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

stumblinthrulife

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.

tsh0ck

I'm not a mouse.

stumblinthrulife

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

I wonder how many humans follow their circadian rhythms?

eatcleanNtraindirty

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

I disagree with testing on any animals. :grumble:

stumblinthrulife

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

I wonder how many humans follow their circadian rhythms?

I'd say most, unless I'm mistaken on what a circadian rhythm is.

MidwestAngel

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

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

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

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

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

This is awesome.

stumblinthrulife

This is awesome.

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

superdrood

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

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

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

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

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

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:

stumblinthrulife

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:

I've explained very clearly to my wife that if I say something that could be interpreted two ways, and one of them upsets her, I meant the other one.

Unfortunately I think she heard "something, something, something, yes you can have a pony, something, something"

mistesh

There's nothing new about that you should eat no later than say three hours before bedtime. The process of digestion can otherwise keep you awake, and when you do sleep, your body doesn't burn calories as efficiently.

http://www.motivatingmax.com/lose-weight-by-getting-a-good-nights-sleep.html

Also, less or worse sleep speeds up aging. Something to think about sooner than later.

coke_bottle

I'm not a Mouse.

jonnythan

I'm not a Mouse.

But how can you really be sure? Are the clouds angel candy, or perhaps the sky's dreams? In the sky of my head, perhaps we are all but mice.

Butterflys4jesus

Natural Peanut Butter 1T. and a piece of celery right before bed, actually helps to keep your glucose more steady overnight....

DavPul

Yes, your body is quicker to create fat overnight..... unless you're in a deficit. Even is a tiny tiny amount of fat is created it's going to be metabolized as energy too soon to care about. It's one of those things that may be true but completely and totally irrelevant to an overweight person that is in a deficit and has a lot to lose. If you're in peak physical condition and in the final stages of cutting for a comp in the next week, worry about it. For 98% of mfp'ers, don't give it a second thought.

matt2442

Ok but i had a phys ed teacher once answer this question like this..."how many calories are you burning, right now, sitting in that seat all day?" i think he said literally 1 per minute while youre just sitting in a desk.
He went on to say that telling someone not to eat at night is like telling not to eat in the morning if you spend most of your day sitting.

i dont know how true this is, but he does have a point. however, eating at night is a bad habit of mine and id probably look way better if i didnt but whatever

sz8soon

Who's the leader of the club
That's made for you and me
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there
You're as welcome as can be
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse!

Mickey Mouse!

Forever let us hold our banner
High! High! High! High!

Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse club
We'll have fun
We'll be new faces
High! High! High! High!

We'll do things and
We'll go places
All around the world
We'll go marching

Who's the leader of the club
That's made for you and me
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Hey! there, Hi! there, Ho! there
You're as welcome as can be
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Mickey Mouse!

Mickey Mouse!

Forever let us hold our banner
High! High! High! High!

Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Peanutbutterx

I'm not a mouse.

hahahahah!!

wendybird5

Actually this study is more about how important sleep is. The mice were more resistant to insulin if they got enough sleep, but when their sleep cycle was disrupted, then they had issues with obesity.