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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by CareBear04 on February 3, 2005, at 20:39:57
hello everyone-- i've been trying to educate myself about nutrition, metabolism, and exercise. my drs want me to get my metabolism going again by eating more and exercising more. in the fall, i lost a lot of weight unintentionally. after a throat injury from an endoscopy, i couldn't eat or drink much, and i think i lost something like 5 pounds that week. maybe a lot was water, but i didn't have dehydration symptoms like low BP or thirst. when i was hospitalized, they found a really low prealbumin level, which they said is indicative of malnutrition. they also found a lot of ketones in my urine, which i guess comes from excess breakdown of fat or something? anyway, you would think that my metabolism would grind to a stop when i stopped eating and drinking properly, so that amount of weight loss is a mystery. since prealbumin measures a protein, would low prealbumin mean that my body used up protein stores? my brother takes protein supplements to help build muscles. he's 17, and in the past few months with martial arts and weight training, he's gone from rail thin to looking pretty built. so what i conclude from that is that protein is necessary for muscle building. during aerobic exercise and strength training, is fat burned first or protein? i've read today that dieters should exercise to get their metabolism up first, then cut calories because when they are out of shape, the body doesn't access fat and goes straight to burning protein. can anyone explain this? when i got really underweight, my prealbumin was low, but my albumin, which changes only over weeks or months was right in reference range, telling that the problem was of recent onset. if i had stores of protein left, why did my body turn to fats and start burning them right up?
i've starting exercising again this week. i think my body was made for distance walking and running. i used to run about 5 miles a day and liked it and went to school in ny and loved walking everywhere. that kept off the freshman 15 and other lbs from dining hall food. in the fall, i got really deconditioned and sedentary like a fragile old person. even so, on a recent overseas trip, i was able to walk quickly and keep up with everyone, even after two months of lying in bed. i've walked about 4 miles a few times this week without much trouble. i think those muscles just have to be built back up. i guess walking is the best form of exercise for me because i can do it at a fast pace and without much strain. as for swimming, it's a new kind of exercise for me. i used to swim competetively, but i've only swam once in about eight years, so i'm very out of shape. i've heard different things about swimming-- that it's good whole body exercise or that it's not good aerobic exercise for reasons like that it's too hard to do for the required 30+ minutes. if i don't eat much protein, especially not meat, will i gain muscle or will my body break down protein during exercise? i could never do atkins or south beach because i like carbs too much and don't much like protein foods.
one more question-- since finishing growing and everything, my exercise has been of the same sort, and my figure hasn't changed much. i'm built like a little boy-- small shoulders, waist, hips, and so on... no curves to speak of, unfortunately. as of late, i've been more underweight and "frail," as my dr put it. my dr is conservative in his expectations, and he says 2-3 pounds more would be good. assuming that i gain that in muscle, will i look healthier and broader, or because of the decrease in fat, will i look thinner and more fragile? i'd like curves and esp breasts, but i don't think those are created by exercise, huh?
Posted by jujube on February 5, 2005, at 12:57:17
In reply to protein and fat metabolism, posted by CareBear04 on February 3, 2005, at 20:39:57
I am certainly no expert, so I will just share with you information I have extracted from documents I had come across when I was trying to better inform myself on why protein is such an important element in a balanced diet.
First, I have read that protein, which is made up of chains of amino acids, some of which our bodies cannot manufacture, is essential for building and mantaining muscles, as well as repairing the muscle damage that occurs during training. Protein is also needed to make red blood cells, produce hormones, boost your immune (disease-fighting) system, and help keep hair, fingernails, and skin healthy.
I have also read that, contrary to popular belief, you do not build muscle when you workout. When you lift weights, you are actually breaking down your muscle tissue. Immediately after working out, your body begins to repair and recover. It does this by taking protein and breaking it down into individual Amino Acids, then reconfiguring them and placing them wherever they need to go. Instead of just rebuilding your muscle back to normal, your body super compensates. That means that you will be gaining muscle. This is what happens if you have enough protein in your system. On the other hand, if you don't have enough protein, your body goes into a catabolic state (defined as destructive metabolism involving the release of energy and resulting in the breakdown of complex materials within the organism). Apparently, this is what happens to most people. In this situation, your body does not have enough protein to rebuild, so it begins to break down your existing muscle to repair what was broken down in the gym. Obviously, this is not productive. This is the reason why so many people don't get the results they want and get disillusioned with working out. Fortunately, I have read, you can avoid this common mistake by simply taking in an adequate amount of protein each and every day.
So protein is an important and vital part of a person's diet. Protein is required for the growth, maintenance, and repair of all body tissues. It is also required for the formation of enzymes and hormones that regulate body processes. Certain proteins transport oxygen, while others facilitate muscle contraction. As antibodies, they are involved in the function of the immune system. Protein can act as an energy source when needed in the fasting state or during extended physical exertion. Many vitamins and minerals are bound to specific protein carriers for transport.Protein is also necessary for blood clotting and fluid balance. In other words,proteins play a vital role in virtually every metabolic, structural,and physiologic process required for life!
The body makes adjustments for low protein intake depending on the quality of the protein ingested and the level of energy intake. Beyond a critical point,however, the body can no longer adapt. Because protein is life sustaining, a dietary protein deficiency has a profound effect on the body; wasting of body tissues, fatty liver, diminished immune response, weakness, loss of vigor, and a host of other metabolic and physiologic consequences develop. Protein deficiency can also result in impaired growth in infants and children. With increasing age, lean muscle mass decreases and body fat mass icreases. Women tend to be more protein deficient than men and therefore start to lose lean muscle mass earlier than men. This decline in skeletal muscle mass may contribute to age-related reductions in bone density, insulin sensitivity, and aerobic capacity. So, increasing muscle mass and strength may be an important way to increase functional independence and decrease the prevalence of many age-associated chronic diseases.
Meat is not the only source of protein. Eggs and cheese are protein sources. And, based on my reading, next to meat, cheese and eggs, legumes – beans, peas and nuts – have the most protein. But they are called incomplete proteins because they are lacking some essential amino acids. You can get complete protein if you combine them with plant foods from one of these categories – grains, seeds and nuts, and vegetables. Eat any two or more of these plant foods, with or without beans, and you get complete protein. Apparently, You do not have to eat these foods in the same dish, or even in the same meal. But many cultures have created combinations that work well – like corn and beans in Mexico, or rice and split peas in India. Many Americans enjoy legumes and grains in a peanut butter sandwich.
http://www.fitamerica.com/famd/opages/importanceofproteins.asp
Posted by CareBear04 on February 5, 2005, at 18:59:15
In reply to Re: protein and fat metabolism » CareBear04, posted by jujube on February 5, 2005, at 12:57:17
dear jujube,
thanks so much for your VERY thorough post. you know so much about this stuff! your summary was as good as any article i've come across and much more succinct!
so assume you do about 45 min of a "whole body" strength workout-- legs, arms, abs. if you don't take in enough protein to build the muscles, where does the muscle redistribution occur?
also, do cardio workouts only burn calories and make your heart healthier? is there no muscle building involved? it occurred to me that anorexic girls are most often running compulsively around or spending hours on the treadmills or ellipticals; i never see them doing strength training. is that because cardio takes off pounds while strength training puts them on?
thanks for your knowledge!
Posted by jujube on February 7, 2005, at 12:05:30
In reply to Re: protein and fat metabolism » jujube, posted by CareBear04 on February 5, 2005, at 18:59:15
I can not in good conscience accept such compliments. I am certainly no expert be any means. And, the summary was simply a compilation of articles, etc. which I had read and saved (I have been too tired lately to re-write and put the gist of my findings in my own words. Oh the joys of cut and paste!). I am sure there are people who are far smarter and more knowledgeable than I who could provide even more succinct and useful information.
Anyway, here is some information on aerobic exercise which may answer some of your questions.
> I used to think the main benefits of aerobic exercise were improved cardiovascular health, increased metabolism and an increased sense of well-being (including mood brightening, improved ability to handle stress and reduced anxiety). Aerobic exercise does so much more. Here is a list of benefits that was in one of the documents I had come across and retained for reference:
Improves Bone Calcium; Improves Blood High Density Cholesterol; Improves Handling Of Excess Heat; Increases Hemoglobin; Improves Resistance To Cold; Decreases Blood Tri-glycerides; Decreases Blood Pressure; Decreases Insulin Requirement; Increases Glycogen Storage; Less Conversion Of Sugar To Fat; Increases Stroke Volume of Heart; Decreases Resting Heart Rate; Helps Avoid Senility - Increases Oxygen Delivery To Brain; Increased Oxygen Pickup In The Lungs; Increases Fat Burning Enzymes; Fat Deposits Release Fatty Acids Better; Better Control Of Hunger; Decreases Body Fat; Increases Muscle Mass; More Calories Burned; More Fat Calories Burned; Decreases Muscle Dependence On Sugar; Decreases Incidence of Hypoglycemia
What I have read is the aerobic exercise helps you maintain a normal weight by increasing your metabolism (the rate you burn calories). In addition, muscles that are not used become small and inelastic, but aerobic exercise will help tone your body by increasing muscle size, strength and flexibility while burning calories.
When we exercise, our bodies require more energy and our metabolism increases in order to supply it. However, most of the time we are not all that active, which is the reason people want to increase their metabolism. The idea is to burn more calories when doing very little, like sitting around or even sleeping.
With regard to resistence/weight training, I have read that properly performed high intensity strength training stimulates the development of muscle mass which in turn will alter metabolism in two different ways. First, resting metabolic rate is increased when one gains muscle mass. While the energy expenditure per pound of lean body mass does not change, the addition of more muscle mass means higher energy expenditure or increased metabolism at rest. Further, the more muscle mass an individual has the greater the post exercise oxygen consumption. What I have gathered from things I have read is that strength training individuals have more muscle mass, they burn more calories during the post exercise period.
Improved muscle health. Aerobic exercise also helps improve muscle health. From what I have read, it stimulates the growth of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in your muscles. This helps your body more efficiently deliver oxygen to your muscles and remove from them irritating metabolic waste products, such as lactic acid. This can lessen your pain if you have chronic muscle pain, fibromyalgia or chronic low back pain.
I extracted this from a shot Mayo Clinic article I had come across and saved for future reference: When you participate in aerobic exercise, your body burns calories. Although a fat calorie is the same as a glycogen calorie, you can vary your exercise to focus on burning one or the other. To burn fat, choose an activity that's low to moderate in intensity and takes longer, such as brisk walking, swimming or square dancing. Short-term, higher-intensity activities (anaerobic exercises), such as 100-yard sprints, tend to burn glycogen. These short, intense activities, however, won't burn fat as effectively and therefore aren't as effective for weight loss. They're also more stressful to the body in general, and you may put yourself at risk of injuring yourself or overstressing your cardiovascular system if you're not in shape.
I just wanted to add the following which I extracted from the reading I have done since proper diet and adequate exercise go hand in hand in maintaining weight and toning our bodies. When our main source of energy (glucose) depletes, the process of metabolism turns to fat stores (body fat) for it’s primary energy source. On the other hand when our supply of blood sugar is too high, the process of metabolism stores excess "energy" by converting it into body fat causing the weight scale to move in an upward direction. Proper diet will increase and speed up your metabolism. It is important to never skip a meal or go on any type of starvation diet. You should always eat healthy snacks between meals. The idea is to eat frequently to prevent hunger pangs, and to keep your energy levels consistent which in turn will increase and speed up your metabolism. Our bodies were designed with a survival mechanism just in case there is a time of famine. Because of this mechanism, it is easier for the body to store fat. If we go on any calorie deficit diet or some type of starvation diet you can forget about increasing your metabolism because our body's metabolism decreases in order to conserve energy. In this mode, it is much easier for the body to store what we eat as body fat and burn energy from muscle tissue. Since muscle tissue burns a higher amount of calories, the less we have the lower our metabolism will be.
Increase metabolism by eating several smaller meals per day. The idea is to never let yourself get hungry. One way to accomplish this would be to eat three healthy nutritious meals and eat healthy nutritious snacks in between those meals keeping yourself satisfied throughout the day. It will be very important that the snacks are healthy, and that the meal sizes are reduced to compensate for the additional calories the snacks provide to prevent weight gain.
Posted by CareBear04 on February 8, 2005, at 10:23:42
In reply to Re: protein and fat metabolism ?CareBear04, posted by jujube on February 5, 2005, at 12:57:17
dear jujube,
i started exercise again last week and have been doing some really rigorous stuff. i do some aerobic, like walking or lap swimming, but i've been doing a lot of strength training courses including weights. you wrote that our bodies are always breaking down muscle and need protein to rebuild. i've been trying to take in more protein than before since it's also important to toning and weight loss. despite all the exercise and the negative calorie balance, i've gained a pound or two. my kidneys have been doing poorly lately. i'm wondering whether the breakdown of muscle from exercise has anything to do with serum creatinine, the measure of kidney function. if so, it makes sense that my muscle breakdown is causing creatinine to rise,and my body weight to rise a bit, too. i may be a little dehydrated, too. i never drink enough. then, even more, the breakdown muscle wouldn't be excreted properly. i know only that creatinine rises the more muscle you have. i don't know about the connection between exercise and muscle breakdown and kidney function. it makes some sense, especially with the weight gain. i can usually lose weight very easily, and i'm just wondering why i'm holding fast or gaining now. if you know, please let meknow! thanks!
Posted by jujube on February 8, 2005, at 15:06:57
In reply to weight gain from muscle breakdown? » jujube, posted by CareBear04 on February 8, 2005, at 10:23:42
Oh my goodness Carebear, I'm so sorry, but those questions are way out of my league. I wish I could help you. I don't know for sure, but I think that Larry Hoover may be able to provide some insight. Hopefully he will read this thread. If not, why don't you direct your question to Larry either in a new thread or in this one.
Sorry I couldn't help.
Take care.
> dear jujube,
> i started exercise again last week and have been doing some really rigorous stuff. i do some aerobic, like walking or lap swimming, but i've been doing a lot of strength training courses including weights. you wrote that our bodies are always breaking down muscle and need protein to rebuild. i've been trying to take in more protein than before since it's also important to toning and weight loss. despite all the exercise and the negative calorie balance, i've gained a pound or two. my kidneys have been doing poorly lately. i'm wondering whether the breakdown of muscle from exercise has anything to do with serum creatinine, the measure of kidney function. if so, it makes sense that my muscle breakdown is causing creatinine to rise,and my body weight to rise a bit, too. i may be a little dehydrated, too. i never drink enough. then, even more, the breakdown muscle wouldn't be excreted properly. i know only that creatinine rises the more muscle you have. i don't know about the connection between exercise and muscle breakdown and kidney function. it makes some sense, especially with the weight gain. i can usually lose weight very easily, and i'm just wondering why i'm holding fast or gaining now. if you know, please let meknow! thanks!
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