Thermodynamic Edge For Low Carbohydrate Diets: SUNY Downstate Researchers Say All Calories Are NOT Alike

In a paper published in Nutrition Journal (Open Access, available without subscription at http://www.nutritionj.com/home), two researchers from SUNY Downstate Medical Center show that low carbohydrate, high protein diets can be expected to be more effective than low fat diets, going against long standing prejudice of the nutritional community, which has claimed that only calories count.

(PRWEB) July 31, 2004 -- ?There are numerous examples of low carbohydrate diets being more effective than low fat diets with the same number of calories. It doesn?t always happen but it can happen,? said Dr. Richard Feinman of the Department of Biochemistry. ?The nutritional establishment has been reluctant to accept this, because they say it violates the law of thermodynamics. However, they never seriously look at the thermodynamics, which not only says its possible, but it is to be expected.? he added.

In their paper, Dr. Feinman and Dr. Eugene J. Fine explain that thermodynamics is as much about efficiency as it is about energy conservation. Carbohydrate is an efficient fuel, whereas protein is not. On a low carbohydrate/high protein diet, even though total energy is conserved, more energy is wasted as heat, a process known as thermogenesis. This energy comes from burning fat.

The researchers stress that ?the human body is not a storage locker. It is a machine and the efficiency of the machine is controlled by hormones and enzymes. Carbohydrates increase insulin and other hormones that regulate enzymes, leading to storage rather than burning of fat.?

?Of course, people are different? said the authors, ?but many people are sensitive to the effects of carbohydrates and for them, a low carb diet is going to work well.?

The practical point is that getting rid of the idea that ?a calorie is a calorie? opens the door for serious research into what kind of diets will be most effective and which people will benefit most. ?This is important,? they explain ?because millions of people
are seriously trying to lose weight on low carbohydrate diets, and instead of being given directions on the best way to do this, they have been largely discouraged by health professionals and self-appointed expert groups. The obesity epidemic is too important to allow this to happen.?

Note to editors/reporters: You can read the entire scientific paper by going to http://www.nutritionj.com/home and clicking on ?Provisional PDF? at the bottom of the headline.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/7/prweb145415.htm

I copied pasted this from another forum. Hope yall dont mind

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Thanks, King.

This is a cogent explanation of something I've believed for a long time.

I've often said that the laws of thermodynamics don't apply to me. LOL! That's because I was just concentrating on the first law, as most calorie counters do, without reference to entropy.

Great read.

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it's a press release, so that's fine.

Thank you for the article--that was informative. It is nice to see that it is hitting the presses and being put out to the public as fact and not swept under some rug somewhere in an attempt to slow down the "Diet Revolution"!

I suspect that may be why I am warmer than normal this year too!

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Lori

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My other journal http://www.lowcarbeating.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1130

Great article. Wonderful to have some scientific verification for the phenomena we experience, too.

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BC
LC Since 1998
Highest Weight 172
Current 104-108

Thanks King,

I know I had read about the keto-genic advantage before. And it's nice to hear that this phenomenom is becoming more recognized. After all, isn't this advantage key to our weight loss?

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"Failure is not an option" ~ me


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Ya that last paragraph hit close to home for me. My doctor is prejudice against low carb diets. I trust him with me and my family's health. But when it come to weight loss he's old fashion. You know "high carb, low fat and lots of exercise". He dont understand that I feel hungry an hour after I eat a "Healthy low fat" meal.

I emailed this news report to him along with my current weight. Ive lost 27 pounds in 30 days. I know he will reply with "well some of that was just water". 8 pounds on average is water. Ill ask him to explain what happend to the other 19 pounds and without hunger. I hope this article will help open his eyes

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Well, King, you may be the one to open his eyes. I've certainly helped to educate a number of drs. LOL!

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