Author Archives: eremandaban

Caffeine: a misunderstood friend

Every once in a while, some of us need a pick-me-up to make it through a long day. It can come in the form of coffees, teas and even chocolate bars. The common element behind these products is the chemical, caffeine. Often labelled as the bad guy in health industries, caffeine has been through a great deal of scrutiny in the scientific community. In the past, many
caffeine-related myths arose. For example, it was once thought that regular consumption of caffeinated products lead to weak bones and increased risk for heart disease. However, many of these false facts have since then been debunked. In addition to the  amnesty granted to caffeine, many health benefits from its use have been discovered which include improvements in both physical and mental aspects of performance and health and even treatments in Alzheimer’s disease.

A delicious cup of black coffee. By Jon Sullivan via Wikimedia Commons

Caffeine has many applications in the sports and health industries. Many studies have been done which note an improvement in performance in certain sports. Researchers found that caffeine intake boosted the quality of work done in sports requiring power like weightlifting, sports requiring periodic bursts of effort like rugby and tennis, and in sports requiring endurance like running and cycling. These effects were observed from just small doses of caffeine typical of the general public. In addition to the benefits achieved in a sports-setting, caffeine also has use in body composition control. An increase in metabolic rate and fat loss was observed in subjects three hours after caffeine intake. Researchers noted an increase in the total amount of available energy in the form of circulating free fatty acids from predisposed fat stores in the body. This specific property can be used in treating obesity and aiding those individuals looking to lose fat with regular exercise. While caffeine has been found to be extremely useful in achieving  physical well-being, it can also play a role in mental health and function maintenance.

Cyclists in the US Air Force. By U.S. Air Force via Wikimedia Commons

Many energy drinks containing caffeine often state that their product helps temporarily restore mental alertness and wakefulness. This claim has some truth to it as most studies involving caffeine have recently found. Countless studies have found that fatigued individuals performed better on cognitive tasks with the ingestion of caffeine. Although it is widely known for its effects on alertness and attention, it can also aid in learning. In a study done in France, a researcher observed an increase in a specific type of learning when administering human participants with caffeine. Passive learning increased in individuals when they given information to remember operating on the premise that no test would be given afterwards. Furthermore, caffeine has applications in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In one study, it was discovered that taking
500 mg of caffeine or an equivalent three cups of coffee provided protection against this ailment. In most patients with this disease, aggregations of a compounds called beta amyloids were found in their brains. Caffeine’s primary pharmacological action in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is the inhibition of certain enzymes needed for the formation of these beta amyloids which resulted in the reduction in the cognitive decline observed in patients.

A discussion of the therapeutic use of caffeine. (attributed to YouTube user: healthycoffeeupdate)
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Caffeine, when used in moderation, is an extremely useful substance. From increasing physical performance to maintaining mental health, caffeine provides many benefits. So next time a barista at your favorite coffee-house asks you if you want either a regular cup of joe or decaf, I’d personally recommend the former!

-Earvin Remandaban

Did you eat breakfast today?

For many students, midterms and the dreaded all-nighters are creeping just around the corner like a bad zombie movie. This can definitely make it quite difficult for some to maintain a regular eating pattern. Just the other day, I over slept my clock’s set alarm and had to skip breakfast just to sneak into a midterm I had that day. Although this is not the greatest of habits, this is certainly not an isolated case. Many people find it necessary to forgo their normally scheduled meals in order to meet important deadlines in school and work alike.

Mmmm, a typical american breakfast! Author: Jessica from Hove, American breakfast , via Wikimedia Commons

Is this even remotely healthy for us? Our grumbling stomachs tell us, “NO WAY!”

However, recent research done on intermittent fasting (IF) paints us a new and appealing picture of the issue. Intermittent fasting is an eating strategy that uses scheduled fasts before and after a daily feasting period where an entire day’s caloric requirements are typically consumed. These bouts of eating usually span from one to eight hours depending on an individual’s preferences.

An overview of intermittent fasting and its many variations (0:37-1:42). (attributed to Youtube user: Ian McCarthy)

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In one study that explored the effect of meal frequency on the thermic effect of food (TEF), it was found that women consuming one large meal a day experienced higher TEF values than women who consumed the same amount of calories split into six meals. The TEF is the energy needed to store dietary nutrients and convert recently ingested food into useful metabolites. The researchers observed faster gastric emptying and nutrient absorption from subjects eating all their daily required calories in one sitting. This results in higher TEFs due to the fact that there are more nutrients in the blood available to be oxidized or stored. This implies that one can burn more energy in a day by simply condensing their calories into less meals per day.

Portion of a caloric dense meal. Author: Sgt. Drew Hendricks, via Wikimedia Commons

In another study of reduced meal frequency, it was noted that most signs of health remained the same regardless of the number of meals consumed by men and women. The measured heart rates, body temperatures and body weights did not significantly change when switching between eating strategies. While most factors remained constant, the fat mass between treatment groups did not. Participants of the study subjected to one meal per day experienced significant reductions in fat mass.

Comparison of varying visceral fat accumulation in men. Source: Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2000. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Although IF provides benefits for improving body composition, it also has relevance in preventative measures against diseases. When exploring the relationship between meal frequency and colorectal cancer, researchers discovered that those who ate four or more times a day had a two-fold elevated risk of incidence. The main reason behind this is the secretion of bile acids. Upon eating a meal, the gallbladder contracts and releases primary bile acids into the small intestine. Despite its involvement in the digestion of dietary fats, it also has a role in colorectal carcinogenesis. The bile secreted into the lumen acts as a promoter for colon tumors. It follows that by eating less frequently throughout the day, one can reduce their risk of colorectal cancer.

Spatial orientation of the colon. Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Intermittent fasting may even aid in promoting brain health and longevity. Studies on rodents subjected to a reduced meal frequency showed an increased production of ketone bodies. These chemicals have use as an energy source and can even provide some other benefits like neuroprotection and resistance to epileptic seizures. The experimenters noted a significant increase in the survival of neurons after injecting mice undergoing IF with seizure-inducing excitotoxins into their hippocampi.

While I don’t recommend intentionally skipping meals to obtain the  benefits mentioned above, I do hope that the merits of fasting are slightly more apparent.  Compensating for previously missed breakfasts, lunches or dinners with slightly less nutritional foods for the sake of sticking to a set schedule may do more harm than skipping the meal altogether!

-Earvin Remandaban

Easier Alternatives to Cardio?

About 2 weeks have passed since the start of a new year and gyms everywhere have been consistently filled with hopefuls who are determined to improve their overall body composition in time for the upcoming beach season. These trainees often make treadmills and stationary bikes their home away from home, dedicating countless hours in a day in order to burn off that extra bit of unwanted fat.

Runners on treadmills. Author: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph M. Buliavac, via Wikimedia Commons.

Despite the amount of hard work and effort put it by plenty of gym-goers, gym attendance unfortunately declines as the year progresses. Many people lose hope due to their obtained results not living up to their initial expectations. While fat loss is no walk in the park, it definitely is not the nightmare many people seem to think it is.

Standing on a weigh scale. Author: Bill Branson, National Cancer Institute, via Wikimedia Commons

If you were to ask anyone off the street, they would most likely mention that hours upon hours of running or biking is the key to fat loss. However, a more efficient strategy to improve one’s body composition could be defined in two parts. The first component involves setting caloric restrictions on an individual’s diet to achieve body fat reduction. In order to do this, you need calculate your body’s total daily caloric requirements and aim to eat below this amount. Mifflin et al. proposed the following equation to calculate this number:

For men:
BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] – [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
For women:
BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] – [4.92 x age (years)] -161

In the above formulas, BMR stands for basal metabolic rate. This value represents the minimum amount of calories your body needs to consume in order to maintain vital processes like breathing and gastrointestinal activity. Mifflin et al. multiplied the results of the BMR equation by an activity factor ,  which was based on the lifestyle of the individual,  to determine the total amount of calories required for the entire day.

Studies have shown that by simply reducing daily food intake  below an individual’s total daily caloric requirement over a period of 24 weeks resulted in a 27% decrease in total fat mass in men and a 22% decrease in total fat mass in women. This loss in fat was independent of the amount of cardiovascular exercise done by participants of the study.

An overview of caloric intake vs caloric output. (attributed to Youtube user: leanbodylifestyle)

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While it is true that you can lose fat on a calorie restrictive diet alone, it doesn’t mean one can’t lose muscle mass as well. The second part of the strategy to improve body composition is the incorporation of resistance training which can help retain an individual’s useful lean body mass. In the study above, participants that underwent daily caloric restrictions and resistance training 3 days a week still exhibited overall body fat reduction and their ability to lift weights showed no signs of decrease for the entire duration of the 8 week study.

Dumbbells on a rack. Author: www.spreadfilms.de (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Although the benefits of doing cardiovascular activity on a regular basis are important, its excessive use should not be seen as an individual’s main tool for reducing fat around the body. Instead, by monitoring what you eat and adding some weight training into the mix, you can make the journey towards improving health and fitness a bit more bearable.

-Earvin Remandaban