Random Links
Guess who else is playing with the Ketonix?
Interesting idea suggesting LDL is elevated because of a deficiency in tryptophan… although I don’t think this applies to me because I definitely get enough tryptophan in my diet with all the meat and eggs that I consume.
I really like the idea that Peter Attia also seems to have an inner fat kid in him that likes him some dessert… and now has incorporated his own cheat days… albeit only 4 times a year… but still.
Category: Random Reading
Funny that, rats (yeah I know) who are tryptophan replete/dosed-up tend to eschew LDL-increasing carbs, and eat fat.
“Changes in macronutrient selection as a function of dietary tryptophan” – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3413253
I read the Kummerow paper quickly, and I was not impressed. It does not report original research, but is a short review ‘perspective’ piece. Most of the text is about oxysterols and trans fats, tryptophan is mentioned almost in passing near the beginning. Kummerow does not even try to show that anyone is suffering from tryptophan deficiency, he simply states that the LDL/HDL ratio is a reflection of the quality of protein intake. I don’t see any experimental/clinical basis in the paper for this claim. He does not refer to any study of tryptophan supplementation or such. Kummerow criticizes the current dietary recommendations put out by the government for recommending the wrong kind of protein, but it’s not as if anyone eats according to the recommendations. Most people on the SAD certainly get way more animal protein than what is recommended.
Ah, thanks for looking at the direct paper! We need more people who are willing to look at the original papers rather than the headline pieces.
Kummerow focussed on the causative stuff in his paper, the tryptophan was just mentioned in passing as an oft missing essential amino acid from people minimising eggs and cholesterol rich foods, but mostly poor fat choices. The rest was about oxysterols and veggie/hydrogenated fats – indeed the paper’s titls is “Two lipids in the diet, rather than cholesterol, are responsible for heart failure and stroke”.
I did a breakdown of the paper here:
– http://highsteaks.com/forum/health-nutrition-and-science/myths-cholesterol-statins-saturated-fat-and-heart-disease-52.msg2715.html#msg2715
A bit simplified, but hey.
“an oft missing essential amino acid”
Oft missing based on what?
Did your brain literally stop there and not manage to consider the next few words in that sentence?
*sigh*
Of course I read the rest of the sentence, but a simple claim that some people are avoiding eggs doesn’t automatically mean that are not getting enough tryptophan. Kummerow doesn’t even try to substantiate the claim in any way.
I looked up some of the numbers. The per capita consumption of eggs has been practically unchanged for the past 15 years in the US and stands at over 250 eggs per person per year. That’s nearly five eggs per week. Red meat and poultry consumption apparently grew dramatically from 1940 to 2007 and peaked at a total 221.6 pounds per person per year, and has declined since. The estimate for this year is 202.8 pounds. See
http://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/about-the-industry/statistics/per-capita-consumption-of-poultry-and-livestock-1965-to-estimated-2012-in-pounds/
Are the people eating 5 eggs and 3.9 pounds of red meat and poultry per week (203 pounds per year) suffering from tryptophan deficiency? Then there are the people who have cut eggs and meat out of their diet. Are their cholesterol numbers worse than those of meat-and-egg-eaters? Kummerow doesn’t say or refer to any study.