A Paleo-style diet (30% carbs, 30% protein, 40% fat- no dairy, lots of veg, lean meats, fish, nuts & seeds) was shown to reduce biomarkers for insulin resistance in postmenopausal women as compared to a low fat diet.
We’ve known this Paleo benefit for some time now, but what is particularly interesting to me regarding this study, was that they looked at production of fatty acids and desaturase enzymes associated with insulin resistance. Insulin has been demonstrated to increase fatty acid synthase (FAS) and desaturases- the enzymes that add double bonds to fats. In someone with hyperinsulinemia-associated hypertriglyceridemia, we see FAS cause a significant bump in the long chain saturated fatty acids myristic, palmitic and steric (insulin-driven fatty acid synthesis FAR outweighs the impact of ingesting saturated fats). The desaturases (specifically delta 9 desaturase) add double bonds to the saturates, causing a bump in such fatty acids as palmitoleic. Delta 6 desaturase increases production of the pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid and others.
Researchers demonstrated that women who were on the Paleo diet had a far healthier fat profile (despite higher fat intake) than the control group who were on a LOW FAT diet.
The take-home is clear: higher fat, good protein and better carb choices yields less inflammation, insulin resistance and reduced risk of chronic disease.
Author: Kara Fitzgerald, ND
https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/ Kara Fitzgerald, ND, received her doctor of naturopathic medicine degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the first Counsel on Naturopathic Medicine-accredited post-doctorate position in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory under the direction of Richard Lord, PhD. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Fitzgerald is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)’s Textbook for Functional Medicine. With the Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. The first publication from the study focuses on reversal of biological aging and was published 04-12-2021 in the journal Aging. She has published a consumer book titled Younger You as well as a companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics and has an application-based Younger You Program, based on the study.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
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