Researchers from the study have stated that “If you find it incredibly hard to lose weight, it is because the stored fat in the body is actively fighting against your efforts to burn it off at the molecular level”. All rodents increased their metabolic rate slightly when switched from a lower fat diet to a higher fat diet, but mice lacking the sLR11 protein showed significant increase in energy expenditure, and were able to burn calories faster, in comparison to mice that possessed the sLR11 protein-producing gene.

Body is made up of fat cells, some that store excess energy to release when required, and some called brown adipocytes, that help the body in the process of heat generation or thermogenesis.

Afterwards, it has been discovered that LR11 had a role in regulating the lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that regulates the supply of lipid to brown adipose tissue, coordinating its vesicular transport.

In their paper the authors suggest that sLR11 helps fat cells resist burning too much fat during “spikes” in other metabolic signals following large meals or short term drops in temperature. Based on this promising discovery, we look forward to the Cambridge team’s future findings.

While explaining the functioning of the fat cells, study authors said that almost all the fat cells store energy in the body and they release it when needed or at the time of crisis. It resists weight loss by inhibiting thermogenesis, or a process of creating heat that helps melt the fat away.

The presence of this protein’s amount is dependent on the amount of fat in the body.

Researcher also noted that the amount of protein a person can have depends on how much fat is stored in that particular person’s body.

This comes as a confirmation for millions of fat people all over the world who until know haven’t had any idea why it is so hard for them to lose weight, despite their tremendous efforts. The study has also indicated that once weight is gained it is important to try to lose it as fast as possible in order to prevent physiological changes from occurring in the body, changes such as the secretion of the sLR11 protein.

Unfortunately, though, Pearson added that “an effective medicine to treat obesity, which safely manages weight loss is still some way off”.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO (KTVI) – If you are trying to lose weight before the holidays, it’s probably too late. But if you are looking to lose weight despite the holidays, help has arrived.

It’s called ‘balloon therapy.’

“You feel full sooner because you actually have the balloon sitting in there, taking up space,” said Dr. Shelby Sullivan, director of bariatric endoscopy at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital.

The FDA approved two balloon therapy products this summer. One is called Orbera. It is a less expensive method using one balloon. The other is called ReShape, which uses two balloons in case one deflates.

Both versions are made of silicone and filled with saline; both are placed in the stomach through an endoscopic tube down the patient’s throat.

The procedure usually takes less than 10 minutes, and requires only minor sedation. However, the balloons must be removed after six months or they may start to leak.

The results of balloon therapy are often two to three times better than dieting and exercise alone.

“We are really trying to aim for a 15 to 20 percent total body weight loss,” said Dr. Sullivan.

Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in Creve Coeur says it is the only local hospital offering both types of balloon therapy.

To increase long-term success, patients are enrolled in the hospital’s Lifestyle Therapy program for one year.

“Twenty-five percent of patients had their lowest weight recorded six months after the balloon was removed, so it is really possible to maintain that weight loss, but you have to keep coming to those lifestyle therapy sessions,” she said.

Using balloon therapy to lose weight is not covered by insurance. Typically, it costs between $7,000 to $8,000. Balloon Therapy is for adults only and works best for patients trying to lose between 30 to 100 pounds.

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There’s no shame in having weight loss surgery if you deeply feel it’s the right choice for you. None of us ought to feel ashamed of our personal choices when it comes to our health and bodies. Despite what some people claim, surgery isn’t the “easy way out.”

On average, this popular procedure is performed nearly 200,000 times each year in the United States (as estimated by American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery). Some people have successful surgeries free of complications, and some people are worse off for it. There is no guarantee that your life won’t change for the worst when you make this decision, so it’s certainly not the easy way.

I’m not a doctor, nor have I ever pretended to be. I cannot offer medical advice on what is exactly right for you. As a health coach and former plus-sizer, I will offer my two cents, though.

I have friends and clients who have had different variations of bariatric surgery over the years. Most opt for the “restrictive” surgeries such as lap band, gastric sleeve, and gastric balloon because there are fewer complications than when restrictive surgery is combined with malabsorptive which rearranges or removes part of your digestive system to limit the absorption of nutrients (and calories).

I’ve seen a few friends successfully maintaining their weight loss, and I’ve watched even more struggling with obesity and depression years after surgery.

There are many reasons a person ought to try to lose weight by changing their lifestyle before going under the knife. But here’s the main reason I don’t recommend it to my clients:

Our identity (and how we feel about ourselves) is partially formed from actions we take on a regular basis.

When I went from weighing 300 pounds to 150 pounds, the only reason my identity shifted from that of a morbidly obese woman with low self-esteem to a fit woman with more confidence was because of the actions I took on a very consistent basis to help me drop unwanted weight and keep it off all these years. Every decision I made towards bettering my health transformed me into feeling like a healthier and happier person.

Many women go through massive weight loss (with or without surgery) and don’t feel like the person they thought they would. They had false expectations of feeling happier, less self-conscious, sexier, and less depressed. But that doesn’t happen with just a physical weight loss on the scale. It doesn’t happen when our focus is only on numbers and restriction.

The unfortunate thing with weight loss surgery is that there’s a lot of “down time”after operation. Of course, it varies depending on which surgery you elect to undergo and how successful it was. It’s pretty much a requirement that you go on an all-liquid and pureed food starvation diet for about 6-8 weeks post-op (400-800 calories). You will then transition into firmer regular foods in very limited quantities.

As with most surgeries, your exercise is also limited. As soon as you arrive home, you’ll be encouraged just to walk at a snail’s pace for 20-30 minutes (broken into 10-minute intervals throughout the day). You will likely be cleared for more light physical activity between 3-8 weeks after surgery.

There are medical conditions each bariatric patient must be monitored for post-operation, according to the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. These include: hypertension, diabetes, dumping syndrome (extreme bouts of diarrhea usually the result of poor food choices), gastrointestinal and psychosomatic disorders.Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?

The next step for bariatric surgery patients is to try the healthy living thing yet again. This time, with more restriction, because of the surgery. Losing 40 pounds on the liquid diet post-op may give hope and a renewed false sense of accomplishment, but it doesn’t help make the healthy actions that need to be taken any easier than it does when you don’t have surgery. It still requires you to stay motivated and see the value in the seemingly difficult actions that must be taken to keep the weight off.

If you don’t answer the call to action to make healthy decisions the first few times you hear it (before going into surgery), it’ll be there waiting for you afterward. The need to eat healthier and exercise doesn’t go away after surgery (it only grows in difficulty the longer it’s ignored).

Obesity Action Coalition’s educational resources state, “A lifelong exercise program is critical to a weight loss surgery patient’s long-term success. Bariatric surgery is a valuable tool for rapid weight loss; however, in two to three years, if a physically active lifestyle has not been adopted, the weight returns.”

There’s also the “honeymoon phase” with surgery. During the first six months (or so) post-op, patients are more focused than ever on following their new diet and recommended exercise plan. After awhile, if this lifestyle isn’t fully embraced, they slip right back into old habits — much like we already do without surgery.

According to a recent large Canadian study from Sunnybrook Research Institute at the University of Toronto, patients of weight loss surgery are even more likely than the general population to attempt suicide after having the procedure. The study’s lead researcher, Junaid Bhatti, said, “We have to acknowledge that this is a life-changing procedure. Patients have to adapt to a new lifestyle, which can be stressful for them.” This information seems to correlate with another recent study from Yale University that proves moods worsen for some after gastric bypass surgery.

If you’ve already had weight loss surgery, you’re not predetermined to put the weight back on and be a sickly person because of your decision. If anything, I’m hoping this will be an eye-opener that you’ve got to shift your actions if you want to transform your identity (and not just your weight). You will be unhappy and unsatisfied with yourself at any size if you still take the same old actions you’ve always taken.

In my opinion, the magic cure isn’t found in the operating room — it’s in your ability to say, “I know this is going to be tough right now, but I also know it’ll get easier after I do it a few times and stick with it.”

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Weight-loss surgery curbs sugar craving by acting on the brain’s reward system, a new study has found. The researchers found that gastrointestinal bypass surgery is used to treat morbid obesity and diabetes, reduced sugar-seeking behavior in mice by reducing the release of a reward chemical called dopamine in the brain.

“By shedding light on how bariatric surgeries affect brain function, our study could pave the way for the development of novel, less-invasive interventions, such as drugs that reduce sugar cravings by preventing sugar absorption or metabolism upon arrival in the gastrointestinal tract,” said senior study author Ivan de Araujo of Yale University School of Medicine.

Bariatric surgeries are more likely to succeed when patients substantially reduce their caloric intake, and reducing sugary foods is an important part of these behavioural changes. The researchers found that positive outcomes are more likely if sugary foods seem less rewarding after surgery. Patients have reported a change in the type of food they preferred after weight-loss surgery.

Building on past studies that showed that the brain dopamine reward system regulates caloric intake as well as findings from his team that nutrient sensing in the gastrointestinal tract stimulates dopamine release in the dorsal striatum, de Araujo set out to test whether bariatric surgery relies on the same brain circuitry to curb sugary food preference.

They performed surgery in mice to bypass the first part of the small intestine, directly connecting the stomach to a lower section of the gastrointestinal tract. The same procedure is performed in humans, but no gastric pouch was constructed to limit food intake.

But bypass surgery inhibited the sweet-seeking impulse, almost as if it prevented the sugar addiction from taking hold. “Our findings provide the first evidence for a causal link between striatal dopamine signalling and the outcomes of bariatric interventions,” de Araujo said.

“However, ultimately we would like to help patients lose weight and reverse their diabetes without going under the knife,” de Araujo advised

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When it comes to long-term weight loss and management, fats go a long way. Harvard University researchers found low-fat diets flop in long-term weight management and recommended higher fat, lower carb diets instead.

The researchers analyzed 53 diet studies covering over 68,000 participants. They found that low-fat diets only result in higher weight loss when compared with no diet regimen at all. Low-fat diets also resulted in little weight loss when compared with low-carb diets.

“Health and nutrition guidelines should cease recommending low-fat diets for weight loss in view of the clear absence of long-term efficacy when compared with other similar intensity dietary interventions,”wrote the researchers.

Lead author Dr. Deirdre Tobias from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital stressed that there is no good evidence in the continuous recommendation of low-fat diets to people who want to lose weight and keep the excess off.

Many people who follow the low-fat diet also get rid of high-fat foods that are actually healthy such as avocados, dark chocolate, whole eggs and fatty fishes which include herring, mackerel, trout and the crowd’s favorite, salmon. Instead of snacking on high-fat whole foods, they tend to load up on low-fat alternatives, many of which are processed and sugar-loaded.

“Since fat takes a long time to break down in the stomach, it can help people feel fuller for longer after their meals to prevent overeating,” said dietitian Holly Herrington from the Center for Lifestyle Medicine in Chicago. The difference is quite prevalent in low-fat dieters who tend to feel hungrier than people who eat modest amount of good fat in each meal. Effective weight loss management calls for discipline in food proportion. Experts’ advice to just focus on healthy, whole foods instead of processed goods laced in trans-fat and sugar.

In order to effectively fight widespread obesity, Tobias added that more research is needed to best identify methods for long-term weight loss and management. This includes looking beyond the proportion of calories stemming from proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

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Despite the fact that millennials rely on their phones and tablets for almost everything, there is one thing that these smart devices do not help them with: losing weight.

In a new study, researchers from Duke University set out to examine the effectiveness of a low-cost, weight-loss app. The team recruited 365 overweight or obese people between the ages of 18 and 35 and randomly divided them into three groups. The first group was instructed to use an Android app that was designed by the researchers. The app helped the participants track calories, weight and physical activity levels, while providing help with weight-loss via a goal setting feature, social support and games.

The second group received six weekly weight-loss coaching sessions. The personal meetings were then followed up with monthly phone sessions. In this group, the “coach” encouraged but did not require the participants to use apps that can help them with weight-loss. The last group – the control group – was given three handouts that informed them about healthy lifestyle habits.

The team then monitored the participants’ progress after half a year, one year and two years. They found that participants from group two initially lost the most weight in comparison to the other two groups at the six-month check up mark. After one and two years, however, the weight loss was not maintained. The researchers noted that participants in group one never lost more weight on average than the other two groups.

“Given the seeming power of cell phone apps and frankly the popularity of these health and fitness apps in the commercial world, we thought this might be a really good strategy to provide effective intervention very broadly and potentially at low cost,” lead author Dr. Laura Svetkey said reported by MedicalXpress. “We know that in general, the more engaged people are in intervention, the more they’re going to succeed from it. And so perhaps we need to rethink how to make a weight-loss intervention

Obesity is a disease that can lead to so many other health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. In order to prevent these problems, researchers have been studying different ways that can potentially help overweight and obese people lose weight and keep it off.

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Research now shows weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, may be a safe treatment option for people who aren’t considered severely obese.

Cleveland Clinic bariatric surgeon Dr. Ali Aminian led the study.

“We know that bariatric surgery is associated with long term survival and improved quality of life in patient with obesity and type-2 diabetes but the safety issue is a matter of concern among physicians and patients, especially in patients with low BMI,” Dr. Aminian stated.

Weight-loss surgery is often considered a treatment for people who are severely obese, those who have a body mass index, or BMI, of 35 or more.

Previous studies have shown that weight-loss surgery improves type 2 diabetes in nearly 90-percent of these patients.

But the safety of the procedure has been questioned for people who aren’t severely obese.

So, Cleveland Clinic researchers performed a nation-wide safety analysis of about one thousand overweight and mildly obese patients with type 2 diabetes who had bariatric surgery.

Results show that bariatric surgery has a high degree of safety.

“The data shows that the bariatric surgery can be considered a safe option in these particular population,” explained Dr. Aminian.

Researchers say the study, presented at obesity week 2015, is the largest ever-published series of bariatric surgery patients with type 2 diabetes and body mass index of 35 or less.

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OFTEN we aim for a weight on the scale that we think is perfect, acceptable, or the envy of everyone else. But in our feverish attempt to acquire this desired weight we become so obsessed that we ignore every other aspect of health that may be affected.

Consultant general, laparoscopic and obesity surgeon Dr Alfred Dawes said a healthy body weight is important in maintaining good physical health and controlling diseases. But he said when you are dieting, once you have reached your target weight then this is the time that you should stop and focus on maintaining your lifestyle over time.

He pointed out that whether people are trying to gain or lose weight, there are risks involved on both sides of the scale.

“For those who are trying to lose, they may develop an eating disorder. Many people lose their target weight and yet they still continue to diet until they reach an unhealthy weight. And in gaining weight, injuries could occur if people go overboard in trying to gain muscle mass,” Dr Dawes explained.

He said often people not only struggle with being unable to quit their dieting or weight-gain strategies, but they also engage in unhealthy extreme strategies which could cause the development of serious health problems.

“When your weight loss journey becomes unhealthy, you could develop anorexia where you still believe that you appear fat, or bulimia where you may induce vomiting to get rid of calories consumed in food, which could lead to other health issues,” he said.

“Additionally, do not try to reach the lower end of the body mass index because, while you may be at the normal range, it may be too low for you and you may start to lose muscle mass and bone mass in an attempt to reach the ideal weight.”

He said for those who want to gain weight, doctors generally recommend that they build body mass, which is usually accomplished by resistance exercises. However, some people go overboard when they attempt rigorous and strenuous exercises at the gym, which could cause injuries.

Failure to adhere to restrictions of engagement could worsen the problem and cause permanent damage if injuries are not allowed to heal.

For those who have been on severe caloric restrictions, who are experiencing muscle cramps, lethargy, weakness, low energy or difficulty sleeping, he encourages that you may have to abandon your weight-loss programme and try a different approach.

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For obese people with type 2 diabetes, weight-loss-inducing bariatric surgery may be the answer to slimming down and getting off medications – at least in the short-term.

Some Louisville-area doctors, such as Dr. Meredith Sweeney of Norton Surgical Specialists and Dr. John Oldham of Baptist Health Louisville Weight Loss, have seen bariatric surgery make a difference.

A lot of gastric bypass or gastric sleeve patients, for example, get to go home “off all diabetic medications,” said Oldham, a bariatric surgeon. “… If somebody’s been a diabetic for over 10 years, then the chance of completely getting somebody off medication goes down, but the earlier they have the surgery, the higher the chance of them getting off their medications.”

But it’s unclear just how long the positive effects of surgery last.

Researchers at a hospital in Israel looked at data from 1, 3 and 5 years after patients had received a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Some 443 of the procedures were performed.

“The longer follow-up data revealed weight regain and a decrease in remission rates for type 2 diabetes mellitus and other obesity-related comorbidities,” the authors noted in the journal JAMA Surgery in August. “These data should be taken into consideration in the decision-making process for the most appropriate operation for a given obese patient.”

Bariatric surgery, also known as weight-loss surgery, is for people with major amounts of excess weight to get rid of. Many patients have tried other weight-loss strategies without success, Oldham and Sweeney said.

Generally, “insurances will only pay for patients with a BMI (body mass index) of 35 or above,” Oldham said. Research, however, is being done on “patients with a BMI down to 27 that have diabetes, even though they’re just overweight, they’re not obese.”

Most weight-loss surgeries limit how much food the stomach can hold, giving a person a feeling of fullness after a small meal, and sometimes, surgery limits the calories and nutrients the body can absorb. That’s according to a fact sheet from the Hormone Health Network that’s based on information from The Endocrine Society, an organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology.

The fact sheet says that “bariatric surgery and the weight loss that results can improve or eliminate type 2 diabetes,” with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improving diabetes “within days, even without weight loss.”

It’s unclear exactly why bariatric surgery, such as the gastric bypass and gastric sleeve, helps improve diabetes, but it’s thought to involve the hormones produced by the gut or the intestine after surgery, Oldham said. That includes the hormone, ghrelin, sometimes called “the hunger hormone,” according to the Hormone Health Network.

Also, if someone is a type 2 diabetic, “it’s usually from the obesity, and the weight loss is going to improve that,” Oldham said.

The American Heart Association said that physicians should consider weight-loss surgery for severely obese patients who have one or more obesity-related health problems, such as diabetes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure.

Obesity is one of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body doesn’t make or use insulin well. It’s the most common type of diabetes and can lead to debilitating complications, such as heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and amputations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Patients who don’t address their obesity problem may wind up having to take more and more medications to manage their diabetes and eventually be on insulin, Oldham said.

Sweeney said Norton does the gastric band, the gastric sleeve and the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and “all three of the procedures have been shown in different studies to have a beneficial effect on patients with diabetes.”

With gastric bypass and gastric sleeve procedures a patient can expect to lose 70 percent of their excess body weight, said Sweeney, a bariatric surgeon. About 60 percent of excess body weight is lost with the gastric band, but weight loss can vary from patient to patient

“It’s not uncommon for me to see a patient a year after surgery and they have lost 100 pounds,” she said. “That’s usually what I see, in fact.”

After surgery, it’s important for patients to lead a healthy lifestyle and get more exercise, Sweeney said.

Often, “people find it easier to do those things after weight-loss surgery because once when you lose 100 pounds it’s a lot easier to go to the gym and get on a machine or to walk around the block,” she said. ” … Your knees aren’t going to be hurting, your hips aren’t going to be hurting.”

If you’re considering bariatric surgery, be sure to talk with your doctor about potential risks. These can include macronutrient deficiency (a lack of protein calorie absorption), micronutrient deficiency (a lack of vitamins and minerals), bone loss, low blood glucose levels and peripheral neuropathy, according to the Hormone Health Network.

“I think probably the bypass is just a little bit better in controlling the diabetes or resolving the diabetes,” Oldham said. But “there’s more concern for vitamin deficiencies with the gastric bypass,” and patients can get bowel obstructions.

Bariatric surgery also could lead to other serious problems, such as infection, excessive bleeding, blood clots and rarely, death, according to the Mayo Clinic.

If you’re interested, have a discussion with your doctor to determine which type of bariatric surgery would be best for you.

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Losing weight can be a challenge. Some say it’s just a matter of input vs. output – if you intake more calories than you burn then you will gain weight. This simplistic concept does not take into account the symphony of hormones that are involved in metabolism. It is a complex arrangement in which the absence or over-abundance of just one hormone can make or break the outcome. Some of the better known players included in this orchestra are glucose, insulin, thyroid, cortisol, testosterone and estrogen. A lesser-known hormone, but very important one, is leptin.

Leptin is a relative newcomer in the world of hormones having only been identified 21 years ago. Leptin tells your brain when you’ve had enough to eat. Without it there is no turn-off mechanism for your desire to eat. Its name, coming from the Greek word leptos, indicates its purpose. It means thin. It is a natural weight control hormone and influences the body to get rid of extra pounds.

Most people have adequate amounts of it. The exception to this is 10-15 percent of the population who have genetic defects related to leptin.

Leptin is produced in our fat cells. It is called to action and released when the body has enough stored fuel, which is fat. It circulates in the body and looks for its receptor to connect with. This receptor is like a lock that can be opened with only one key – the leptin key. This connection sends signals of fullness to the brain, which then translates the message to stop eating. It is the body’s appetite suppressant.

As in human communication, signals can get disrupted. The system is not perfect. Increased fat cells means more leptin and an abundance of it in circulation. The brain gets overwhelmed with the constant leptin signal and starts taking away the receptors that it sits on. The message to stop eating is decreased.

The end result is more leptin but less receptors, therefore, fewer signals and continued appetite. Your brain thinks it still needs more food. This is called leptin resistance.

This communication error can lead not only to obesity but also to diabetes type 2. The foods that the body tends to crave are carbohydrates since they are stored as fat. Sugar is a favorite carbohydrate for many people. Eating too much of it can also result in the increase of insulin and a similar process called insulin resistance that leads to diabetes.

A few of the things that can be addressed to help the body correct this problem include the following.

• Stop the “diet” foods. Sweets can stimulate the desire for more sweets – whether they are “no-calorie” or not. Aspartame is a leptin disruptor. This common artificial sweetener can increase not only leptin, leading to leptin resistance, but also insulin, leading to insulin resistance. Both of these ‘resistances’ can, over time, contribute to weight gain, obesity and diabetes.

• Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Studies show that less than 7 hours of sleep per night increases the amount of leptin in circulation. Remember, too much results in resistance and increased appetite not necessarily in less appetite.

• For children, it is important that their diet include good healthy fats. A low fat diet for a child is associated with becoming overweight and leptin resistant later in life.

• Be sure to eat adequate protein with every meal. Too many carbohydrates get stored as fat.

Weight loss is a complex matter and is not always as simple as reducing calories and increasing exercise. If you are one of the many people who are challenged to lose weight consider these changes to help correct the leptin imbalance that may be misconducting your hormonal symphony.

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