You need not stuff yourself with the low-carb and protein-rich Atkins diet for shedding weight, as scientists have come up with the all new Atkins protein pill. This pill will benefit all those aiming at managing their weights without following any strict diet.
The hormones present in this diet makes one feel full and avoid eating more. The researchers were worried about the high fat content in the diet and hence aim at inventing a pill using the key ingredient of the Atkins diet, which is protein.
This diet was extremely popular and followed by three million Britishers. In the late 90s even popular Hollywood celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Renee Zellweger had advised people about consuming food with lower carbohydrate content for two weeks.
According to the theory formulated by the founder of this diet, Dr Robert Atkins, our body can be transformed into a fats-burning machine if we consume more of protein-rich diets which comprises of eggs, fish and meat.
Researchers from the Imperial College London analysed that our body produces a chemical called phenylalanine when we consume these foods. This chemical lowered the levels of ghrelin, the hormone that alerts us about our hunger and another hormone called GLP-1 which tells us when we are full.
"All foods stimulate these hormones, but for some reason, protein seems to have a greater effect on GLP-1 release than other types of nutrient. I think people do not stick to high-protein diets, and there is evidence they might not be great for you in the longer term, so if you could exploit this in a pill that would be the ideal," said Prof Kevin Murphy, Professor of Endocrinology & Metabolism at Imperial College London, as Daily Mail quoted.
The study, conducted on rodents, found those given a dose of phenylalanine over a week lost weight. The hormones produced are believed to make someone feel fuller after eating fewer calories.
Researchers conducted a study on rodents by giving them a dose of phenylalanine for a week, which led to hormone secretions that make any organism feel fuller after consuming lesser amount of calories.
The cells of the rodents were studied in a petri dish and it was found that the chemical reacted with a calcium-sensing receptor which hacked the feeling of starvation and triggered the signal for the body to stop eating.
A Daily Mail report quoted: "The Rowett Institute in Aberdeen found the Atkins diet, by cutting out carbohydrates, could increase someone's risk of getting bowel cancer by also cutting levels of bacteria which kill off cancerous cells."
Another research concluded that the diet can lead to changes in the blood fat levels and the way sugar is processed by our body. It triggers the kidney damage, the study revealed.
More findings regarding this research will be presented at the annual Society for Endocrinology conference in Brighton. These findings could lead to a treatment which prevents excess protein consumption. The researchers will try establishing that the chemical phenylalanine has the same effects in humans as mice.
"Our work is the first to demonstrate that activating CaSR (Calcium-sensing receptor) can suppress appetite. It highlights the potential use of phenylalanine or other molecules which stimulate CaSR – like drugs or food components – to prevent or treat obesity," stated the lead author Mariana Norton, as reported by Daily Mail.
