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Dr. Sears' Polyphenol Q & A

Dr. Sears answers some of the top questions we receive about polyphenols and what makes MaquiRx unique.

What are Polyphenols?

Polyphenols are complex phytochemicals produced by plants to offer them protection against the sun's radiation and to help defend against injuries induced by microbes or bacteria. Just like polyphenols protect plants, they protect us in a similar way by acting as antioxidants to help combat inflammation and aid in supporting immunity through their activation of key genes. They also play a key role in gut health by helping to defend against bad bacteria while increasing the production of good bacteria.  

What are the health benefits of consuming polyphenols?

Polyphenols should be considered essential nutrients since we know they function as activators of key gene transcription factors such as AMP-Kinase and support the following benefits:

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What is responsible for all the benefits of polyphenols?

Polyphenols, at adequate nutritional intakes, support the activation of AMP-Kinase. Think of AMP-kinase like a genetic master switch for your metabolism. The greater its activity the longer your health span.

Which foods contain polyphenols?

The more colorful the plant, generally the higher the polyphenol content. This is why fruits, especially berries, and vegetables are good sources of polyphenols. Nonetheless, the levels of polyphenols occurring in fruits and vegetables is only between 0.1 and 0.2 percent by weight. Polyphenols are also found in cocoa, legumes, spices, and plant derived beverages such as tea, coffee and wine.

How much should people consume?

The answer depends on your personal goals. There are reported benefits that come with consuming anywhere between 500mg to 1,500mg of polyphenols per day. I recommend aiming for a minimum of 1,000mg per day for general wellness. To give a sense of what 1,000mg of polyphenols per day looks like, it could be approximately 5 ½ cups of broccoli, 1 ½ cups of blueberries, 2 ¼ cups of strawberries, or a combination of various fruits and vegetables. A good rule of thumb is that consuming 10 servings of vegetables and fruits per day will provide about 1,000mg of polyphenols per day.

Can you get enough polyphenols through your diet?

Only 1 out of every 10 adults in the U.S. meets the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables (5 servings per day) let alone the 10 servings per day that I recommend. Unfortunately, the fruits and vegetables that are usually consumed tend to be high in carbohydrates and low in polyphenols.  Examples would include bananas and potatoes that can rapidly increase blood sugar levels leading to increased insulin levels.  This is why supplementing with purified polyphenol extracts will have the least adverse effect on blood sugar levels.

Are some polyphenols better than others?   

Yes. There are about 8,000 known polyphenols from a wide variety of sources. I consider the best dietary sources are from the blueberry family. The polyphenols in the blueberry family include: American blueberries, Russian blueberries (bilberries), and the Patagonia blueberry (maqui berries). Maqui berries have the highest concentration of a subclass of polyphenols called delphinidins which are water-soluble, meaning they are more likely to get into the blood and have been shown to help support improved blood sugar levels and reduced oxidative stress in clinical studies.

What is Maqui?

Maqui Berry is the richest antioxidant source in the world, having three times more antioxidants than blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Furthermore, maqui berries are the richest known source of delphinidins.

Why extracts over powder or juice?

Polyphenol extracts significantly increase the levels of polyphenols and reduce their carbohydrate content. Extracts are more concentrated and purified than simply a juice or a dry powder made from a juice. With extracts, the dry powder of the fruits is further extracted to increase the polyphenol content. For the most purified extracts (such as MaquiRx), the final concentration step involves a complex purification process that produces a refined extract that has about a 40% concentration of polyphenols by dry weight. Such extracts from maqui berry have 14 times more delphinidins compared to common blueberries. Maqui berry extracts have been shown to help activate AMP-Kinase which plays a key role in energy balance and metabolism. Activation of AMP-Kinase is the genetic master switch that controls appetite, blood sugar, lipid levels, reduction of inflammation, and repair of damaged tissue. Research has shown that delphinidins in purified maqui extracts can enter the blood more easily than other polyphenols, thus supporting activation of AMP kinase.

Is there a blood test to measure how many polyphenols I need?  

There is no specific test to measure polyphenols in the blood since their lifetime in the body is short. That said, there is a standard test you can take to gauge whether you are taking enough. This is called hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). HbA1c is a measure of the circulating levels of blood glucose over a 3-month period of time. If you can maintain a HbA1c level between 4.9-5.1% you are probably doing a good job getting enough polyphenols through diet and supplementation. If your HbA1c levels are higher, you probably need to add more polyphenols to your diet. 

Dr. Sears recommends consuming 1000mg of polyphenols a day. Each maqui capsule supplies 120mg of polyphenols. Does that mean you need 8 capsules per day?

No. Ideally your polyphenol intake should come from a combination of both food and supplementation. It really depends on how much you think you can consume in your diet. The more fruits and vegetables you consume following the Zone Diet, the less polyphenol extracts you need.

When will people start seeing the benefits after they begin to supplement?

Generally within 30 days of using MaquiRx you’ll begin to notice benefits in the improvement of your metabolism.

Are there any side effects to supplementing with polyphenols?  

No, as long as the polyphenols are highly purified such as MaquiRx and you can keep your HbA1c in the desired range of 4.9-5.1% there will not be any issues. At lower levels of HbA1c there is the possibility that the body may increase the secretion of cortisol to increase blood sugar levels. This is common for individuals following ketogenic diets.

How long do you have to take it?

Polyphenols should be considered essential nutrients that must be supplied by the diet for a lifetime.{{cta('b55efb49-3acd-41bc-ac18-721609a63a24')}}

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062524---Keto-Blog

Ketogenic Diets and Aging

Chances are, you or someone you know has tried the keto diet at some point in time. This high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan appeals to many due to its promise of rapid weight loss. In this blog, Dr. Sears explores some of the latest scientific findings on ketogenic diets and provides caution before hopping on this trend. What is a Ketogenic Diet? The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan. This significant reduction in carbohydrates to induce a metabolic state is called ketosis. This only occurs when there is not enough carbohydrates in your liver to completely convert fatty acids to carbon dioxide and water. The normal conversion generates the chemical energy (ATP) that keeps us alive. In the absence of ketosis, each fatty acid generates 108 molecules of ATP when oxidized in the mitochondria. Ketone bodies make less ATP when they are metabolized by mitochondria. How much less? About five times less. This is like switching the gasoline in your car from high-octane fuel to low octane fuel as ketone bodies increase in the blood. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, ketones are not an ideal energy source for the brain, as glucose remains the preferred fuel for ATP production in brain cells. Lack of blood glucose is a highly stressful situation for the brain. This is why the body secretes the stress hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands during ketosis to breakdown protein and convert the amino acids into glucose for the brain. This explains why even under complete starvation for 38 days, the blood glucose levels never dropped below 68 mg/dL. This is still considered as a normal blood sugar level. Where did this blood glucose come from if there was none in the diet for 38 days? The answer is neo-glucogenesis primarily using lean body mass. Ketogenic Diets Pros and Cons Interest in ketogenic diets rises and falls about every 20 years. They’re very low-carbohydrate diets that claim that carbohydrates make you fat and keep you fat. This is simply not true. It is not carbohydrates per se but a disrupted metabolism that makes you fat. To be more specific, it is the inhibition of AMPK, the master regulator of your metabolism that makes you fat. Why? As AMPK activity increases, you burn stored fat faster. Frankly, I’ve always been amazed by the re-emergence of ketogenic diets. Eighteen years ago, I published the premier clinical study demonstrating that, under equal calorie intake in which all the food was provided to the subjects for six weeks, the Zone Diet was better than a ketogenic diet in reducing total weight, excess body fat, and inflammation. Now, a recent study revealed some more very concerning findings about the long-term effects of ketogenic diets. This new study indicated that following a keto diet causes a rise in senescent cells, popularly known as “zombie cells.” Zombie Cells are damaged cells that no longer divide but don't die. That’s bad enough, but zombie cells continue spreading inflammation throughout the body. As the number of zombie cells increases in your body, they become a living nightmare. Why? Zombie cells accelerate aging because they cause the earlier development of many chronic diseases. In this study they found that zombie cells in the animals began to appear while they were on a ketogenic diet. The zombie cells then disappeared when researchers changed the diet to a “non-ketogenic diet” (i.e., the Zone diet). And when the animals were given a Keto diet again, the zombie cells reappeared. Notice a trend? If you want to hear more about this study you can listen to our recent podcast at Dr.Sears.com. Based on earlier blogs, this adds to the list of downsides for following a ketogenic diet versus the Zone Diet. PROS Rapid initial weight loss: This is primarily due to the loss of retained water from the glycogen stores in the liver, which is rapidly used up to maintain blood sugar levels. Since these glycogen stores in the liver contain significant levels of retained water, much of the initial weight loss is water rather than stored body fat. If your main goal is loss retained water, this can be seen as a benefit. Of course, going to a sauna would also work. Reduced hunger: Ketogenic diets are rich in protein. Any increase in protein intake can help reduce hunger. CONS Production of acetone: One of the ketone bodies produced during ketosis is acetone, which is also the main chemical in nail polish. Increased calcium loss: A ketogenic diet can lead to higher calcium loss from bones. Limited fat utilization: High levels of dietary fat reduce the likelihood of using stored body fat for energy unless you also significantly restrict calories. Reduced energy levels: The lack of ATP production on a ketogenic diet can lead to easier fatigue during mild exercise. Damage from cheat meals: After seven days on a keto diet, a single high-carb cheat meal can damage blood vessels. Lack of polyphenols: This makes it difficult to activate genes that optimize metabolism by improving mitochondrial efficiency in converting fat into ATP. No long-term weight loss advantage: Long-term studies show no difference in weight loss between a ketogenic diet and a low-fat, high-carb diet. No short-term metabolic advantage: Careful studies demonstrate that fat loss on a ketogenic diet is the same as on a low-fat, high-carb diet with the same caloric intake. Compromised gut health: A lack of fermentable fiber from carbohydrates can lead to poor gut health and an increased risk of developing a leaky gut, which can cause significant inflammation. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are the metabolic product of fermentable fiber. These SCFA are powerful epigenetic signaling agents that enhance gene transcription. Ketosis generates a different type of hydroxylated short fatty acid (3-hydroxyl butyrate, that has no effect on gene transcription. In addition, the lack of SCFA has significant negative consequences on the gut-brain axis. Cortisol build-up: To produce glucose for the brain, cortisol levels increase to breakdown protein to make sufficient glucose via neoglucogenesis. Excess cortisol can lead to insulin resistance that cause regain of some of initially loss body fat. In addition, increased cortisol levels cause a depressed immune system as well as destruction of memory cells in the hippocampus. The initial benefits of following the ketogenic diet result in some initial weight loss (primarily water weight rather than fat loss), long-term studies show no significant differences in overall weight loss. Now new findings show a ketogenic diet may lead to significant adverse health consequences by accelerating the formation of zombie cells. Call me crazy, but I feel the key to longevity and wellness comes down to better metabolic control instead of living in a constant state of ketosis. Following Metabolic Engineering® for a lifetime provides that pathway of losing body fat without ketosis. References 1. Johnston CS, Tjonn SL, Swan PD, White A, Hutchins H, and Sears B. “Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over nonketogenic low-carbohydrate diets.” Am J Clin Nutr 2006 83:1055-61. 2. White AM, Johnston CS, Swan PD, Tjonn SL, and Sears B. “Blood ketones are directly related to fatigue and perceived effort during exercise in overweight adults adhering to low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss: a pilot study.” J Am Diet Assoc. 2007 107:1792-1796. 3. Sung-Jen Wei, Joseph R Schell, E Sandra Chocron, Mahboubeh Varmazyad, Guogang Xu, Wan Hsi Chen, Gloria M Martinez, Felix F Dong, Prethish Sreenivas, Rolando Trevino Jr , Haiyan Jiang, Yan Du, Afaf Saliba, Wei Qian, Brandon Lorenzana, Alia Nazarullah, Jenny Chang, Kumar Sharma, Erin Munkácsy, Nobuo Horikoshi, David Gius. Ketogenic diet induces p53-dependent cellular senescence in multiple organs. Sci Adv. 2024 May 17;10(20):eado1463. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado1463. 4. Owen OE, Felig P, Morgan AP, Wahren J, Cahill GF Jr. Liver and kidney metabolism during prolonged starvation. J Clin Invest. 1969 Mar;48(3):574-83. doi: 10.1172/JCI106016. 5. Chriett, S., Dąbek, A., Wojtala, M. et al. Prominent action of butyrate over β-hydroxybutyrate as histone deacetylase inhibitor, transcriptional modulator and anti-inflammatory molecule. Sci Rep 9, 742 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36941-9. 6. Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Jan 31;11:25. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00025. 

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050824---Tofu-Blog

Tofu: Tips and Recipes Ideas

I have been eating tofu for a very long time, much longer than the 30 or so years I have been following the Zone Diet. Back then many of my favorite recipes came from the Tassajara cookbooks by Edward Espe Brown, the celebrated chef from the kitchen at California’s famous Zen Mountain Center, and cookbooks by Louise Hagler, a.k.a. Wendy Louise, a well-known authority on vegetarian cooking who is associated with a community in Tennessee known as The Farm. Those books are still among the best resources for tofu recipes. My mantra has always been if you don’t like something, don’t eat it. Keep this in mind if you’re new to tofu, start slowly by combining it with flavors and foods you like.    Tips and Suggestions    Firm-sprouted tofu is my preference for the Zone Diet. Unlike traditional tofu, which contains significant amounts of both protein and carbohydrate, sprouted has almost no carbohydrates. It’s lighter tasting, refreshing, and very filling.   Freezing tofu results in a chewy, sponge-like texture. I don’t recommend freezing, but some people prefer it when using tofu to substitute for meat in a recipe.    Baked tofu comes in a variety of flavors and makes an excellent quick meal with some vegetables and fruit added. It’s also great in salads.     Tofu made it into the book “The Top 100 Zone Foods” by Barry Sears.    Some recipes call for draining the tofu first. I find that usually isn’t necessary.   Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever is added to it.    Add nutritional yeast flakes to give a cheesy flavor to vegan tofu scrambles and dips. It’s also rich in protein and vitamin B12.   Cherry Vanilla Tofu “Ice Cream”   Tip: This doesn’t freeze or store well, so prepare only the amount you plan to serve immediately.   Using an immersion blender or a food processor blend equal parts of frozen dark cherries and firm tofu, plus some vanilla extract (preferably alcohol-free for best flavor). Serve immediately.  Tofu Scramble  This is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and we’ve even brought it on long day hikes for a snack.   Crumble some firm tofu and stir in a generous amount of seasonings, taking care not to overdo it with the salt. Heat in a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet with a little Zone-friendly oil to the desired doneness.    Optional: If time allows, sauté some chopped onion in the skillet before adding the tofu and seasonings.    My favorite seasoning combination for this dish at my house is onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, paprika, some oregano or thyme, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. The yellow color of the turmeric makes it somewhat like scrambled eggs.   Tofu Veggie Almond Pasta Salad   Dressing: Thin some smooth almond butter by stirring in some water, a little vinegar, and either soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (an unfermented soy sauce found in the health food section of most grocery stores).    Toss together cooked Dr. Sears’ Zone PastaRx Fusilli, tofu cut into cubes, matchstick cut red bell pepper, chopped green parts of scallions (a.k.a. green onions), and the almond butter dressing. Serve immediately or chill to serve later. It will keep well in the fridge for two or three days.   Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.  Experiment and have fun with it. Try using tofu to make cheesecakes, whipped desserts, tofu chocolate pudding, tofu “cream” based soups, tofu pot pie (think chicken pot pie), tofu burgers, tofu burritos, Buffalo tofu (like Buffalo wings), layered Mediterranean dips, tofu “meatballs”, grilled tofu, and more.    Enjoy! 

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