A few weeks ago, back when we were talking about functional groups, we went over a sheet with the structure of Oxytocin (which I so brilliantly misread as oxycontin) written on it. Little did I know, Oxytocin is known as the "love molecule" or the "trust hormone". Oxytocin is a peptide made up of nine amino acids, and as well as being a mammalian hormone, it acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Oxytocin, as you may recall, has several hydroxyl, amine, and ketone functional groups. It's fitting that it has amine groups- seeing as it is an amino acid.
The Use of Oxytocin in Humans
Sooo, whats the point of oxytocin? In humans, oxytocin is believed to be released during hugging, touching, and orgasm in both males & females. Not only that, but oxytocin is involved in social interactions and bonding between people, and it might take part in the formation of trust between people. Pretty cool, right? Even better is the fact that you can get oxytocin for free, anywhere, and anytime. All you have to do is hug somebody! The strongest way to release oxytocin is through touch, so share the love... but don't be creepy. Oxytocin is also vital to childbirth and motherhood. Oxytocin helps stimulate uterine contractions, and its even sometimes given to women in labor in the form of Pitocin. Pitocin can be used to induce contractions or it can be used to make weak contractions stronger if necessary. New mothers can even help establish the bond between mother & baby with gentle touches. Also, oxytocin is passed from mother to child through breast milk. Mothers with low levels of oxytocin during the pregnancy are prone to postpartum depression. Doctors can predict whether or not a mother will have postpartum depression based on her oxytocin levels. If increasing oxytocin can help with/cure postpartum depression, maybe it can even help people suffering from clinical depression and anxiety disorders.
Oxytocin and Decreasing Shyness
A study was recently done to test the affects of oxytocin on severely shy people. Researchers at Israel's Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment and Columbia University examined 27 adult men to see if oxytocin could affect how they read/understood other's feelings. The study found that increased oxytocin in less socially proficient men helped them feel more empathetic towards others. However, the oxytocin had no affect on already confident men. From this experiment, they realized that the widely accepted truth that oxytocin makes ALL people more sociable and empathetic is false. It only helps those who are not as socially proficient.
(find out more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8020464/Oxytocin-the-love-hormone-could-cure-shyness.html)
The Fascinating Oxytocin
So, basically, oxytocin is what makes us human. Without oxytocin, we wouldn't be social creatures. It gives us that ability to feel, and it drives the need to reach out and touch others (in a non-creepy way, of course). We wouldn't be caring without oxytocin. We wouldn't be this, we wouldn't be that. The list goes on and on. Oxytocin is what makes us able to form bonds and build relationships in life, and that's all we really need.
(more fun functions of oxytocin: http://io9.com/5925206/10-reasons-why-oxytocin-is-the-most-amazing-molecule-in-the-world)
And also, a very intriguing TED talk on oxytocin and the role it plays in our lives!
The lipids or fats in our bodies are
different in one major way, if they are saturated or unsaturated. To be
saturated is for the fatty acids to be alkane in that the carbon atoms only
bond once per molecule. To be unsaturated is for the fatty acid to be an alkene
and for the carbon atom to be double bonded to other molecules. This slight
difference in chemical composition makes all the difference in larger scale
structure. The saturated fats because of the singular bonding are able to stack
against each other linearly and thus are SOLIDS at room temperature.
Unsaturated fats are not linear because of the double bonds in the triglyceride
structure of the lipid and ultimately arrange themselves in disarray; this
makes unsaturated fats LIQUIDS at room temperature.
Examples
of saturated fats are butter, dark chocolate and processed meats. Some examples
of unsaturated fats are fish, various kinds of oils and soy beans. The major
difference between these fats is how are body processes them. Saturated fats are
almost exclusively stored as energy which ultimately can lead to in extreme
cases obesity. Unsaturated fats are simply passed through the body and only a
fraction of the lipids are stored. Humans cannot live with only ingesting one,
for a human to be healthy moderation between the two must be met along with a
reasonable exercise plan.
The Mediterranean Diet is arguably one of the healthiest
diets out there. It features almost exclusively unsaturated fats. It limits the
consumption of red meats such as beef to several times a month and also
incorporates fish as a more major dietary supplement to this lack of red meat.
This diet features an array of herbs and spices which are quite tasty
themselves to replace salt. Olive Oil is another addition to this cuisine that
makes it tasty and yet also healthy because as previously stated natural oils
are unsaturated and don’t clog up arteries. This diet comes from the things
available to Mediterranean countries such as Greece and southern Italy and yet
it is so healthy. The underlying theme with this diet is the moderation of the
saturated fats in these meats by taking in other unsaturated fats in
vegetables. Through following this diet the country of Greece has a
significantly smaller population of people with heart disease.
For easy Mediterranean recipes follow the Link! http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/superfast-mediterranean-dishes-20-minutes-or-less-00400000042111/
Fats have such a bad reputation in society today with obesity growing exponentially not only in America, but also across the globe. How much fat do we really need in our diets for our bodies to function properly? What kind of fats do we need, and what do we actually intake?
Lipids are biochemically important, essential nutrients to our body (essential fatty acids) that serve many functions to help maintain our everyday functionality. Lipids are formed from glycerol and fatty acids, commonly making triglycerides. In general, lipids are called fats in solid form and oils in liquid form, depending on their room temperature state and bonding structure. Lipids are the body’s second source of energy, next to carbohydrates and simple sugars. Lipids contain about 4000 kJ/100g of energy, placing it as the highest form of energy storage in the human body. Because of its more complex metabolic pathways, lipids are harder to break down than carbohydrates, and are commonly stored for later consumption if needed in adipose cells (fat cells), such as adipocytes, which expand in size as more lipids are stored in the cell, and shrink as they are released, burned, and used by the body.
Lipids function in the body as protective lining for the outside of organs, their presence in the hydrophobic tails of the phospholipid bilayer in cells, nervous function, thermal insulation (especially in other mammals, such as seals or whales), and buoyancy.
So what do fatty acids structures have to to with the function they serve in the body, or more importantly, their effect on the body?
Fatty acids are the basic building blocks of lipids, and their structure will correlate to the state of matter and effect on the body it has. The general structure of a fatty acid is a methyl group on one end (also called the omega end), a carboxyl end, and a long hydrocarbon chain in the middle, ranging from 12-20 carbon atoms long. Are there different forms of this structure? Of course. Saturated fatty acids have a complete “saturation” of hydrogen on each of the carbons in the middle hydrocarbon chain (2 Hydrogen per 1 carbon) since carbon can bond with four valence electrons, it bonds to the other carbons to the left or right of it, and then the last
two single bonds with hydrogen. However, if the fatty acid is unsaturated, it will form double bonds with the carbons since there is not enough hydrogen present to completely saturate the chain. Overall, a saturated fat will be a straight carbon chain, while an unsaturated fatty acid will bend or kink where there are double bonds. Due to this structure, saturated fats (animal fat products, such as butter or fat in red meat) can stack on top of each other, making solids at room temperature in the body. (Hint: See the problem?) However, due to the irregular shape of unsaturated fats (from plant oils, such as canola or olive oil), they cannot stack fatty acid chains and end up as a liquid at room temperature.
Aren't trans- fats also saturated fats? They are supposedly bad for you.
Well… yes, and no. Trans- fats are polyunsaturated fatty acids. What are those you ask? Well, both mono- and poly- unsaturated fats are, well unsaturated, but the prefix simply states how many double bonds the molecule has. Due to the number of number of double carbon bonds, some mono- unsaturated fats tend to be bent since the hydrogens that bond are both on the same side while some mono-unsaturated fats are straighter since the hydrogen are bonded on opposite sides, much like two weights balancing each other out. However poly-unsaturated fatty acids can have so many double bonds that they simply curl and twist upon itself. Both trans- fats and cis- fats are polyunsaturated fats, but act very differently in the body due to how they are formed. Trans- fats are actually the WORST possible fatty acid for the human body since it is a poly-unsaturated acid. (Wait, I thought unsaturated fats are actually healthier to eat than saturated fats?) Trans- fats under a chemical process called hydrogenation, which is used in food processing, that take a liquid unsaturated fat and bond more hydrogens to it to saturate it and turn it into something saturated that resembles saturated fats. But due to its chemical nature, these trans-fats are forced straightened either partially (not all the double bonds are saturated) or fully, and the body doesn’t know what to do with them.
On the other hand, cis- fatty acids are actually much healthier, as they are otherwise known as the omega -3, -6 fats, famous for supporting brain function and healthier hearts. Cis- fats are named so since it its the number of saturated hydrocarbons counted from the omega end (methyl group) till the first double bond.
So how does this all affect my health?
In general, saturated animal fats pose a threat of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) due to its solid state of matter, which can build up against the artery walls as plaque, and if it breaks apart, can clog up smaller passageways and cause heart attacks in the extreme case, but in general higher blood pressure. Overall, diets rich in saturated fats, or even worse, trans-fats, lead to a higher risk of CHD. On the other hand, unsaturated fats tend to carry away cholesterol in the bloodstream, freeing up the passageways, extending and easing the work of the heart. Overall, if you can, avoid eating saturated fats or trans-fats in excess or even better none at all, and keep in balance unsaturated fats for a healthier diet and healthier life style.
Today, the large consumption of fast food and the acceleration of processed food in society and in our diet have lead people to obesity across the nation, and at the heart of it is the over-consumption of these saturated fats that are present in foods such as doughnuts, fried foods, frying oil, cream milk, coconut oil, and fatty red processed meat. Instead, there is good evidence from studies (Harvard nutrition: (http://tinyurl.com/6q6wac))proving alternative fatty acids essential to the body, such as omega-3 in fish and some nuts can reduce blood clotting and reduce risk of heart attacks and strokes while saturated and trans-fats is inversely correlated. These unhealthy fats can lead to an imbalance of LDL over HDL, increasing blood pressure, risk of CHD, atherosclerosis, and stroke.
Vitamin D- it is produced by our skin. Our skin can make Vitamin D from sun exposure, or we can get it from our diet. However, we aren't all equal in our levels of Vitamin D. Paler skin naturally produces more Vitamin D than darker skin. Therefore, darker-skinned people need more Vitamin D in their diet to make up for this, especially in colder countries where you can't get a lot of V.D. from sun exposure. On the flip side, since paler skin produces more Vitamin D, it is more at risk of developing skin cancer from sun exposure. Those with pale skin are advised to get dietary Vitamin D and avoid prolonged sun exposure.
Since we are on the topic of dietary Vitamin D, you may be wondering, where can I get the dietary Vitamin D I need? Well it isn't easy. Vitamin D is only in a few foods, and only in small amounts. Only about 20% of our Vitamin D comes from food, since our skin makes the majority of it. However, you can get Vitamin D from dairy, fish, egg yolks, some healthy cereals, and some fish oils! The RDI's for varying ages are listed below.
If you're not getting enough Vitamin D, then you have a Vitamin D Deficiency. This mostly occurs in babies and children that are not getting any sun exposure or V.D. from food. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption, and if you don't get enough V.D., it can result in weak bones, osteoporosis in old people, and rickets in children. This scenario is similar to the Mystery #2 in our Micronutrient Mysteries homework, where the baby still had a soft skull and wasn't able to crawl, resultant of weak bones from Vitamin D Deficiency!
Here is a link to see if your child is getting enough Vitamin D, and their risk of developing a deficiency!
Contrary to a Vitamin D Deficiency, overexposure to the sun can lead to skin cancer. Paler skin is at much greater risk of developing skin cancer, because more Vitamin D is produced! Watch this video to see the consequences of prolonged sun exposure, resulting in melanoma skin cancer.
Normal Lactose Digestion Compared to Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is when the body does not make enough lactase to break down lactose, a sugar found in milk and many other milk derived diary products. The enzyme that breaks down lactose is lactase, an enzyme found on the wall of the intestines. Lactase breaks down lactose into galactose and glucose. The activity of lactase becomes reduced after breastfeeding, and at that point the body no longer needs as much lactase. This is not the same thing as a food allergy to milk. When lactose moves through the colon (large intestine) without being properly digested, it can be really uncomfortable to a person. You can get gas, bloating, and even really bad stomach pains. Some people who have Lactose Intolerance cannot digest any milk products whatsoever. Other people though can eat or drink small amounts of milk products, or even certain types of milk products without any problems. Lactose is a disaccharide, C12 H22 O11, and is in animal cells. It is also a white crystalline substance.
Lactose intolerance is common in adults. It occurs more often in Native American, Asian, African, and South American people that are among the European descent. The challenge of being lactose intolerant is how to eat to avoid discomfort and to get enough calcium for strong bones. Lactose intolerance usually runs in families, and the symptoms usually develop during the teen or adult years. Sometimes the small intestine stops making lactase after a short-term illness such as the stomach flu or as part of a lifelong disease, or the small intestine sometimes stops making lactase after surgery to remove a part of the small intestine. In these cases, the problem can be either permanent or temporary.
The Hydrogen Breath Test
Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance
In rare cases, newborns are lactose-intolerant. A person born with lactose intolerance cannot eat or drink anything with lactose. Some premature babies have temporary lactose intolerance because they are not yet able to make lactase. After a baby begins to make lactase, the condition usually goes away. Symptoms of lactose intolerance can be mild to severe. Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 2 hours after you eat or drink milk products. Symptoms may include bloating, pain or cramps, gurgling or rumbling sounds in your stomach, gas, loose stool or diarrhea, or throwing up. You can do a test called the hydrogen breath test where if you are lactose intolerant, you will produce more hydrogen gas. You can also take over the counter products like lactaid, which helps to digest the lactose. If you drink milk with food, that will also help. There are also diary products like yogurt and hard cheeses that a lactose intolerant person can eat without hurting them afterwards because they have smaller amounts of lactose in them. There are also alternatives to milk and diary products like soy, "dairy free products," or "lactose free" products too.
Milk is bad for you altogether
current research: April 3, 2013 by Arjun Walia.......Approximately 75% of Earth's population is lactose intolerant, and that is actually perfectly natural if you are. The statistics vary from race to race and country to country. We are the only species on the planet that drinks milk from another species. Since lactose's only function is the digestion of lactose in milk, most mammal species experience a dramatic reduction in the activity of the enzyme after weaning. People that continue to drink milk have evolved as an adaptation to the consumption of non-human milk and dairy products consumed beyond infancy. Our diet has changed a lot, which makes our genes adapt, but it's not an easy process. This is why most humans are lactose intolerant. Every other species wean and then never drink milk again, and because of that we don't have an enzyme to break down the sugar in milk. But during human evolution, some humans experienced a mutation in the LTC gene, which is the lactase gene, and these mutations allow us to process lactose as adults. With over 75 percent of humans on the planet unable to properly process it, it is enough evidence that we are not doing what is natural for and to our bodies. We are suppose to be lactose intolerant! Undigested lactose in the small intestine acts like an osmotic agent, causing water and electrolytes to be pilled into the intestines, which results in diarrhea, bloating and gassiness. The body struggles and compensates, as well as protects itself by developing coping methods for our unnatural habits. Now, there are movements occurring to try and remove milk from school cafeterias because too much information is being released that milk is very bad for you. Now in stores, they are advertising more alternative milk products like rice milk, almond milk, and coconut milk. Sadly, there is NO CURE yet for lactose intolerance people.
According to the National Dairy Council there are three different types of lactates deficiencies.
1-Congenital Lactase Deficiency-This is an extremely rare condition where intestinal lactase is absent at birth
2-Secondary Lactase Deficiency-This is a condition that is the result of some disease or things such as radiation treatment. This condition is usually only temporary and a person can resume normal lactase production after they get better.
3-Primary lactase deficinecy-This is the most common type. Primary lactase deficiency is when individuals slowly lose the ability to produce lactase as they get older. Usually a person's ability to produce lactase is determined genetically.
I myself am lactose intolerant. I found out in the middle of 8th grade from my doctor. I think it was because I was consuming too much diary products because at my middle school we were only allowed to bring diary products, or it could just be that since I am a human, milk products are just not made for me. Now, I take the lactaid supplements before I eat diary products, which seem to help. I learned a lot about lactose intolerance from this research though. One thing that I was really fascinated with was with the hydrogen breath test. I would really like to do that one day just to see if I really have lactose intolerance because my doctor just said I had it when I told her my stomach hurt after I ate lunch, but my doctor never really tested me for it. Now, by doing this research, it makes me really want to stop consuming diary products all together because in one of the videos I watched, it says that milk is really only for young mammals, which we also learned in class. I also learned that I have the type three lactate deficiency, which is the most common type. It is not worth it for me and for others to consume diary products who are lactose intolerance because of the extreme pains it gives you after consuming it. I have learned just how bad diary products is to and for your body if you are lactose intolerant, that if you consume too much of it, you could possibly even die. The most important thing I have learned from this research is that when your body reacts to something you are doing to it in a negative way, you should stop what you are doing to it immediately because it is not worth it to be in pain all the time, and you also don't want to do something to your body that can question your life.
DOCTOR TRAVIS STORK SPEAKING ON SOLUTIONS FOR LACTOSE INTOLERANT PEOPLE
The Percentages of People Who Have Lactose Intolerance
African Blacks95%
American Indians90%
Asian Americans90%
North American Blacks75%
Mexican Americans75%
Mediterraneans60%
North American Whites15%
Fun Fact!
Celebrities have Lactose Intolerance too!
-Cindy Lauper-famous singer
-Mark Spitz-Olympic swimmer
Joanna Kerns-Mother on Growing Pains
Anne Hathaway-famous actress
Randy Jackson-American Idol judge and music producer
Nancy Kerrigan-Olympic ice-skater
Star Jones-host on The View
-Kimora Lee Simmons-fashion designer
-and many many more!
Check out these videos to learn more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pe5a4C6KmY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3iIfL8q0_k
Picture sources:
Some Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance: http://lactoseintoleranceinbabies.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Lactose-Intolerance.gif
