Message Number: FHL2973 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: Sukie Crandall
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 11:42:54 -0500
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, ferret-l@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG
Subject: [ferrethealth] simple sugars and sex steroids (SHBG research press release)
http://www.cfri.ca/PDF/media/CFRI_JCI_Hammond_Nov8.pdf
*****IF***** this holds for ferrets, too, then it says that sugars or=20
fruits as treats could worsen the effects of adrenal neoplasia by=20
reducing a genetic regulator that can help keep sex steroid levels=20
lower. So, to be safest, go for the unsweetened treats for ferrets=20
with adrenal disease.
BTW, also notice in the text:
BEGIN QUOTE
The discovery dispels the earlier assumption that too much insulin=20
reduces SHBG, a view
which arose from the observation that overweight, pre-diabetic=20
individuals have high
levels of insulin and low levels of SHBG. This new study proves that=20
insulin is not to
blame and that it=92s actually the liver=92s metabolism of sugar that=20
counts.
END QUOTE
which affects some other hypotheses about the generation of pancreatic=20
woes. There had already been epidemiological and other studies which=20
weakened some of those hypotheses. This perhaps also further weakens=20
some AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY STATED so unscores the vast importance of=20
actual veterinary health researchers doing the sort of investigation=20
into the generation of insulinoma and of diabetes which does not yet=20
exist. (There has been some interesting work into neural differences=20
perhaps playing a part in the onset of diabetes, and also some work=20
that beta cells tend to regenerate as a group rather than individually=20
which may say something about why problems can be sprinkled throughout=20
the pancreas if they share a trigger during a regeneration.) Now,=20
that is not to say that diet does not play a part, but if it does then=20
more and more it looks like it plays that part in different ways than=20
previously thought so that means that some of the assumptions which=20
fit the earlier hypothesis might or might not fit newer ones. If that=20
sounds like I am inserting a lot of "if, then", well, yes, I am=20
because the degree of lack of hard info warrants it. Like everyone=20
else, I won't know till we've got some hard research, something which=20
is sorely needed for our ferrets.
Press Release:
http://www.cfri.ca/PDF/media/CFRI_JCI_Hammond_Nov8.pdf
BEGIN QUOTE
NEWS RELEASE
Too much sugar turns off gene
that controls the effects of sex steroids
New research supports advice to eat complex carbs and avoid sugar
(Vancouver =96 November 8, 2007) =96 Eating too much fructose and glucose =
can turn off
the gene that regulates the levels of active testosterone and estrogen=20
in the body, shows a
new study in mice and human cell cultures that=92s published this month =
in the Journal of
Clinical Investigation. This discovery reinforces public health advice=20
to eat complex
carbohydrates and avoid sugar. Table sugar is made of glucose and=20
fructose, while
fructose is also commonly used in sweetened beverages, syrups, and low-
fat food
products. Estimates suggest North Americans consume 33 kg of refined=20
sugar and an
additional 20 kg of high fructose corn syrup per person per year.
Glucose and fructose are metabolized in the liver. When there=92s too=20
much sugar in the
diet, the liver converts it to lipid. Using a mouse model and human=20
liver cell cultures, the
scientists discovered that the increased production of lipid shut down=20
a gene called
SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), reducing the amount of SHBG=20
protein in the
blood. SHBG protein plays a key role in controlling the amount of=20
testosterone and
estrogen that=92s available throughout the body. If there=92s less SHBG =
protein, then more
testosterone and estrogen will be released throughout the body, which=20
is associated with
an increased risk of acne, infertility, polycystic ovaries, and=20
uterine cancer in overweight
women. Abnormal amounts of SHBG also disturb the delicate balance=20
between estrogen
and testosterone, which is associated with the development of=20
cardiovascular disease,
especially in women.
=93We discovered that low levels of SHBG in a person=92s blood means the =
liver=92s metabolic
state is out of whack =96 because of inappropriate diet or something=20
that=92s inherently wrong
with the liver =96 long before there are any disease symptoms,=94 says Dr. =
Geoffrey
Hammond, the study=92s principal investigator, scientific director of=20
the Child & Family
Research Institute in Vancouver, Canada, and professor in the=20
Department of Obstetrics
& Gynecology at the University of British Columbia.
=93With this new understanding, we can now use SHBG as a biomarker for=20
monitoring
liver function well before symptoms arise,=94 says Dr Hammond, who is a =
Tier 1 Canada
Research Chair in Reproductive Health. =93We can also use it for=20
determining the
effectiveness of dietary interventions and drugs aimed at improving=20
the liver=92s metabolic
state.=94
Physicians have traditionally measured SHBG in the blood to determine=20
a patient=92s
amount of free testosterone, which is key information for diagnosing=20
hormonal disorders.
In addition, SHBG levels are used to indicate an individual=92s risk for =
developing type 2
diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The discovery dispels the earlier assumption that too much insulin=20
reduces SHBG, a view
which arose from the observation that overweight, pre-diabetic=20
individuals have high
levels of insulin and low levels of SHBG. This new study proves that=20
insulin is not to
blame and that it=92s actually the liver=92s metabolism of sugar that=20
counts.
This research was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of=20
Health Research,
the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and the BC=20
Children=92s Hospital
Foundation.
The Child & Family Research Institute is dedicated to world-class=20
research at the
Children=92s and Women=92s Health Campus. It is the largest research=20
institute of its kind in
Western Canada and it is supported by the BC Children=92s Hospital=20
Foundation. Research
is conducted in the areas of community child heath, diabetes, applied=20
health research and
evaluation, infectious and inflammatory diseases, molecular medicine=20
and therapeutics,
oncology, reproductive health, nutrition, genetics, immunology,=20
informatics,
neurobiology and mental health. Incorporated in 1995, the Institute=20
works in close
partnership with the University of British Columbia, BC Children=92s=20
Hospital and Sunny
Hill Health Centre for Children, and BC Women=92s Hospital & Health=20
Centre, which are
agencies of the Provincial Health Services Authority. For more=20
information, visit
www.cfri.ca.
END QUOTE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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