Some support for "don't eat at night"?

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stumblinthrulife
stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
in Food and Nutrition
A recently published study has shown that insulin response in mice has a circadian rhythm - i.e. during the waking period, mice are better able to utilize glucose for energy, and during the sleeping period, glucose is stored as fat. When mice had their natural wake/sleep pattern disrupted, they became more prone to obesity. As most are aware, mice are considered excellent analogs for humans in biological studies.

http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(13)00083-3

Disclaimer -

I've not read the entire study. I don't know who funded the research, and hence how objective it is. I don't know the reliability of the authors. So don't go getting all worked up just yet.
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Replies

  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
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    I'm not a mouse.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    I'm not a mouse.

    Insightful statement there. You understand that most of what we understand about the human body begins by studying mice, right?
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    I wonder how many humans follow their circadian rhythms?
  • eatcleanNtraindirty
    eatcleanNtraindirty Posts: 444 Member
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    I'll be back tomorrow... want to read that study when I have some time at work. Also, one study doesn't prove or disprove anything.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
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    I disagree with testing on any animals. :grumble:
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    I'll be back tomorrow... want to read that study when I have some time at work. Also, one study doesn't prove or disprove anything.

    I agree 100%.

    But to discount any research that acts against one's belief, is just as sloppy thinking as clinging to beliefs that are unproven or disproved. In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary (this isn't it, but it's a start), I would sooner change my position than stubbornly insist I'm right.

    I'm too much of a miser to buy the study, and biology isn't really my thing anyway. Perhaps I'll have the wife review it - in a past life she was a research assistant for multiple diabetes studies. If you spring for the full study, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
  • wikitbikit
    wikitbikit Posts: 518 Member
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    I wonder how many humans follow their circadian rhythms?
    I'd say most, unless I'm mistaken on what a circadian rhythm is.
  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
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    I'm not a mouse.

    Insightful statement there. You understand that most of what we understand about the human body begins by studying mice, right?
    Which means it must be an accurate measure of how humans will respond to treatment/lack of treatment.
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
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    Glucose turns to fat when it is not used. If you are running around you use more of it. If you sleep you burn much less. But time of day is not the key here. If you eat it at 4 pm and park yourself on the couch - same result as at 10 pm - unused glucose stores as fat.

    Eating complex carbs instead I'd simple ones is a good step -- glucose is entering your blood more gradually and slowly so you have a chance to use up more energy before it stores, unlike when you have a large quick spike from sugar.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    I'm not a mouse.

    Insightful statement there. You understand that most of what we understand about the human body begins by studying mice, right?
    Which means it must be an accurate measure of how humans will respond to treatment/lack of treatment.

    No. Which means it's a good first step towards showing (or perhaps not) the same thing in humans.

    Sheesh, people. I'm just sharing some research that I though you may be interested in. The question mark at the end of the title was intentional.

    People are acting like I'm a crazy person scream "DON'T EAT CARBS AFTER 6PM" from the rooftops.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    I work overnights and sleep between my shifts.

    Should I be sleep eating during the day and starve myself during my shifts because it's dark?
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    I work overnights and sleep between my shifts.

    Should I be sleep eating during the day and starve myself during my shifts because it's dark?

    Yes. That's exactly what you should do. Because I obviously very clearly posted in the original post that I took this research as gospel and was suggesting that everyone plan their eating habits around it. What was I thinking?

    Oh wait a second, that's not what I said at all. NO ONE IS TELLING YOU TO DO ANYTHING. <<<and yes, for once, this is someone intentionally using caps to shout.

    If, and it's a really big if, this research pans out and shows that humans gain more weight eating at night the fact that it's dreadfully inconvenient for you won't change anything one jot. It just means that it will be more difficult for you to lose weight than it may have been otherwise. Or perhaps your body will have adjusted to your cycle, and you'll be just fine.

    It's just some freaking research on mice at the moment!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    This is awesome.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    This is awesome.

    You've missed this from the TFS days, haven't you mate?
  • superdrood
    superdrood Posts: 129 Member
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    Read the abstract, don't have access to the entire study.

    The only reference I found to increased obesity rates with these mice were when they were fed a high fat diet.

    " When challenged with a high-fat diet, arhythmic mice (either Bmal1-knockout mice or wild-type mice made arhythmic by exposure to constant light) were obese prone"

    I know my experience is anecdotal but I eat more than half my calories in the evening. It's what allows me to eat within my calrorie allotment comfortably without feeling hungry at all during the day. I think finding an eating pattern that does this trumps any effect on one's circadian insulin activity.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    This is awesome.

    You've missed this from the TFS days, haven't you mate?

    I'm just hoping this site doesn't devolve into a constant barrage of religious extremism.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    It's just some freaking research on mice at the moment!
    Um, maybe you're taking this a little too seriously. Calm down a little?
  • Renee81170
    Renee81170 Posts: 29 Member
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    This is bad news for me! For 21 years I've gotten up in the middle of the night for a snack (cereal, cookies, cake.... and milk of course) I didn't start gaining weight until about 6 years ago though. Its actually one thing I "try" not to do... BUT old habits die hard. Since MFP 11/7/2012 I've lost 25 w/ getting up to eat at 3:30ish almost every night.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    It's just some freaking research on mice at the moment!
    Um, maybe you're taking this a little too seriously. Calm down a little?

    You're right, I do get worked up. After more than a decade as a denizen on the internet, I should have learned by now.

    I've just always hated when I say one thing, and people go off on one replying to what they think they read. :grumble:
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I've just always hated when I say one thing, and people go off on one replying to what they think they read. :grumble:

    Looks like you're married? You should be used to it then (replace "read" with "hear"). :laugh:

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