Ep. 305: Why Insulin is Important & Awesome!

In this episode, Stacy and Sarah tell you about how awesome insulin is and why you shouldn't be trying to go very low carb.
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The Paleo View (TPV), Episode 305: Why Insulin is Important & Awesome!
Intro (0:00)
News and Views (0:40)
Sarah is on single-parent duty this week and is feeling the effects!
Kudos to all you single parents out there who do it all.

Stacy is in her busy season at work.
Stacy wants to mention something that has been on her mind this week: it is easy to get wrapped up in wanting what someone else has- which is partly human nature.
If this looks like jealous, anger, and frustration... those are not good feelings.
Have patience and compassion, and consider reaching out and giving a compliment or asking for mentorship if you're having these feelings.

Sarah has become a regular contributor for Paleo Magazine.
She wrote an article coming in the Aug/Sept issue about the case for more carbohydrates.
This was spurred by the editor of the magazine noticing Sarah isn't a supporter of very low carb diets.



Insulin as a Super Hormone: Thyroid
There are insulin receptors in just about every cell type.
It isn't always about shuttling glucose into the cells.

Insulin is important for thyroid function.
There are 3 different variations of the same enzyme that convert "inactive" T4 to "active" T3.
This can happen in the thyroid or all over the body.
The Type 2 Deiodase is the most active form.
It is stimulated by insulin.
This is how insulin feeds into thyroid function.
With insulin resistance and diabetes there is a higher risk of hypothyroidism.



A recent paper looked at ketogenic diets in epileptics.
120 participants followed a mediterranean style ketogenic diet.
1 in 6 participants developed hypothyroidism requiring medication within the first 6 months.
8 of these participants developed hypothyroidism within the first month.
The ketogenic community counter-argues that any weight loss diet causes suppression of the thyroid.
The difference is the magnitude, and their hypothyroidism requiring medication.


We want to maintain proper insulin signaling because insulin is important!
You do want some insulin.
Don't eat all the sugar.
Slow burning carbs like root vegetables and fruits are generally low glycemic load.
It's not about ditching all carbohydrates at all costs.



Stacy knows the low carb does not work for her- it caused her to have major health crash.
Sarah has been a loud voice of decent for the ketogenic diet.
Most people who are recommending this diet are not presenting a balanced look at what science tells us.
Ketogenic diet can be therapeutic in people with neurologic and neurodegenerative disease.
Ketogenic diet is not a healthy way to lose weight.
The cost/benefit for this vs. someone with a neurological disease is very different.

When you take out large amounts of vegetables from your diet, as keto or very low carb does, it is hard to be healthy.
It would be difficult to eat the recommended amount of vegetables and still be very low carb.



Insulin as a Super Hormone: Other roles not related to blood glucose.
Insulin is important for muscle growth and repair.
It helps bring amino acids into muscle tissue, including BCAA.
It stimulates muscle protein synthesis.
It suppresses protein break down.
We see this reflected in insulin resistance, diabetes, and ketogenic diets.
A side effect of diabetes is poor muscle strength and function with age compared to healthy individuals.
One study compared weight loss in a balanced macronutrient diet vs. ketogenic.
It showed there was no metabolic advantage to a ketogenic diet.
Ketogenic diet group lost more muscles mass than the balanced macronutrient group.


2 things important for maintaining lean muscle mass during weight loss.
1. High protein intake: 20-30% of calories.
2. Physical activity helps stimulate muscle growth and repair.


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