberries are also considerably less expensive than fresh ones.
    Key to blueberries’ antioxidant content are brightly colored pigments called anthocyanins, which provide the intense blue, red and orange colors of many fruits, as well as phenolic acids and flavonoids. Scientists are arguing about how effectively fruit antioxidants are absorbed. Test tube studies show potent antioxidant effects; studies that use human subjects often find relatively little effect because many natural antioxidants are hard for the body to absorb.
    A high absorption rate is what makes blueberries special. One study, for example, featured five middle-aged men who ate a high-fat meal that also included a blueberry supplement. Nineteen of the 25 anthocyanins present in the blueberries showed up in the men’s blood serum.²

                                 

                                   Can Blueberries Slow the Aging Process?

    While the aging process cannot be halted, there are a number of ways to increase the chances of healthier aging. Exercise and nutrition are central to quality of life with the passing years. One theory is that aging is the result of oxidative damage to cells. The body responds by activating its built-in antioxidant systems, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase enzymes and glutathione. But with aging, those natural defenses gradually decline. The good news is that antioxidant nutrients can counteract the decline.
    Because the major causes of death, cardiovascular disease and cancer, are related to out-of-control oxidation, you can see why the government and numerous scientists strongly suggest eating five servings a day of a variety of fruits and vegetables. Their antioxidants number in the thousands, and many cannot be obtained in supplement form. Studies showing no health effects from taking specific antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins E and C and beta-carotene, are flawed because antioxidant nutrients work as part of a network. Using them in an isolated fashion offers few benefits.
     Studies indicate that blueberries have remarkable power to thwart the ravages of aging—even reversing some of its effects. How it works on your brain is a case in point.
     The brain is particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. While it constitutes 2 percent of body mass, it uses 20 percent of the body’s total oxygen. That leads to a greater production of free radicals, or reactive oxygen species, by-products of oxygen metabolism that attack cell membranes and open the door to cellular mutations. The high amount of polyunsaturated fat found in the brain is highly susceptible to oxidation. High levels of vitamin C and iron in the brain also provoke oxidation. The brain’s built-in antioxidant protection system, however, is relatively weak. Even the brain’s neurotransmitters, which transmit nerve signals, can oxidize and generate free radicals. Unlike other cells, nerve cells cannot regenerate, and the loss of nerve cells in different parts of the brain produces anything from memory lapses to outright disease, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
    Inflammation in the brain is associated with brain dysfunction. It’s directly linked to increased free radicals, which explains why both inflammation and free radicals are linked to Alzheimer’s. When neurons in the brain become inflamed, a cascade of inflammatory chemicals—for example nitric oxide synthetase, interleukin-1B, tumor necrosis factor-A and nuclear factor kappa-B—fans the flames and causes brain damage.
The best defense is a generous intake of antioxidant-rich foods, blueberries in particular. Researchers gave 19-month-old rats (equivalent to 65-year-old humans) extracts of blueberry, strawberry and spinach for eight weeks. Blueberries proved most potent in reversing declines in neuronal and cognitive functions. Only the rats that got the blueberry extract  showed improved balance and coordination.³
    Providing blueberries to lab rats bred to produce Alzheimer’s disease helped the rats retain memory functions. The experimenters found that blueberries helped increase neuron-signaling mechanisms.⁴
Insulinlike growth factor 1 is most associated with muscle growth. As the primary anabolic agent of growth hormone, IGF-1 offers potent protective effects against aging. It helps maintain neurons in the hippocampus, the site of learning and memory and the part of the brain most damaged by Alzheimer’s disease. One study found that eating blueberries helps IGF-1 protect the brain.⁵
   Another study exposed rats to radiation, which leads to brain degeneration. Blueberry and strawberry extracts shielded their brains from the effects of radiation. The strawberry extracts seemed to work especially well in the hippocampus, while the blueberry improved function in the striatal area. The authors suggested that this information could be of value to astronauts who are exposed to high radiation levels for longer periods on extended space missions.⁶
    One way that blueberries may improve balance and coordination in aged animals is by protecting and increasing the output of brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. Loss of those cells occurs in Parkinson’s disease and leads to the shaking and loss of coordination characteristic of the disease. Many older people, however, show declining production of dopamine and experience loss of balance and slower gait. Blueberries are especially useful in protecting dopamine production in the brain.
    Another way that the brain protects itself is by producing heat shock proteins. Those special proteins emerge under stress and help prevent the destruction of cells, including neurons. With aging the brain is less efficient at producing heat shock proteins. Rats provided with blueberry extracts, however, showed a heat shock response equivalent to that of young animals.⁷
    The blood-brain barrier is the brain’s defense system—blood vessels that selectively allow only certain substances access into the interior of the brain. Without it many ordinary foods could prove fatal. On the other hand, the barrier also blocks many useful substances. A study that sought to determine the ability of blueberry extracts to enter the brain found that in rats fed the extract for 10 weeks, blueberry extract concentrated in various parts of the brain, particularly those involved in learning and memory. The rats showed improved thinking ability after feeding on blueberry extracts for 10 weeks.
   When the brain is deprived of blood, which happens in some types of strokes, brain damage ensues. One study, however, found that rats with diets containing blueberry, spinach and spirulina extracts suffered less neuron loss when subjected to ischemia, or lack of blood flow. This has implications for brain protection during strokes.⁹

                                                 Blueberries Against Cancer

   A 2001 study found that blueberry and strawberry extracts slowed the growth of cervical and breast cancer cells.¹⁰ Another study found a 50 percent reduced rate of replication of colon cancer cells.¹¹ A follow-up study confirmed the effect of berry extracts on preventing colon cancer and also found protection against breast, oral and prostate cancers.¹² Cancer cells kill themselves when exposed to these extracts.
One way that blueberry and other fruits prevent cancer is by inhibiting the activity of enzymes released by cancer cells that help spread cancer by degrading tissue that would otherwise contain the cancer cells.¹³ Other research shows that a chemical found in blueberries called pterostilbene inhibits cytochrome P-450, which converts chemicals into carcinogens in the body.

                                       

                                    Blueberries and Cardiovascular Protection

   Pterostilbene, besides helping to prevent cancer, also appears to increase the number of low-density-lipoprotein cell receptors, which would have the effect of lowering blood lipids and preventing cardiovascular disease. Another study found that eating blueberries improved the plasticity of vascular smooth muscle, which also offers protection from cardiovascular disease. A rat study found that blueberries help maintain the structural capacity of the aorta, the large artery leading out of the heart. Blueberry antioxidants also prevent high blood pressure by protecting nitric oxide production in arterial walls.Cardiovascular complications are a major cause of death in diabetics. One study found that blueberries have an insulinlike effect on boosting glucose uptake into cells.¹⁴
    The antioxidant effects of blueberries may also help speed recovery from intense exercise and prevent such effects as exercise-induced muscle soreness. One study found that men who ate blueberries were protected from oxidative effects while training under hot conditions.¹⁵ Blueberries proved superior to vitamin C in that regard. Another study, however, failed to find any significant antioxidant effect from blueberry intake prior to a 2 1/2-hour run.¹⁶
   Blueberries can be easily added to any type of protein drink, assuming you have a blender. They add antioxidant value and fiber and exert an alkalinizing effect, which, studies show, prevents muscle catabolism. However, some recent studies that involved an in vitro, or out of the body protocol, found that milk proteins may inhibit the uptake of blueberry antioxidants; the same effect occurs when milk protein is ingested with green tea. Any way you look at it, blueberries and other berries are a definite asset to any bodybuilding nutrition program. They may even help you play poker all night long.

References

¹ Wehrmeister, A., et al. (2005). Antioxidant content of fresh, frozen, canned and dehydrated blueberries. J Am Diet Assoc. 105(supp 2):A-38.
² Kay, C.D., et al. (2002). The effect of wild blueberry (Vaccinium augustifolium) consumption on postprandial serum antioxidant status in human subjects. Br J Nutr. 88:389-97.
³ Joseph, J.A., et al. (1999). Reversals of age-related declines in neuronal signal transduction, cognitive, and motor behavioral deficits with blueberry, spinach or strawberry dietary supplementation. J Neurosci. 19:8114-21.
⁴ Joseph, J.A., et al. (2003). Blueberry supplementation enhances signaling and prevents behavioral deficits in an Alzheimer’s disease model. Nutr Neurosci. 6:153-62.
⁵ Casdadesus, G., et al. (2004). Modulation of hippocampal plas­ticity and cognitive behavior by short-term blueberry supplementation in aged rats. Nutr Neurosci. 7:309-16.
⁶ Shukitt-Hale, B., et al. (2006). Beneficial effects of fruit extracts on neuronal function and behavior in a rodent model of accelerated aging. Neurobiol of Aging. In press.
⁷ Shukitt-Hale, B., et al. (2005). Dietary supplementation with fruit polyphenolics ameliorates age-related deficits in behavior and neuronal markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.

⁸ Andres-Lacueva, C., et al. (2005). Anthocyanins in aged blueberry-fed rats are found centrally and may enhance memory. Nutr Neurosci. 8:111-120.
⁹ Wang, Y., et al. (2005). Dietary supplementation with blueberries, spinach or spirulina reduces ischemic brain damage. Exp Neurol. 193:75-84.
¹⁰ Wedge, D.E., et al. (2001). Anticarcinogenic activity of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry extracts to breast and cervical cancer lines. J Med Food. 4:49-51.
¹¹ Yi, W., et al. (2005). Phenolic compounds from blueberries can inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. J Agric Food Chem. 53:7320-9.
¹² Seeram, N., et al. (2006). Blackberry, black raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, red raspberry, and strawberry extracts inhibit growth and stimulate apoptosis of human cancer cells in vitro. J Agric Food Chem. 54(25):9329-9339.
¹³ Matchett, M.D., et al. (2005). Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase activity in DU145 human prostate cancer cells by flavonoids from lowbush bluberry: Possible roles for protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated events. Nutr Biochem. 17(2):117-125.
¹⁴ Martineau, L.C., et al. (2006). Anti-diabetic properties of the Canadian lowbush blueberry. Phytomedicine. 13:612-623.
¹⁵ McAnulty, S.R., et al. (2004). Consumption of blueberry polyphenols reduces exercise-induced oxidative stress compared to vitamin C. Nut Res. 24:209-21.
16 Shooter, L., et al. (2004). Effect of blueberry ingestion on oxidative stress and plasma antioxidant potential following a 2.5 hour run. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 26(supp):S258.


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