How many meal do you have in a day?

[Coraggio]

Diet-induced changes in the Lean Brain: Hypercaloric high-fat-high-sugar snacking decreases serotonin transporters in the human hypothalamic region

This study is very interesting, pointing out SERT activity in the brain following a
high frenquency diet or a low frequency but higher amount of food per meal.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 7813000665

Abstract
It is evident that there is a relationship between the brain's serotonin system and obesity. Although it is clear that drugs affecting the serotonin system regulate appetite and food intake, it is unclear whether changes in the serotonin system are cause or consequence of obesity. To determine whether obesogenic eating habits result in reduced serotonin transporter (SERT)-binding in the human hypothalamic region, we included 25 lean, male subjects who followed a 6-week-hypercaloric diet, which were high-fat-high-sugar (HFHS) or high-sugar (HS) with increased meal size or -frequency (=snacking pattern). We measured SERT-binding in the hypothalamic region with SPECT. All hypercaloric diets significantly increased body weight by 3–3.5%. Although there were no differences in total calories consumed between the diets, only a hypercaloric HFHS-snacking diet decreased SERT-binding significantly by 30%. We here show for the first time in humans that snacking may change the serotonergic system increasing the risk to develop obesity.

Cause of this:

Tryptophan brain up-take in competition with others aminoacids
Fasting periods increase in a day let to glucagone to play his action. glucagone activity promotes
dopamine system. Insulin activity promotes muscle aminoacids up-take but not tryptophan that it can
be absorbed by the brain and converted in many neurotransimetter like serotonin. Another important note:
if you eat proteins with carbohydrates you will be hungry even if you have eaten a good amount of foods and it is a good thing.
this because this trick with insulin and tryptophan brain uptake( serotonin can supress hungry feeling).
Another good thing is that fasting periods can increase growth hormone release.

My take home message are: don' t snacking, increase the amount of hours between dinner and next breakfast. Eat well balanced with protein foods with carbohydrates and lipid full food. Personally I have choosen to follow a loer fat diet.

I think that diet can do a lot in the long term if done properly and with other good behaviours like exercising.

cit. "Stay Foolish, STAY HUNGRY" for real!!