Diabetes and POPs

Diabetes and POPs
Andre Willers
30 Jan 2009

Sources : see NewScientist 13 sept 2008 p37 "Trouble in store"
Other references are in the article .

Synopsis:
Persistent Organic Pollutants (Pops) have been positively linked to Type II diabetes . Obesity is linked only in as far as Pops are stored in fat cells .

Discussion .
A Persistent Organic Pollutant (Pop) is a molecule close to a molecule for which metabolic breakdown pathways exist , but different enough so the body does not know what to do with it . So it gets stored in the Miscellaneous file , ie the fat cells (especially ectopic fat )

Fat is the miscellaneous file because that is the place at the end of the evolutionary process where unknowns which have not been recognized as enemies are parked .

The mitochondrial order of preference is : alcohol , then glucose , then fats .

The Trick:
The Miscellaneous File is a push-down file .
The system has evolved a mechanism to purge contaminated or surplus contents of fat-cells .
The number of fat-cells are limited .

Pure surplus fats will displace impure fats . The impure and surplus fats are excreted via the alimentary canal . This is the basis of the Atkins diet .

The switch is the availability of non-alcohol surplus carbohydrate (about 20 gm per day)

The weight-loss experienced on the Atkins diet cannot be explained in energy terms . The fat is not burned , but excreted . Hence mild diarrhea experienced by anybody who has ever done it .

Examples of the worst Pops:
Hydrogenated oils (foods)
PCB (flexible plastic wraps)
Aldrin , Dieldrin , Chlordane , DDT , Endrin , Mirex , Heptachlor , Toxaphene (Insecticides)
Hexachlorobenzene (Fungicide, combustion)
Dioxins , Furans (Industry )

There are many more .

The body's response is a weak immune system activation to contaminated adipocytes , resulting in insulin resistence . (A strong autoimmune reaction to fat cells will kill the organism quickly)

The body tries to protect the mitochondria from being gummed up . Inflammatory chemical signals are generated , also triggering the whole plaque-formation response , with consequent increase in heart and circulatory disease.

Feedback systems:
Gummed up mitochondria result in half-burned lipids , leading to chronic damage from reactive oxygen species(ROS) , leading to cellular damage and insulin resistance as the system tries damage control . The body sees it as an infection .

Low-fat , low-carb Dieting :
Mobilization of fat reserves on a spasmodic low-fat , low-carb diet releases pulses of Pops that strengthens the feedback process of increasing insulin resistance .
Bad .
Spasmodic low-fat,low-carb dieting will give you diabetes .

New contamination by Pops .
Obviously , try to prevent contamination by pops .
1.Eat organic produce not wrapped in plastic .
2.Soaps , perfumes , etc.
3. Fabrics , especially towels , facecloths , sheets and pillowslips . Many are treated with chemicals containing Pops .

The Fat Detox !

Andre .