Diabetic question

**Glock-19** · 03-19-2005, 03:15 PM

My buddy is a diabetic. He used to have to take shots daily, but now he has a pump thats constantly attached to him that gives him a constant flow of insulin . When he was in highschool he was benchin 450 reppin it 7 times. He never has used AAS in his life and seems to be against it. Now he is 33 and I see him slippin into old age way too soon. Does anybody know of any substances that could help him with his weight that wont mess up his body. He is 6`2 270 about 25%bf. He all for tryin experimental drugs that could help him with his weight and or diabetize. (spellins wrong prolly) Does anybody have any usefull info that I can suggest to my bro? I know overweight diabetics arent long for this world.

**Mach1** · 03-19-2005, 04:13 PM

You're right, overweight diabetics arent long for this world. Alot of diabetics are non compliant when it comes to diet and exercise. There is no experimental drug that will keep you healthy. It's all diet and exercise.

**Whitey** · 03-19-2005, 05:53 PM

RedBaron, I have always understood that fats should be avoided like the plauge, after slin, but never understood the exact mechanism by which it is stored directly as fat. Could you help us understand why insulin causes fat to be stored directly, when typically, it seems that carbs would be the macronutrient most inclined to store as fat?

**OneEyedJohnny** · 03-19-2005, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Whitey

RedBaron, I have always understood that fats should be avoided like the plauge, after slin, but never understood the exact mechanism by which it is stored directly as fat. Could you help us understand why insulin causes fat to be stored directly, when typically, it seems that carbs would be the macronutrient most inclined to store as fat?

Carbs are carried into cells by insulin ... it is a feedback mechanism whereby carbs induce serum insulin release. Since carbs are the initiator of nutrient transport, as the carb is carried into the cell via the cell's insulin pump other things hang a ride with the carb/insulin combo into the cell. In the case of muscle cells, things like aminos, creatine, and other large macronutrients are carried into the cell via the "pump", without the pump they would not easily make it past the cellular membranes ... this action is not the only pump a cell has for getting nutrients past its membrane, there are sodium/potassium "pumps", etc. In the case of fat cells in the presence of high serum carbohydates and insulin, if lipids (fats) are in your serum (blood) then these are carried into the fat cell with the insulin OR the insulin makes the fat cell membrane more porous ... I really can't remember though, its been almost 8 years since I took Anatomy and Physiology I & II classes. I will look into this and see what I can turn up. Hopefully you can look for a follow-up post in this thread.

OneEye

**OneEyedJohnny** · 03-19-2005, 07:28 PM

Ok looked in one of my old books. It appears that insulin increases lipoprotein lipases (enzymes that assist in fat storage). Your body absorbs triglycerides, fatty acids, sterols (cholesterols), and fat soluble vitamins into the intestinal cell and makes a transport vehicle called a chylomicron which is basically a M&M with fat inside, the coating being protein ... note that larger fat molecules must be broken into glycerol and fatty acids to be able to penetrate the cell membrane, any cell membrane in fact, they are reassembled as needed to synthesize large lipids the cell needs once inside the cell. Anything that is not used may be used in other cell processes (ie burned or turned into other things inside the liver or other cells) or stored in your fat cells. These chylomicrons are carried through the lymphatic system into the blood stream, unlike carbs and aminos which absorb directly into intestinal capillaries. Once in the bloodstream the protein coating disintegrates in about 8 minutes, releasing the lipids. The fats are now available for use in the cells, and since you consumed more than just fat (carbs and proteins) your body releases insulin which stimulates the release of lipoprotein lipase from vessel walls, fat cells, muscle cells, and heart muscle. This lipase allows excess fats to be stored within the fat cell. Also excess carbs and aminos CAN be stored within the fat cell, but is less likely. 100 fat calories (11 grams of fat) take the expenditure of only 2.5 calories to store, while 100 extra calories of glucose (25 grams of glucose) takes the expenditure of around 23 calories, so you are more likely to store the fat in the presence of insulin, not CONVERT the carbs into fat within the fat cell. This is why it is best to avoid fats PWO while the insulin is active.

**Glock-19** · 03-19-2005, 10:50 PM

Your right baron, he dosent even have a treadmill and he works as a heavy equipment operator. I will give him the advice Ive read here. I got the feelin he already knows what Im gonna tell him, but it couldnt hurt.
His ammune system is shot also from his condition, any thoughts on supplements or anything to help him out there? He already takes all the overcounter stuff, is there anything he can ask his doctor to prescribe him? thanks for the feedback bro's

**Whitey** · 03-20-2005, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by OneEyedJohnny

Ok looked in one of my old books. It appears that insulin increases lipoprotein lipases (enzymes that assist in fat storage). Your body absorbs triglycerides, fatty acids, sterols (cholesterols), and fat soluble vitamins into the intestinal cell and makes a transport vehicle called a chylomicron which is basically a M&M with fat inside, the coating being protein ... note that larger fat molecules must be broken into glycerol and fatty acids to be able to penetrate the cell membrane, any cell membrane in fact, they are reassembled as needed to synthesize large lipids the cell needs once inside the cell. Anything that is not used may be used in other cell processes (ie burned or turned into other things inside the liver or other cells) or stored in your fat cells. These chylomicrons are carried through the lymphatic system into the blood stream, unlike carbs and aminos which absorb directly into intestinal capillaries. Once in the bloodstream the protein coating disintegrates in about 8 minutes, releasing the lipids. The fats are now available for use in the cells, and since you consumed more than just fat (carbs and proteins) your body releases insulin which stimulates the release of lipoprotein lipase from vessel walls, fat cells, muscle cells, and heart muscle. This lipase allows excess fats to be stored within the fat cell. Also excess carbs and aminos CAN be stored within the fat cell, but is less likely. 100 fat calories (11 grams of fat) take the expenditure of only 2.5 calories to store, while 100 extra calories of glucose (25 grams of glucose) takes the expenditure of around 23 calories, so you are more likely to store the fat in the presence of insulin, not CONVERT the carbs into fat within the fat cell. This is why it is best to avoid fats PWO while the insulin is active.

Hell yeah, bro! Thanks for the most excellent information. Can't decide what I like better - the girl in your avatar, or your explanation...

**nsashbl** · 03-21-2005, 08:54 AM

My mother has been a type 1 diabetic since her early 30's and is now in her 60's. The key for her was to stay thin and eat well. She still has health issues, but keeping in shape has bought her many years. She is in 2x the condition of most women her age because of this. Diabetics age very fast if they don't keep their health in check.

**OneEyedJohnny** · 03-21-2005, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by nsashbl

My mother has been a type 1 diabetic since her early 30's and is now in her 60's. The key for her was to stay thin and eat well. She still has health issues, but keeping in shape has bought her many years. She is in 2x the condition of most women her age because of this. Diabetics age very fast if they don't keep their health in check.

The reason diabetics age faster is because their bloodsugar runs higher. The high bloodsugar causes their blood to be thicker (think of syrup), the more concentrated the glucose the thicker their blood will be ... a diabetic's blood can be thick like Karo syrup or molasses, while a non-diabetic's blood is thinner like Log Cabin syrup or Aunt Jemima syrup. This thicker blood makes it more difficult for the blood to flow once it gets to smaller blood vessels, called capillaries. If blood can't reach these areas as well, then oxygen is not reaching them as well either ... tissue that is hypoxic(lack of oxygen) ages at a faster rate. Areas of the body that are of most concern in the diabetic are the: Retinas (retinopathy will lead to blindness), Kidneys (renal failure will lead to the need for life-long dialysis treatments 3 times a week), and neuropathy/gangrene of the lower extremeties (neuropathy is like when you lay on your arm or leg and cut off the bloodflow, you get the pins & needles feeling when you quit laying on it, its a little painful, well diabetics can have this feeling ALL the time, this neuropathy, caused by lack of oxygenation, can lead to gangrene because the lack of bloodflow causes the tissue to die, called necrosis, so they usually end up amputating the affected toe, foot, and/or calf).

This is why it is important for a diabetic's bloodsugar to remain in control. Most diabetics don't understand the importance of controlled bloodsugar ... controlled bloodsugar isn't eating a 1/4 of a double layer cake made with REAL icing and taking your bloodsugar afterwards, then medicating yourself with 20 units of slin to get your 400 bloodsugar back down ... that spike in bloodsugar, even if short-lived, does do damage to tissues in your body. Cheating like this isn't a good idea for a diabetic, even between bloodsugar checks bloodsugar can flucuate enough due to poor diets ... diet is key to a diabetic's longevity. This won't hurt you in the short-term, but will get you in the long-term after years of poor diet control. Diabetics is like a tripod, it has 3 legs and doesn't function well if one is taken away ... the 3 legs of diabetes are diet, exercise, and medication. Diet is MOST important, poor diet will lead to fluctuations in bloodsugar between bloodsugar checks ... most people don't want to stick to a "proper" diabetic diet so they end up becoming obese and therefore become sedentary. Exercise is next, but a very close second, for obvious reasons ... muscle tissue in the presence of insulin and carbs, utilizes and burns carbohydrates ... carbs that are used are therefore not in the bloodstream, lowering bloodsugar. If these 2 "legs of the tripod" are in check, then the third leg will be easier to control. The important thing here, is that even an insulin dependent diabetic can get off of insulin if diet and exercise are perfected. I have known numerous health conscience diabetics, that with diet and exercise have become non-insulin dependent diabetics ... controlling theirs diabetes with oral meds like Glucophage, Glyburide, Avandia, or Prandin. That means not having to stick themselves with slin up to 4 times per day.