Sunday 27 November 2016

Hate Exercise? Maybe It's in Your Genes

There are a multitude of reasons to exercise. Just 15 minutes each day can lengthen your life by three years.1 Exercise helps reduce blood pressure, maintain your weight, stabilize your blood sugar and helps fight depression.
The list of benefits to exercise in your life continues to grow each year as researchers make more discoveries about how the human body works, and the integral part exercise plays in your overall health and wellness. Exercise has been a big part of my life for over 45 years, but how I’ve done it has changed.
Unfortunately, while some enjoy sweating, others find the mere thought of exercise to be painful. Researchers recently found a genetically programmed reason you may not enjoy the rewards others do when you exercise.
The good news is you don’t have to exercise for long periods to benefit from the experience and there are strategies you can use to reprogram your brain to enjoy exercise, and reap the short-term and long-term rewards.

Some Get a Mental Boost From Exercise

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 80 percent of Americans do not get enough exercise each week.2
Survey data from over 450,000 adults found that less than 21 percent of all people meet the recommended amount of exercise — 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity or 1.25 hours of intense exercise per week.
A recent study, led by Rodney Dishman, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology at the University of Georgia, found your genetics may control your drive, pleasure and reward from exercise.3 Specifically, they are the genes that modulate dopamine in your brain.
Dopamine is the reward neurotransmitter in your brain.4 It is released when you experience something that you interpret as being enjoyable.
More of it is released when the experience is not expected, but you’ll still experience a boost in mood or positive feelings even when the event is expected, such as exercising or sharing a special bottle of wine.
Many people experience an increase in the secretion of dopamine with exercise, triggering the reward and pleasure centers in the brain. But, according to Dishman’s research, some people don’t have this experience. Dishman said:5
“Variation in genes for dopamine receptors, as well as some other neural signaling genes, help explain why about 25 percent of the participants drop out of exercise or don’t exercise at the recommended amount.
Combined with personality measures, we think these genes may help explain why some people have a natural urge to be active, while others never do.”

Research Demonstrated Results in Lab Animals and Humans

Researchers initially evaluated lab rats that were selectively bred to be fit and active animals or unfit and inactive. They found differences in dopamine activity between these two cohorts.
This short video describes how dopamine works in your brain. Once researchers discovered the dopamine link, they recruited 3,000 human participants for a clinical trial.
The portion of the study with human participants also accounted for personality and behavior traits that would impact exercise, such as self-regulation, social influences, access to fitness activities, goal-setting and current fitness and skill level. Dishman commented:6
 “Our current field trial with humans suggests that variations in genes that encode for dopamine and other neurotransmitters linked with physical activity account for low or high physical activity directly.
These genes also act indirectly, by their associations with people’s acquired motivation to be active and also with select personality traits.”
Dr. Keri Peterson, internist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York added:
“Dopamine is a chemical in our brains that plays a role in feeling pleasure and regulating drive. The inherited activity of these genes may cause us to seek physical activity or to choose a more sedentary lifestyle.
This preliminary report suggests that the motivation and desire to exercise is hard-wired. You may actually have your parents to blame for being a couch potato.”

It’s Not All Written in Stone

However, while this research finds a genetic link to dopamine activity in the brain with exercise, other research has established that exercise has the ability to change DNA expression and potentially improve your satisfaction and enjoyment with exercise.
In a comparison between the phenotype expression — the physical characteristics expressed by human DNA — of modern man and hunter gatherer societies,7researchers believe that physical activity is one example of how an environmental factor can impact characteristics expressed by DNA.
The researchers found that years of exercise deficiency could result in an increase in many chronic health conditions in the entire population and not just one individual. Exercise deficiency leads to an increased number of people who suffer from obesity, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension and osteoporosis.8
Dori Arad, a registered dietitian and certified exercise physiologist at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City believes that although some people may be genetically less inclined to enjoy the experience, they can overcome this obstacle. Arad said:9
“Genetics is very, very important, but nothing is written in stone. You can decide to be active and move and do exercise, and in essence you can rewrite your brain so that exercise becomes pleasurable and rewarding.”

Who’s Not Exercising?

In discovering this difference in dopamine activity, scientists have found there may be factors beyond discipline and motivation that drive people to become physically active and enjoy the process. The dopamine connection is one factor, but how you interpret your body reactions to exercise is yet another.
Researchers at Iowa State University have found that your capacity for exercise may be lower than you think. According to Professor Panteleimon Ekkekakis, Ph.D., 50 percent of people who start a new exercise program will stop within the first six months. Although there are many factors that may be responsible, Ekkekakis believes many new to exercise are unable to accurately monitor and regulate the intensity of their program.10
Without experience, overestimating intensity may reduce efficiency of the program and lead to negative affective responses and/or injuries. Both of these factors may increase the dropout rate of people new to exercising. Research from Ekkekakis found the ability to self-regulate during exercise deteriorates as the exercise intensifies to a point that exceeds your body’s ability to exchange gasses.
This ventilatory threshold is also the point at which optimal fitness benefits are developed in people who have practiced a sedentary lifestyle. Without the ability to recognize and regulate exercise intensity, you may push past your limits without realizing it. Essentially, you have a physical capacity beyond which your body is unable to function. This limitation is based on lung capacity, oxygen transport and how quickly oxygen is absorbed and used in muscle tissue.
However, if you try to exercise too quickly or intensely you’ll likely begin to hate the activity and stop. For some people who have been sedentary much of their life, just a short walk after dinner, cooking dinner or doing the dishes may stress your body to your ventilator threshold. The good news is this threshold is not static, but may change with the right exercise.

Rewire Your Brain to Enjoy Exercise

Ekkekakis suggests that for the average person, this ventilator threshold is approximately 50 percent of their maximum ventilation capacity.11 Individuals who are elite athletes may enjoy a threshold as high as 80 percent of their maximum capacity, while those who have lived a sedentary lifestyle may experience a threshold at 35 percent.
There are steps you can take if you’re the type of person who doesn’t enjoy an intense game of tennis, a jog around the park or rowing in the early morning hours, but you understand the impressive health benefits to moving your body each day.
There are two strategies you can use starting today to build a habit that will last a lifetime. The first is to find an activity you really enjoy and then team up with others who provide you with both social interaction during your workout, and reward and motivation to continue the process. Dishman comments:12
“If you haven’t found something which is pleasurable, either the activity or the people you’re doing it with, then you don’t have much reason to continue it. When people start viewing exercise as a duty or obligation, then that’s not a formula for sustained activity. That just puts people in a constant state of dissatisfaction.”

Consider High-Intensity Exercises

I used to be a former sub three-hour marathon runner. Back then, I, along with many people, believed that completing a marathon is the epitome of health. What I didn't know was I was committing a major exercise mistake — one that could have severely damaged my health.
Developing an exercise program to meet your needs means pushing yourself to your current aerobic capacity for short periods of time, and resting between bursts of exercise. This is high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which can be done on an exercise ball, rowing, jogging or other aerobic exercise that meets your current abilities.
You can read more about the benefits in my previous article, “New Research Reveals Why High-Intensity Training Is So Beneficial for Health — It May Even Help Prevent Cancer.” One of the reasons that HIIT works so well for so many people is that you start at your current ability and move forward. If walking increases your heart rate and breathing to your aerobic capacity, you start there. This is not a competition against anyone else except yourself.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

When developing your exercise plan, variety is the name of the game. There are five types of exercises that will turn your fitness routine into a truly comprehensive exercise plan:
•Interval (Anaerobic) Training: This really is aerobic and anaerobic, but the research shows that the anaerobic phase is far more important. The BEST way to condition your heart and burn fat is NOT to jog or walk steadily for an hour. Instead, it’s to alternate short bursts of high-intensity exercise with gentle recovery periods. This type of exercise, known as HIIT, can dramatically improve your cardiovascular fitness and fat-burning capabilities.
Another major benefit of this approach is that it radically decreases the amount of time you spend exercising, while giving you even more benefits. For example, intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under your skin within the exercising muscles.
The resulting increase in fat oxidation increases weight loss. So, short bursts of activity done at a very high intensity can help you reach your optimal weight and level of fitness, in a shorter amount of time. It also promotes the production of human growth hormone (HGH), known as “the fitness hormone,” which can help you add youthful vigor to your years, in addition to promoting weight loss and improved muscle building.
•Aerobic: Jogging, using an elliptical machine and walking fast are all examples of aerobic exercise, which will increase the amount of oxygen in your blood and increase endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Aerobic exercise also activates your immune system, helps your heart pump blood more efficiently and increases your stamina over time.
Just don’t make the mistake of using aerobics as your primary or only form of exercise, as you’ll miss out on many of the most potent health benefits exercise has to offer.
•Strength Training: Rounding out your exercise program with a one-set strength training routine will ensure that you're really optimizing the possible health benefits of a regular exercise program. You need enough repetitions to exhaust your muscles.
The weight should be heavy enough that this can be done in fewer than 12 repetitions, yet light enough to do a minimum of four repetitions. Avoid exercising the same muscle groups every day. They need at least two days of rest to recover, repair and rebuild.
•Core Exercises: Your body has 29 core muscles located mostly in your back, abdomen and pelvis. This group of muscles provides the foundation for movement throughout your entire body, and strengthening them can help protect and support your back, make your spine and body less prone to injury and help you gain greater balance and stability.
Pilates and yoga are great for strengthening your core muscles, as are specific exercises you can learn from a personal trainer. Even if you aren’t using a personal trainer right now, please watch these sample videos for examples of healthy exercise routinesyou can do with very little equipment and in virtually any location. Focusing on your breath and mindfulness along with increasing your flexibility is an important element of total fitness.
•Stretching: This is another important piece of the puzzle, and yet overlooked by many in their exercise programs. The right stretches may help heal lower back pain, prevent injuries and improve your ability to move throughout your day. You can read more about stretching and see a sample video in my previous article, “When and How Should You Warm Up, Stretch, Exercise and Cool Down?”
[-] Sources and References
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What Is Butyric Acid? 6 Butyric Acid Benefits You Need to Know About

Butyric acid - Dr. Axe
You may not have realized it, but chances are you’ve consumed something called butyric acid before, and believe it or not, your body produces it as well. It’s true — butyric acid, also known as butanoic acid or BTA, is a saturated short-chain fatty acid found in butter, ghee, raw milk, animal fats and plant oils. It’s also formed in and therefore found in our colons through the bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates like dietary fiber. Butyric acid supports the health and healing of cells in the small and large intestine. It’s also the favored source of fuel for the cells lining the interior of the large intestine or colon. (1)
The BTA content in ghee is one of the main components that provides all those wonderful ghee benefits. Consuming butyric acid in foods like ghee or in supplement form has been shown to aid digestion, calm inflammation and improve overall gastrointestinal health. People who suffer from irritable bowl syndrome and Crohn’s disease have been shown to benefit from butyric acid, and studies show promise when it comes to diabetes and insulin resistance too. BTA is also known as a potential anticancer fatty acid, especially when it comes to colon cancer. (2)
I’m excited to tell you more about this extremely interesting fatty acid and how it can improve your overall health — and how it already is without you even knowing it!

6 Butyric Acid Health Benefits 

1. Weight Loss
Butyric has gained popularity for its ability to possibly help people shed unwanted pounds. Scientific evidence has shown that people who are obese (as well as people who have type II diabetes) have a different composition of gut bacteria. Short chain fatty acids are believed to play a positive role along with probiotics in preventing metabolic syndrome, which almost always includes abdominal obesity. (3)
Short chain fatty acids like butyric acid help regulate the balance between fatty acid synthesis and the breakdown of fats. In a 2007 animal study, after five weeks of treatment with BTA, obese mice lost 10.2 percent of their original body weight, and body fat was reduced by 10 percent. Butyric acid was also shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which helps guard against weight gain. (4)
Most of the evidence for linking BTA supplementation specifically to weight loss is based on animal research so far, but it does show positive effects in treating obesity naturally.
2. Potential Colorectal Cancer Treatment
Multiple studies have shown butyric acid’s potential ability to fight cancer, especially cancer in the colon. It’s actually shown an ability to “modify nuclear architecture” and induce the death of colon cancer cells. This is likely a huge reason why increased fiber intake has been linked with less colon cancer since higher fiber intake can typically equate to more butyric acid present in the colon. (5)
According to 2011 research published in the International Journal of Cancer, “the role of short chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate, in colon cancer therapy has been extensively studied, and its tumor suppressive functions are believed to be due to their intracellular actions.” This laboratory study further shows that butyrate treatment led to an increase in the programmed cell death of colon cancer cells. (6)
According to a 2014 scientific article, it looks like “a high-fiber diet protects against colorectal tumors in a microbiota- and butyrate-dependent manner.” (7) What does that mean? It means that most likely getting plenty of fiber isn’t what fends off cancer on its own. It’s eating a diet rich in healthy fiber AND having enough good gut flora AND enough BTA present in the body that can provides cancer defense in the colon.
3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Relief
In general, butyric acid can have a very positive impact on gut health, which greatly affects the health of your entire body. Short chain fatty acids like butyric acid can help keep the gut ling healthy and sealed, which prevents leaky gut syndrome and all kinds of issues linked to a leaky gut like IBS symptoms. This is a type of digestive disorder that’s characterized by a group of common symptoms, including changes in bowel movements and abdominal pain.
A scientific article published in the Gastroenterology Review looked at butyric acid’s potential as an IBS therapy based on numerous studies conducted to date. Researchers conclude that “butyrate supplementation seems to be a promising therapy for IBS.” (8)
Some notable 2012 research included in the article was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 66 adult patients with IBS who were given microencapsulated butyric acid at a dose of 300 milligrams per day or a placebo in addition to receiving standard therapy. After four weeks, researchers found that subjects who took the butyric acid had a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of abdominal pain during bowel movements. After 12 weeks, subjects in the BTA group experienced decreases in the frequency of spontaneous abdominal pain, postprandial abdominal pain, abdominal pain during defecation and urge after defecation. (9)
4. Crohn’s Disease Treatment
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by inflammation of the lining of the GI tract, abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. Again, this is a disease related to a leaky gut. A 2005 study published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics was small, but it found that “oral butyrate is safe and well tolerated, and may be effective in inducing clinical improvement/remission in Crohn’s disease.” (10)
Another 2013 study showed that butyric acid can reduce pain during bowel movements and inflammation in the gut, both of which are extremely helpful to Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory bowel diseases. (11)
Short chain fatty acids like BTA truly play a crucial role in the maintenance of gut barrier integrity, which can help ward off a leaky gut and avoid an IBDs like Crohn’s.
5. Combats Insulin Resistance
A 2009 study published by the American Diabetes Foundation looked at butyric acid’s effect on the regulation of insulin sensitivity in mice consuming a diet high in fat. The study concluded that “dietary supplementation of butyrate can prevent and treat diet-induced insulin resistance in mouse.” Researchers also found that the mice treated with butyrate did not have any increase in body fat and the butyrate supplement actually appeared to prevent obesity. (12)
Researchers agree that more studies need to be conducted to further explore how butyrate affects insulin levels in humans, but it looks promising so far, which could have profound effects on treating diabetes.
6. General Anti-inflammatory Effects
Studies have shown the broad anti-inflammatory powers of butyric acid. It’s believed that not only can BTA help inflammatory conditions, but it might also have a helpful ability to manage immune responses. (13) As I’ve said before, inflammation is the root of most diseases, which is why having more butyric acid in your body could likely benefit many people with various health problems with inflammatory roots.

What you need to know about butyric acid - Dr. Axe

What Is Butyric Acid?

Butyric acid is a colorless liquid that is soluble in water. Scientifically speaking, its structure is four carbon fatty acids with the molecular formula C4H8O2 or CH3CH2CH2COOH. Butyric acid has other chemical names, including butanoic acid, n-butyric acid, n-butanoic acid and propylformic acid. (14) Along with acetic and propionic acids, it account for approximately 83 percent of the short chain fatty acids in the human colon.
On its own, BTA has an unpleasant smell and bitter, pungent taste, with a somewhat sweet aftertaste. It occurs as esters in animal fats and plant oils. What’s an ester? An ester is an organic compound that reacts with water to produce alcohols and organic or inorganic acids. Esters derived from carboxylic acids like butyric acid are the most common type of esters.
BTA is generated in the large intestine together with other short chain fatty acids from the fermentation of dietary carbohydrates, specifically prebiotics like resistant starches, fructooligosaccharides and other dietary fiber. (15)
The names “butyric acid” and “butyrate” are commonly used interchangeably even in scientific articles and studies. Technically, they have slightly different structures, but they’re still very similar. Butyrate or butanoate is the traditional name for the conjugate base of butyric acid. Put simply, butyrate is almost identical to butyric acid, but it just has one less proton. Judging by scientific studies, they appear to be pretty much identical in their health benefits.

How to Find Butyric Acid and Dosage Info

An increased intake of highly processed, low-fiber, high-sugar foods has been shown to decrease levels of butyrate production in the large intestine. Supplementing with butyric acid might be a good idea if you’re unable to obtain enough of it from your diet.
A butyric acid supplement is typically available at health stores or online. It’s most commonly found in capsule or tablet form. Dosage recommendations vary by product. Some recommend one to six capsules/tablets after meals while others suggest taking one capsule three times daily with meals, a few hours before or after taking other medications. It’s best to read product labels carefully and consult your doctor if you feel unsure.
If you prefer to get your butyric acid from foods then the following are good choices: butter, ghee, raw milk and parmesan cheese. When looking for a high-quality butter, raw and cultured is best. This might be hard to find, however. Organic butter from grass-fed cows is your next best option. Some properly made kombucha (a fermented tea drink) can also contain butyric acid.
To naturally increase the butyric acid production in your body, you can up your intake of healthy prebiotics like raw Jerusalem artichokes, raw dandelion greens, raw jicama and under-ripe bananas. Scientific research has found that fecal butyrate levels can vary greatly among individuals, but eating a diet high in resistance starches (like an under-ripe banana) typically increases butyric acid levels and may help maintain colorectal health. (16)

Butyric Acid History and Interesting Facts

Butyric acid gets its name from the Greek word βούτῡρον, which means butter. Butyric acid makes up about 3 percent to 4 percent of butter. Ever smell rancid butter? That unpleasant odor is the result of the chemical breakdown of the BTA glyceride. While on the topic of gross odors, butyric acid is actually responsible for human vomit’s distinctive scent too.
During his extremely long life (102 years plus), a French organic chemist named Michel Eugène Chevreul is said to have first observed butyric acid in its impure form in 1814. It was by the acidification of animal fat soaps that he was able to identify butyric acid along with several other fatty acids for the first time, including oleic acid, capric acid (naturally occurs in coconut oil) and valeric acid. (17)

Potential Side Effects of Butyric Acid Supplements

It’s hard to find any documented negative side effects of butyric acid supplements. If you take a butyric acid and experience any negative side effects, you may need to cut back on your dosage. Of course, if you have any serious side effects then you should discontinue use and seek immediate medical attention.
If you’re pregnant or nursing, speak to your doctor before taking a butyric acid supplement. Also talk to your doctor if you have any ongoing medical conditions or if you already take any other medications before taking a BTA supplement.

Final Thoughts on Butyric Acid

To increase the production of butyric acid in your body naturally, focus on getting more foods that contain butyric acid like ghee and high-quality butter on a regular basis. Also increase your daily intake of fiber-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains. If you can increase your intake of these prebiotics, then you can help increase the probiotics and short chain fatty acids in your body. This is a healthy and easy way to increase your butyric acid levels, not to mention your overall health.
Having the right balance of all prebiotics, probiotics and short chain fatty acids appears to not only improve minor as well as chronic gastrointestinal issues, but many studies show how butyric acid may have some serious cancer-fighting power, especially colon cancer.
What about a supplement? A butyric acid supplement might be helpful, especially if you suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease or are trying to prevent colon cancer. When it comes to weight loss, most of the evidence linking butyric acid to weight loss is based on animal and test-tube studies. A butyric acid supplement should definitely not be thought of as a magic weight loss supplement but might be helpful along with an overall healthy lifestyle.

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