Tag Archives: bdnf

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 14 Issue 4

Literature Review
1) In an excellent paper by Dr. Harlan and colleagues, we see a group looking at how to modify ultra processed foods to remain tasty for consumption but also healthy. The lead author is Dr. Rob Lustig, a pioneering Pediatric Endocrinologist from UCSF and upcoming podcast guest. From the paper: “Ultraprocessed food is established as a metabolic disruptor acting to increase adiposity, reduce mitochondrial efficiency, drive insulin resistance, alter growth, and contribute to human morbidity and mortality. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are beginning to understand the detrimental impact of the food they market, and have employed substitution strategies to reduce salt, sugar, and fat. However, the harms of ultraprocessed foods are far more complex than any single component, and are not ameliorated by such simple substitutions.” (Harlan et. al. 2023)……as well as information on Why ask why? and a recipe of the week.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 12 Issue 50

The fundamentals are these: Age related changes that lead to neuronal loss and cognitive decline are related to loss or reduction of myokine release, systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, reactive oxygen induced mitochondrial stress, DNA mutations and poor protein intake.
First, exercise releases chemicals called myokines which are cell signaling molecules that have the job of telling other cells what to do via changes in gene expression, protein transcription and much more. The prototypical change is the increase of a substance called brain derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF, for short. BDNF is critical for brain cell mitochondrial biogenesis. BDNF promotes many developmental functions in the brain, including neuronal cell survival, differentiation, migration, dendritic arborization, and synaptic plasticity. Regular exercise promotes a progressive increase in BDNF protein for up to at least 3 mo………
Enjoy,
Dr.M