BMI 20 and Underweight have better brain function

[Whoa182]

Better brain function for BMI 20 and underweight

A new report appears to find that the quintile of subjects of the study that are underweight by the BMI <20 description of underweight to have the best
performance in cognition.

Among the word-list learning tests, the delayed recall one was most associated with BMI, Cournot says. Those with in the lowest range of BMI (15-21.5) remembered nine of 16 words, while those in the highest BMI range (27.7-45) could remember just seven. The results were linear -- so as BMI went up, the number of words remembered declined.

Those who had a higher BMI in 1996 tended to have a higher decline in mental abilities in 2001, Cournot says. There was no association between changes in BMI from 1996 to 2001 and functioning, but the participants overall did do better on the second round of tests. Cournot says that might be due to familiarity with the tests.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/09/health/webmd/main2076121.shtml

[kyrasdad]

No shock to me. The connection between physical and intellectual is fairly undeniable. In my experience, losing 100 or so pounds has made a big difference in my ability to focus and remember.

[Nancy LC]

The biggest difference to my IQ has been getting off wheat and dairy products. I didn't realize how much brain fog those were generating but the difference is startling.

And now gluten intoleance has been linked to Alzheimer's.... can't say as I'm surprised.

[Whoa182]

I think my brain woke up after dumping all the junk food lol

[catfishghj]

Memory and IQ are different. There is alot of truth in the sterotype absent minded professor.

[Whoa182]

Actually memory is very much tied to IQ. Improving memory function could have a significant impact on IQ. There was an article on it not too long ago in new scientist.

[Equinox]

As a teen I went to a somewhat extreme christian youth camp. By my adult standards these days, I can say with complete honesty that if my still-hypothetical children had gone to that sort of camp, I would have been worried about brain-washing.

Anyway, one short seminar was about fasting for religious reasons. For instance, the four or five young people who lead the camp/conference had fasted for a weekend and prayed for the event to be a great sucess. But shorn of the religious significance, the guy who talked to us had fasted quite a few times and knew the effects. He gave a detailed account of what we might expect if we were to fast.

One of the things he said was that thoughts would become clearer, and we would remember more. It would become easier to concentrate. He even half-jokingly recommended fasting before and during an important exam for this reason.

As an adult, away from that environment, I've found the effect he described from simply low-carbing. I wonder what the different quintiles were eating, and if the lower-weight quintile were either not eating enough (starving or near-fasting), or, perhaps, were low-weight because their diet was relatively low carb?

[Lisa N]

Perhaps those with lower BMI (underweight) don't eat as much crap food (read sugar, transfats, etc...) that tend to impair mental functioning. Wildly fluctuating blood sugars (in either direction, up or down), are well known to impair memory and other mental funtions.
BTW...recall is only a part of what makes up IQ; it's not a simple formula of better memory = smarter person. ;)

[Rachel1]

I agree with Lisa. Correlation does not imply causation.
Rachel

[Whoa182]

Well we know that undernutrition, (which may or may not account for the low bmi) preserves all aspects of brain function.

"A reduced calorie diet could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, found a Mount Sinai School of Medicine study conducted on primates – results that suggest healthy eating not only benefits the waistline but also cognitive functions."

Continued here: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=70643-calories-alzheimer-s

[Mutant]

Well we know that undernutrition, (which may or may not account for the low bmi) preserves all aspects of brain function.

Well, I don't know that. References? (and throw in those references about different glycemic loads for whole and refined grains you saw) It's a shame that undernutrition doesnt preserve all aspects of sexual function. Perhaps in the next stage of evolution CRoners will learn to asexually reproduce in a pool of chicken broth?

"A reduced calorie diet could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, found a Mount Sinai School of Medicine study conducted on primates – results that suggest healthy eating not only benefits the waistline but also cognitive functions."

Continued here: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=70643-calories-alzheimer-s

Curiously, a low-carb / high-fat diet was shown to mitigate formation of Alzheimer plaques in mice. THAT suggests that the effect is not a result of starvation.

Kind regards

[Whoa182]

Curiously, a low-carb / high-fat diet was shown to mitigate formation of Alzheimer plaques in mice. THAT suggests that the effect is not a result of starvation.

Calorie Restriction is known to elevate SIRT1 [1], which is present in all plants and animals. This siturin gets increased or activated when an organism is under a chronic caloric deprivation, not a low carb diet as far as I am aware. There has been two studies recently showing the benefits of CR on alzheimer's disease in rodents and monkeys. Both showed increase SIRT1 in the brain, which is responsible for DNA repair and protection from induced cell death (apoptosis) via neurotoxins or other.

In july 2006 there was are report that came out showing that reduced caloric intake, induced by reducing the carbs in the diet, tends to prevent AD, the mechanism that caused this protective effect was SIRT1. A key protein in longevity of all species tested thus far. What was interesting about this study is the fact that when they placed the rodents on a high calorie, high saturated fat diet, the rodents had no protection against AD, this suggests it was primarily the reduced caloric intake that gave the beneficial effects [2]. So you better not eat too much, especially if its a high sfa diet. There was a study in 2005 showing that high fat low carb diet was improving alzheimer's disease in mice[5], but calories were not controlled for, which is a huge mistake done many times in studies. Especially beause Calorie intake impacts a wide range of diseases and physiological functions.

Recently in september of 2006 a new study came out on non human primates, and it showed that they were protected from alzheimer's disease[3], also these were not on a low carb diet. Calorie restriction works regardless of macronutrient ratios. They also found increase SIRT1 in the brain tissue of these non human primates, are marker of calorie restriction.

When sirtuins are activated they seem to give the cell the time to repair damage, without undergoing apoptosis. There was a study done by David Sinclair PHD where he was able to duplicate the effects of CR by using compounds from vegetables and red wine, 17 molecules all worked to a certain degree, and were all plant compounds. In the study yeast cells lived 60-70% longer when SIRT1 was activated by resveratrol, and human cells lived 30% longer under gamma radiation when SIRT1 was activated by resveratrol.[3].

Comparing two studies for low carb and Calorie restriction, CR seems to work better. One study shows that CR rodents had 50% less plaque [7] and a high fat low card diet study shows that plaque was only reduced by 25% [6]. But interesting study is that when carb restriction and calorie restriction were combined, the mice that were bred to develop AD, never developed the condition. [8]. More specific, if we look at a study published late september, it showed that giving mice red wine slowed memory loss and brain cell death. Resveratrol is a calorie restriction mimmetic, in that it also up-regulates SIRT1 in a dose dependant manner and prevented abp by more than 50%, similar to what you get with calorie restriction.[9].[10].

Going from recent studes, it shows that eating all you can is a bad idea, especially if your diet is based on saturated fat.

Regards :)

[1] 'Longevity' gene, diet linked
http://www.vetscite.org/publish/items/001834/index.html

[2] Calorie restriction slows down Alzheimer's, and high calorie high saturated fat promotes alzheimer's disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060614113128.htm

[3] Calorie restriction in non-human primates may prevent and reduce Alzheimer's disease neuropathology
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-09/tmsh-cri091506.php

[4] Lower calorie consumption may reverse early-stage Parkinson's disease
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=33731

[5] A High Fat, Low Carbohydrate Diet Improves Alzheimer's Disease In Mice
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051017072307.htm

[6] High-Fat, Low-Carb Diet May Help Alzheimer's
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,172476,00.html

[7] Fewer calories may slow Alzheimer's?
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=56816

[8] Do Carbs, Calories Affect Alzheimer's Risk?
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/99/105216

[9] Red wine again linked to slowing Alzheimer's
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=70901-mount-sinai-school-of-medicine-red-wine-alzheimer-s

[10] Wine Compound Attacks Alzheimer's Agent
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000581B2-EE9B-136B-AE9B83414B7F0000

[Whoa182]

Waiting for reply from mutant...

[Mutant]

Ok, I'm game. Cuttin to the chase at the bottom of your post comparing the dietary interventions -

Comparing two studies for low carb and Calorie restriction, CR seems to work better. One study shows that CR rodents had 50% less plaque [7] and a high fat low card diet study shows that plaque was only reduced by 25% [6]. But interesting study is that when carb restriction and calorie restriction were combined, the mice that were bred to develop AD, never developed the condition.

Both studies seem to be addressing a reduction of plaques already in place. A reduction. PERHAPS if you were trying to treat plaques in Alzheimer patients, then MAYBE the CR approach would be superiour, but as a preventative it suggests that either approach would work (it's not a race). A bonus to the low-carb/high-fat approach is that your sexual parts will function normally, you will be happier, friends and family won't ask if you are ill and grade school children won't beat you up.


Going from recent studes, it shows that eating all you can is a bad idea, especially if your diet is based on saturated fat.

Ya, I'd guess almost everyone on this board would say that 'eating all you can' is a bad idea. (there is always one! ;) ) We agreed on something Whoa182... If you are going to set up a straw man, you gotta dress him up a bit so that the crows don't figure out the ruse. Have you considered the possibility that a healthy diet could involve a caloric intake somewhere between 'eating all you can' and that approaching starvation?

Kind regards,

[ItsTheWooo]

http://www.med.nyu.edu/news_and_views/archive/spring_2003/memory.html

High Blood Sugar Levels Associated with Memory Loss in Baby Boomers

Those with impaired glucose tolerance, a prediabetic condition characterized by higher than normal blood sugar levels, had a smaller hippocampus (the part of the brain involved in learning and memory) and scored poorly on tests for recent memory.

“Our study suggests that this impairment may contribute to the memory deficits that occur as people age, and it raises the intriguing possibility that improving glucose tolerance could reverse some age-associated problems in cognition,” says Antonio Convit, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, who led the study.

...

One possibility may be blood sugar. It is known that diabetics, who have very high levels of blood glucose, are at high risk for memory and learning problems. This phenomenon may occur because their brains can’t metabolize glucose effectively, suggests Dr. Convit. His ongoing studies will help elucidate how glucose metabolism in the brain becomes impaired.


TRANSLATION:
If you have insulin resistance, you can't remember or learn.

Therefore, we will observe a correlation between weight gain, and impaired cognative ability, as both seem to be indicative of carbohydrate poisoning (i.e. insulin resistance).

There is no need to starve yourself. Just don't eat carbs.

[Nancy LC]

Well we know that undernutrition, (which may or may not account for the low bmi) preserves all aspects of brain function.

"A reduced calorie diet could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, found a Mount Sinai School of Medicine study conducted on primates – results that suggest healthy eating not only benefits the waistline but also cognitive functions."

Continued here: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=70643-calories-alzheimer-s
I doubt this article (the orginal one) is about calorie restriction at all. It seems like you're making the assumption that because they have such a low BMI they must be restricting. There isn't anything at all mentioned about how many calories they're consuming.

[brobin]

Of course you think clearer and have a sharp mind when fasting. The body needs to be at its best to go hunt some meat.... :)

Brobin