Reduced Insulin Secretion in Paleo Diet : Complications ?

இந்த கட்டுரையின் தமிழ் வடிவம் பேலியோவால் இன்சுலின் சுரப்பது குறைவதால் பாதிப்புகள் ஏற்படுமா என்ற பக்கத்தில் உள்ளது



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Few Questions come up when we discuss Low Carbohydrate High Fat Diet (Paleo Diet, Atkins Diet etc)

Question 1
But, Dr Mariano Anto Bruno Mascarenhas , my doubt is as insulin is a very important anabolic hormone and plays a very vital role in protein synthesis from amino acids , won’t the decreased insulin also lead onto less protein production and more proteolysis?
Question 2
If we don’t eat Carbohydrates, Insulin Secretion will decrease. Will the Pancreas stop secreting insulin altogether ?
Question 3
Can Pancreas Stop Secreting Insulin if we take Low Carb

Let us explain about this concept in this article

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You must have known that Insulin is a hormone Secreted by Beta Cells of Pancreas and from There, insulin is directly released into the blood. After getting released into blood, insulin does the following metabolic activities

1. Increases Glucose Uptake
2. Increases Glycolysis
3. Increases conversion of Pyruvate to Acetyl CoA
4. Increases Glycogenesis
5. Decreases Glycogenolysis
6. Decreases Gluconeogenesis
7. Increases HMP Shunt
8. Decrease Lipolysis
9. Increase Fatty Acid Synthesis
10. Increases TriGlycerides Synthesis
11. Decreases Ketogenesis
12. Increase Amino Acid uptake
13. Protein Anabolic Effect of Growth Hormone (permissive effect)
14. Increases protein Synthesis
15. Regulation of Ribosomal Translation
16. Decrease in Potassium and Phosphorus in Blood
17. Stimulates Growth and Cell Replication

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From this extremely long list, we can know that reduction in blood Glucose is the main function of Insulin. The Main Function of Insulin is Anabolism and Reduction of Insulin is just the side effect of that. 

In fact

• The number of hormones which reduce blood glucose (like insulin) is quite low
• There are a huge nunber of hormones which increase the glucose in blood

Why? Because

• Our Body is inherently not suited to eat Carbohydrates
• We are inherently suited to eat fats
• Since we are not supposed to eat Carbs, Nature has given us only insulin to deal with Glucose in Blood and lots of other hormones to deal with fat
• That is why lack of a single hormone which has to reduce blood sugar leads to disease
• When one of the hormones which has to increase blood sugar is not functioning properly, the other hormones take the role and hence the person does not become diseased

In Human Evolution, Our Food Pattern Changed to Predominatly Carb just recently

• That is after we started regular Agriculture and Cultivation
• That is in the past 2000 years

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And, when our body is not suited for Carbohydrates, we take a predominantly Carbohydrate Food. What Will happen

• Glucose Level in Blood Increases
• Insulin is the only hormone which has to fight this
• Insulin Secretion Increases beyond its physiological capacity

What will happen when insulin secretion in kept at a high level for months and years together
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Assume a Village with 50 families and a Village Pond which feeds them

The water in the village pond is sufficient for 50 families

What will happen when a Water Bottling Company comes and sets up the factory and uses Bore Well to get all the water

The Pond will become Dry Soon. . .Isn’t it

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In the same way, When we eat more Carbohydrates than what we are supposed to eat

• Lots of Insulin is Needed
• Lots of Insulin is secreted
• Over a period of time, the beta cells get tired
• and
• At this stage, the patient is given tablets to increase the secretion

After this time, beta cells wear down (the pond is even more drier)

• We need to give Insulin by Injection

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When the Pond is totally dry, The Village is dependant on Water Coming inside in Lorries

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If we don’t eat More Carbs, the amount of Insulin needed is less and our Pancreas and beta cells do not get tired 

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We all know that each and every village pond is different. Not All Ponds are the same

• Some Ponds can support only 50 families
• Some Ponds have more water and can support even 100 families
• Some Ponds have even more Water and can even support a Bottling Factory

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Same Way, each and every one’s pancreas has different capacity

• Many people’s pancreas can tolerate only limited Carbohydrates. When this level is crossed, the beta cells cannot cope up
• Few others have a pancrease which can tolerate more carbohydrates for some time alone, but after that the beta cells get tired and reduce the secretion
• Few others are blessed with a pancreas that can tolerate any amount of insulin

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Of this

• The First Category belongs to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2 DM)
• The Second Category belongs to Pre Diabetes or Impaired Glucose Tolerance என்கிறோம்
• The Third Category do not become diabetic even after eating kilos of sweets

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So, what is meant by Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 DM)

• If the Pond dries up since lots of water has been pumped out, it is Type 2 DM
• If there was a war in the area of pond, the pond becomes unusable. That is ype 1 DM

That’s All Folks !