Calming nutrients can soothe and help maintain healthy weight

Stress instigates and activates many unpleasant signs, symptoms and side-effects. One of the worst is weight gain—especially abdominal-area fat, a secondary spin-off with serious implications (Jardine, 2005). “Dieting” itself is stressful, too, mentally and physically. Research conducted at the University of Kansas suggests that maintaining your hard-won weight-loss without regaining is made even harder by stress-hormones (Turner, 2005). However, researchers offer new options and further hope that may well outmaneuver the negative results of stress on your waistline.

An Ancient Role
Stress chiefly contributes to waistline expansion by increasing appetite, particularly by creating urges for high-fat/high-carb foods. Evolution-wise, this used to make sense. Our primitive ancestors would, justifiably, become quite stressed when threatened by a dangerous animal. This event would set a life-saving process in motion.

When stressed, the body gets primed with a torrent of hormones secreted by the adrenal glands to prepare it for life-and-death action. The adrenals, walnut-sized glands located on top of each kidney, are hormone command-centers. While the interior nucleus produces its namesake adrenaline, the outer cortex layer emits the stress-hormone cortisol—which stimulates appetite to promote rapid conversion of carbohydrates into glucose, amplifying energy reserves—and blasting you into urgent “fight or flight” mode.

As soon as cortisol is generated, it boosts heart-rate and blood pressure, releases immediate-use fuel, sharpens your senses, dilates pupils, while slowing secondary functions like digestion. Two aspects of the stress response are noteworthy. First, it takes priority over all other metabolic tasks. Second, it wasn’t designed to last very long.

Unfortunately, today’s lifestyles now are predominantly sedentary, so much of the chronic, ongoing stress you probably experience—sitting in traffic or facing problems via desktop—does not require the same extra energy burst that your ancestors needed. Calories consumed aren’t utilized. The result? Weight-gain. Worse, since your body has evolved to store fat close to the liver (for quick conversion), fat deposits are likely to accumulate in your abdominal area.

Counteracting Stress-Related Weight Gain
Fortunately, help is at hand. Several natural compounds can soothe both body and mind. Some contain balancing stress-reducing nutrients, plant sterols and vitamins, specially-combined with carb-metabolizing support. Look for supplements with Niacin, which is important for the normal function of many enzymes in the body as well as involved in the metabolism of sugars and fatty acids (nationaldairycouncil.org, 2004). Other important nutrients to seek out are Biotin, necessary to properly synthesize glucose and influence amino acids, along with key B-Vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6 and B-12 (Dugoua, 2005).

Interestingly, researchers studying vitamins report a Vitamin B-12 predicament: many adults 50 years and older are unable to absorb it in food. Their bodies, however, are capable of processing the type of B-12 found in dietary supplements, signifying that supplements may be one of the best sources of bio-available vitamins (National Institutes of Health, 2004).

For Stress-Related Cravings
Meanwhile, several natural plant complexes have been extensively analyzed to prevent stress-related weight-gain, including Magnolia Officinalis (Magnolia Bark extract), for anxiety and stress-related food cravings. And Epimedium for fatigue and as a normalizer of blood-cortisol levels (Maruyama, 1998). These two botanicals feature prominently in historical records from Chinese pharmacology texts dating back more than 2,600 years. During more recent laboratory research trials, Magnolia Officinalis showed initial efficacy as an anxiolytic (anxiety reducing) substance, particularly useful in helping balance stress-hormone production (Varady, 2004).

Another helpful phytosterol that clinicians have examined is Beta-Sitosterol. Studies have been conducted to ascertain the connection between Beta-Sitosterol’s blood-lipid-influencing and cholesterol-lowering properties (Nguyen, 1998). Beta-Sitosterol may also have the potential to aid weight-loss, too. One scientist contends that Beta-Sitosterol may change how blood cholesterol is synthesized by “locking” to ingested fat-molecules and then impacting fat-cell absorption gateways in the intestine. He suspects that Beta-Sitosterol may cause fats and cholesterol to be excreted rather than absorbed (Gardner, 2005).

Key Compound for Optimum Absorption
Furthermore, scientists researching factors that determine absorption report that soft-gels—especially when enhanced by a natural thermonutrient called Bioperine® which, in its patented form, is a bioavailability and absorption optimizing agent—are the most body-friendly, easily digested and maintain potency longer. Other researchers investigating Bioperine® in wide-ranging clinical tests in the United States observed increased blood supply to the GI tract, heightened emulsifying action to contents of the gut and improved active nutrient transport (Shoba, 1998). Bioperine® is a unique extract obtained from mature piperine (black pepper berries) that have been cultivated historically the same way for thousands of years, in the damp, nutrient-rich soil regions of southern India (Badmaev, 2000).

The Non-Diet Chill-Pill
Not only during those extra-stressful times, but also when dealing with your average, everyday stress, you needn’t resign yourself to gaining weight. First, vow to not “diet.” Instead, try simply making a few lifestyle and nutrition changes.

Now, you can tell stress to chill out. Improving what goes into your body, along with introducing some time each week to get it fit (walking for 15 minutes twice daily) and employing meditative practices (yoga or massage), make a big impact in stress-hormone levels.
You CAN avoid stress-related weight-gain. Take life day by day. Give up pointless worrying (all worrying is pointless anyway!). Appreciate the positive moments daily. Stay upbeat to remain motivated to stick to your “non-diet” program, while on the lookout for triggers.

Now you’re enlightened, aware of some new options and tools as well as progressive, natural nutritional support choices…and ready to triumph in the battle over stress-caused weight-gain.

 

References
Badmaev, V., Majeed, M. & Prakash, L. (2000). Piperine derived from black pepper increases the plasma levels of coenzyme Q10 following oral supplementation. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 11(2):109–113.

Bowen, R. A. (2005). Cortisol and glucocorticoid receptors. January 3. Retrieved online January 11, 2006 from Hypertexts for Biomedical Sciences, an online resource of Colorado State University’s pathophysiology department at http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/adrenal/gluco.html.

Dallman, M.F., Pecoraro, N.C. & la Fleur, S.E. (2005). Chronic stress and comfort foods: Self-medication and abdominal obesity. Brain, Behavior and Immunity. 19(4): 275–280.

Dugoua, J.J. (2006). Are you Biotin deficient? The Christian Post. January 6. Retrieved online January 11, 2006 from http://www.christianpost.com/article/life/3000/section/ are.you.biotin.deficient/1.htm

Gardner, D. (2005). Beta-sitosterol: Reduces fat from the food you eat. eSupplements.com. May 11. Retrieved online January 17, 2006 from http://www.wandb.com/cholesterol.5.htm.

Jardin, C. (2005). Can excess stress make you apple-shaped? Telegraph Group/Telegraph Online. December 13. Retrieved online January 11, 2006 from http://telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2005/12/13/happle13.xml

Maruyama, Y. et al. (1998). Identification of Magnolol and Honokiol as anxiolytic agents in extracts of Saiboku-to, an Oriental herbal medicine. Journal of Natural Products, 61(1), 135-138.

nationaldairycouncil.org. (2004). Niacin: Benefits for bones and beyond, National Dairy Council. Retrieved online January 16, 2005 from http://www.eatsmart.org/client_images/gd20052171245131.pdf

National Institute of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements (2004). Dietary Reference Intakes: Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin and choline. October. Retrieved online January 16, 2006 from http://www.ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12.asp

Nguyen, T. et al. (1999). Cholesterol-lowering effect of stanol ester in a US population of mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women: A randomized controlled trial. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 74(12), 1198–1206.

PDRhealth.com (2005). Phytosterols. Physicians’ Drug Reference Online. September 27. Retrieved online January 13, 2006 from http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/phy_0205.shtml

Sharma, V.P. (2005). Research-based tips for weight control. Mind Publications. July 29. Retrieved online January 18, 2006 from http://www.mindpub.com/art514.htm.

Shoba, G. et al. (1998). Influence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteers. Planta Medica, 64(4), 353–356.

Turner, N. (2005). Stress leads to weight regain after dieting. The Christian Post. November 30. Retrieved online January 12, 2006 from http://www.christianpost.com/article/life/2890/7|14/stress.leads.to.weight.regain.after.dieting/2.htm

Varady, K.A. (2004). Plant sterols and endurance training combine to favorably alter plasma lipid profiles in previously sedentary hypercholesterolemic adults after 8 weeks. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(5), 1159–1166.