👩 Should men and women eat differently to lose fat?

What would happen if you and your partner pick a toasted bagel for breakfast?

Would the outcomes be the same?

A new study aimed to close the knowledge gap on sex differences in how men and women process fat. (as most studies are conduced on men) by using a statistical model.

They found that men's metabolisms respond better on average to a meal laden with high carbohydrates like oats and grains after fasting for several hours.

While women are better served by a meal with a higher percentage of fat, such as omelettes and avocados.

The model suggests that women store more fat immediately after a meal but also burn more fat during a fast.

These differences are influenced by body composition and inherent metabolic differences, including greater capacity by the liver to use of fat as fuel in women. This mechanism is facilitated by the shuttling of fats between fat tissue and the liver in women.

Caution though. This study only tested the response to a single meal, the consequences after a short term fast and did not consider the multiple variables that can affect the body response to a meal (e.g. menstruation).

🥊 Punchline

Women tend to preserve more fat than men when eating, but have greater capacity to use fat during short-term fasting.

🗝️ The secrets to a healthy weight: timing, frequency and choices

To keep weight in check, it is not only important to consider what we eat, but also the times and how often we eat.

According to a new study, there are two specific habits that are associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) in the long term: keeping a longer overnight fast and eating breakfast early.

Extending the overnight fast could help maintain a healthy weight if accompanied by an early dinner and an early breakfast. This could be because eating earlier in the day is more in line with the circadian rhythm and allows for better appetite regulation, which can help maintain a healthy weight.

The research also noted sex-specific differences. When following the same diet, women generally had lower BMI, higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and lower propensity to consume alcohol.

Intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast had no effect on body weight. However, the full spectrum of benefits from intermittent fasting (e.g. better blood fats profile) was not assessed.

This study had some limitations, such as basing the investigation on questionnaires and conducting a single follow-up after 5 years. However, it highlights that good nutrition goes beyond healthy food choices.

🥊 Punchline

What we eat, when we eat and how often are all important variables when considering a healthy diet.

🦠 Targeting the gut: a new strategy for colorectal cancer treatment

Nowadays, colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high incidence rate and fatality rate, ranking 3rd and 2nd among frequent malignant tumours, respectively.

CRC has high incidence and a stubbornly low 5-year survival rate for advanced stages. While early-stage CRC can be treated successfully, later stages of CRC can be harder to treat and researchers are busy to find a way.

However, a promising area of research is the gut microbiota because our gut bacteria (both friends and foes) might just hold the key.

Recent findings suggest that targeting the gut microbiota could revolutionize CRC prevention and treatment.

Probiotics, prebiotics, aspirin, metformin, and even Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) all interact with gut microbiota, showing potential to prevent CRC in high-risk groups. The anti-cancer mechanisms of probiotics can vary widely among bacterial strains, and both bacterial strains and the by-products of their metabolism have been found to have anti-cancer effects.

Because of this, different bacterial strains and their derivatives are being studied for their anti-cancer effects.

🥊 Punchline

Targeting gut microbiota may be a new strategy for colorectal cancer treatment.