How the Detoxification Process Works

Image from Isagenix

For those of you who, like my husband, need a scientific explanation for everything, here is an article from Isagenix Health which gives a great explanation of the detoxification process.

 

The Basics of Detoxification

April 18, 2013 from Isagenix Health

 

Whether out for a run, grilling your favorite meats on a hot summer day, or spring cleaning the house, our bodies are exposed to millions of chemicals considered “toxins”. These toxins in our environment (exotoxins) and that our bodies produce (endotoxins) have the ability to disrupt the essential biological structures needed for the body to function such as DNA, cellular membranes, and protein. Repeated exposure to various toxins can contribute to adverse health effects in the short-term such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue; and in the long-term can contribute to weight gain and chronic health outcomes.

Detoxification is essential for ridding the body of toxins and preventing their “health robbing” effects. Although all cells have the ability to detoxify toxins, the most important organ for detoxification is the liver–known as the body’s filter and purification system.

Fat Cells House Toxins

Toxins enter the liver as either water- or fat-soluble molecules. Water-soluble toxins are rather easily metabolized and excreted into the urine. In contrast, fat-soluble toxins can be stored in fat cells where they are protected from the body’s detoxification systems.

Excess fat stores, especially organ-bathing visceral fat, are linked to several diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic dysfunction. The addition of toxin exposure to an overweight or obese individual may only serve to increase these risks (1).

Three Phases of Detoxification

There are three phases of detoxification (2). In the first step, the toxin is metabolized by phase I detoxifying enzymes resulting in an intermediary metabolite. Although there are several phase I enzymes, the most abundant and important are the cytochrome P-450s (P-450s).

During detoxification, P-450s perform two functions: 1) they make toxins more water-soluble, and 2) they convert the toxin into a molecule usually less toxic and, therefore, less reactive towards our DNA, proteins, etc. (Interestingly, sometimes this reaction converts a less toxic molecule into a more toxic molecule, which is where phase II detoxification steps in.) The result is a more water-soluble, less toxic molecule easily transported into the blood, through our kidneys, and out into the urine for elimination.

After undergoing phase I detoxification many toxins are then subject to phase II detoxification. At its most basic level, phase II enzymes place a water-soluble small molecule onto the toxin.

One of the most important phase II detoxifying enzymes is known as glutathione (GSH) transferase. As the name implies, the GSH transferases transfer a GSH molecule onto the toxin. Like phase I detoxification, this step also serves to make the toxin water-soluble and less toxic to the body.
Besides GSH, the body uses several other molecules to bind to the toxin and increase its solubility including sulfates, amino acids, and glucuronic acid. The use of these water-soluble small molecules makes sense considering that our cells have a surplus of these molecules inside or outside the cell. However, if we’re exposed to excessive amounts of toxins they could rapidly deplete our GSH levels resulting in too little GSH to do what it does best, which is to protect against free radicals and detoxify toxins.

Finally, phase III of detoxification involves the elimination of toxins from cells. In this step, the products of phase I and II reactions are transported out of cells and into the bloodstream for elimination.

Proper Nutrition Essential for Detoxification

To ensure optimal functioning of our detoxification systems it is essential to have an adequate dietary intake of vitamins (B vitamins, vitamins C, and E), minerals (selenium, zinc, copper), and other bioactive nutrients such as coenzyme Q10 and polyphenols. These nutrients bolster our detoxification defenses either through their roles in phases I, II or III of detoxification or by providing antioxidant support (3). Nutritional support is essential in the detoxification process because some toxins are produced as the result of free radicals. Additionally, nutritional support is needed to counteract the oxidative damage caused by toxins.

Plant botanicals including ashwagandha, aloe vera, and turmeric (Cleanse for Life), milk thistle (Product B), resveratrol, and other antioxidant vitamins and botanicals (Ageless Essential Daily Pak) have all been shown to improve detoxification. Beyond these micronutrients, the detoxification system also needs an adequate source of the amino acid cysteine, the sulfur-containing amino acid essential for GSH production. Luckily, cysteine is abundant in whey protein found in IsaLean Shakes, Bars, and Soups.

Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Stimulate Detoxification

Although not yet extensively examined in humans, subjecting animals to calorie restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) has also been shown to increase efficiency of detoxification pathways. The precise mechanisms responsible for the benefits of CR or IF on detoxification are unclear, but it’s thought that these two cleansing protocols “turn on” genes that increase synthesis of our detoxification enzymes within the phase I, II or III pathways.
Additionally, the reduction of fat mass—the primary target for toxin storage—stimulates the release of toxins into the circulation. Once in the bloodstream toxins are more easily metabolized and excreted from the body. When the body has the additional nutritional support of amino acids, vitamins, polyphenols, and other bioactive ingredients, the detoxification enzymes can perform at peak function.

The Isagenix system ingeniously incorporates both intermittent fasting on Cleanse Days and calorie restriction on Shake Days to help you burn fat and stimulate the release of fat-stored toxins. The polyphenol-rich nutrients and plant extracts found in Cleanse For Life provide plant-based antioxidants (4-7) that support the detoxification enzymes responsible for toxin elimination. Also, the whey protein in IsaLean Shake supplies essential amino acids such as cysteine that can boost GSH production (8,9) and facilitate toxin removal.

References:
1. Holtcamp W. Obesogens: an environmental link to obesity. Environ Health Perspect 2012;120:a62-a68.
2. Liska DJ. The detoxification enzyme systems. Altern Med Rev 1998;3:187-98.
3. Yang YM, Noh K, Han CY, Kim SG. Transactivation of genes encoding for phase II enzymes and phase III transporters by phytochemical antioxidants. Molecules 2010;15:6332-48.
4. Vinson JA, Al KH, Andreoli L. Effect of Aloe vera preparations on the human bioavailability of vitamins C and E. Phytomedicine 2005;12:760-5.
5. Kim BH, Hong SS, Kwon SW et al. Diarctigenin, a lignan constituent from Arctium lappa, down-regulated zymosan-induced transcription of inflammatory genes through suppression of DNA binding ability of nuclear factor-kappaB in macrophages. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2008;327:393-401.
6. Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertil Steril 2010;94:989-96.
7. Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA et al. Blueberry supplementation improves memory in older adults. J Agric Food Chem 2010;58:3996-4000.
8. Bounous G, Gold P. The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clin Invest Med 1991;14:296-309.
9. Sekhar RV, Patel SG, Guthikonda AP et al. Deficient synthesis of glutathione underlies oxidative stress in aging and can be corrected by dietary cysteine and glycine supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;94:847-53.

Yo-Yo Dieting? -- You Need High Quality Protein

Here is a great article from Isagenix Health.

You know how it is with regular dieting—your long-lost skinny jeans make a temporary reappearance only to be retired to the back of your closet six months later. This frustrating scenario of weight cycling is all too familiar for most people.

Although decreased motivation and will-power greatly contribute to “falling off the wagon”, weight regain is also influenced by biological changes in the body in response to decreased intake of energy or calories. The main biological reason for weight regain is a slowing metabolism. A reduction in calorie intake can make the body become very efficient and work to conserve energy. Unfortunately, this means you are burning fewer calories. Loss of lean tissue (such as muscle) rather than fat mass during weight loss is also to blame for a lower metabolic rate (more on this below).

In a world where yo-yo dieting has become the norm, how does one keep lost pounds off for good?
New research carried out by a group of scientists from the Netherlands reveals that a diet higher than normal in protein may be the key to sustaining permanent weight loss (1). Seventy-two overweight and obese men and women took part in the study, which compared the effects of two reduced-calorie diets after weight was previously lost, the only difference between the diets being that one counted as high protein intake (1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day) and the other as normal protein intake (0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day). After six months, the group eating more protein was found to retain greater muscle mass and a higher rate of metabolism, helping to better keep that lost weight from returning.

Previous studies investigating the effect of energy-restricted, high protein diets on weight maintenance have reached similar conclusions (2). The fat-fighting power of protein lies in its ability to keep energy expenditure elevated as well as curb hunger despite reduced calorie intake.

Rev Up Your Metabolism with Protein

Energy expenditure, or the number of calories burned by the body, is greatly influenced by basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy, or rate of metabolism, required to support basic body functions when your body is at rest.

The greatest contributor to BMR is fat-free mass. Fat-free mass is largely made up of muscle, which is very energy demanding. Even when no work is being performed (such as when you are sleeping), muscle requires energy just to exist. Muscle cells and their components are constantly using calories to rebuild what is broken down during normal protein turnover. A higher protein diet not only increases energy-demanding protein synthesis and turnover, but has also shown to better preserve muscle during caloric restriction (1, 2). Keeping muscle mass and turnover rates high results in a higher BMR, faster metabolism, and greater energy expenditure.

The thermic effect of food (TEF) is another factor that affects energy expenditure and refers to the amount of energy needed to break down, absorb, and digest food. The TEF differs between nutrients, with protein requiring more calories for digestion and metabolism than both fat and carbohydrate combined. Specifically, 0 to 3 percent of the calories obtained from fat are used for fat digestion, 5 to 10 percent of calories from carbohydrate are used for carbohydrate digestion, and 20 to30 percent of calories from protein are used for protein digestion (2). This means that protein requires a substantial amount of calories for the body to metabolize and use it compared to the other macronutrients. Simply by eating more protein in place of carbohydrate or fat, a person will burn more calories.

Feel Fuller, Longer with Protein

Successfully committing to a reduced calorie diet can be difficult when you are bombarded by cravings and hunger pangs. Ravenous hunger will only encourage overeating and weight regain. Research has shown higher protein diets to be superior to low or standard protein diets in causing a feeling of fullness, thereby leading to lower calorie intake (2). A reduced calorie diet will lead to greater use of existing fat stores, as a person quickly burns through the energy provided by the food they consume, as well as the carbohydrate stored in the body (glycogen). This increased reliance on fat for fuel has been suggested to reduce appetite.

Protein may also boost satiety by sending hormonal messages to the brain signaling fullness. When protein is eaten, sensors located in the gut are activated. Hormones such as glucagon are released, sending a message to the brain saying, “I’m full!” (3).

Isagenix: Making the higher protein lifestyle easy

Sustaining weight loss over the long term is challenging but not impossible. A higher protein diet offers numerous metabolic advantages that will not only help a person lose weight, but may also prevent regaining pounds, or worse, surpassing your starting weight.
Isagenix offers a variety of convenient and delicious higher protein meals and snacks that can aid weight maintenance efforts. Incorporating these Isagenix snacks and meal replacements in your reduced calorie diet will not only help you get into those skinny jeans, but stay in them, too.

For more information about Isagenix, contact me at newtraditions99@yahoo.com or go to my website The Healthy Helms.

References:
1) Soenen S, et al. Normal Protein Intake Is Required for Body Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance, and Elevated Protein Intake for Additional Preservation of Resting Energy Expenditure and Fat Free Mass. J Nutr. 2013 Feb 27. [Epub ahead of print]
2) Westerterp-Plantenga MS, et al. Dietary protein – its role in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health. Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug;108 Suppl 2:S105-12. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512002589.
3) Belza A, et al. Contribution of gastroenteropancreatic appetite hormones to protein-induced satiety. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Mar 6. [Epub ahead of print]

Thermogenesis and Visceral Fat Loss by Dr. Michael Colgan

Dr Michael Colgan
22 March 2013

Thermogenesis is the creation of heat in the body. It occurs mainly through an extraordinary mechanism called brown adipose tissue (BAT), which permits the production of heat directly from bodyfat without going through the energy cycle.(1) 

A hibernating bear for example, can lose 300 lbs of fat while it sleeps, as its body converts bodyfat to BAT, then creates the heat required to prevent it freezing over the winter. The bear does not have to move a muscle.

We are not as efficient as bears at burning fat with BAT. Nevertheless, the amount of BAT in the body of a 40-year-old man or woman is still sufficient to use 10% -15% of their total energy, and get all of it from bodyfat.

But you have to get your BAT moving. Turn up the inner heat. Exposure to cold is very effective. Bit extreme but it works. I am busy at my annual task convincing clients to sit and meditate under a freezing waterfall, or lie in the snow in swimmers by the pool (frozen). These are popular methods for fat loss right now, every Canadian springtime. I wear a 30-below suit with hood and balaclava so they don’t notice my hysterics.

Usual weight loss programs don’t activate BAT at all. Quite the opposite. If you go on a sudden food restriction diet, the body automatically turns down its heat production and its energy production as a defence mechanism to conserve its fat. That’s why dieters generally feel cold and tired.

You Can Increase BAT Activity

If you can’t face the freeze, there are several things in natural foods raise BAT activity nicely. Best known is caffeine from coffee. Controlled studies show that a cup of ground arabica coffee on an empty stomach in the morning increases thermogenesis and burns bodyfat for up to four hours afterwards.(2,3)

Green tea also has a separate thermogenic effect, originally thought to be because of its caffeine content. Recent studies, however, show that a group of chemicals called catechins in green tea are mostly responsible. The main catechin in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) induces thermogenesis by itself.(2-3)

In a placebo-controlled study, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, two groups of 19, healthy, middle-aged men used a moderately reduced calorie diet, plus tea for 12 weeks. Green tea extract was added to the tea of 19 subjects to yield high levels of catechins. Tea without the extract, containing only low levels of catechins, was used by the 19 controls. The group consuming tea with high catechins lost an average of 5.4 lbs of bodyfat, approximately TWICE the bodyfat loss of the control group. Much of the loss was visceral fat from belly and thighs. The researchers concluded:

“Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, body fat mass, and subcutaneous fat area were significantly lower in the green tea extract group than in the control group.”(4)

You don’t have to freeze off the flab. Lose that belly fat nice and easy. Brain Boost contains high levels of EGCG from green tea, and the e+ shot contains both green tea caffeine and catechins. Take both before your workout and green tea with every meal. It’s a great way to fine-tune abs and buns for the summer, with the bonus of a better brain and more giddy-up to boot.

For more information go to http://www.thehealthyhelms.com/

1. Stock MJ. Thermogenesis and brown fat: relevance to human obesity. Infusionstherapie, 1989;16(6):282-284.
2. Wolfram S, Wang Y, Thielecke F. Anti-obesity effects of green tea: from bedside to bench. Mol Nutr Food Res, 2006;50(2):176-187.
3. Nagao T, Komine Y, Soga S, Meguro S, Hase T, Tanaka Y, Tokimitsu I. Ingestion of a tea rich in catechins leads to a reduction in body fat and malondialdehyde-modified LDL in men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;81(1):122-129.
4. Nagao T, Hase T, Tokimitsu I. A green tea extract high in catechins reduces body fat and cardiovascular risks in humans. Obesity, 2007;15(6):1473-1483.

Exercising but Not Losing Fat? Maybe This is the Problem by Dr. Michael Colgan

Dr Michael Colgan -- 14 March 2013
from Isagenix Nutritional Sciences

Image from compareweightlossprogram.com

One of my fat loss clients, has been steadily losing about one pound of fat per week on our nutrition and exercise program, 32 lbs overall. Eager to make a Size 4 for the summer, she thought she wasn’t losing enough. So she joined another gym and hired a trainer.

First week he had her jogging on the treadmill, a hard puff-and-pant exercise for an overweight girl who never jogged. He told her she had to keep going for 30 minutes or she would not lose any fat. Then she had to do an aerobics class for 30 minutes. But she was allowed an oatmeal muffin and some nice organic fruit juices to keep her going. She did both bouts of exercise for five days for one week, then came back to me exhausted, pleading that she had gained weight, and that perhaps ours was the best way.

As often occurs, there were several things wrong with the gym exercise she was given. First, the treadmill jogging was anaerobic for her. That is, she was puffing and panting, indicating a shortage of oxygen. Bodyfat is calorie dense. At 9 calories per gram it needs plentiful oxygen to enable the body to burn it. All endurance athletes know this well. Their VO2 max is the maximum aerobic effort they can make and still burn fat. Any greater intensity and they will turn anaerobic, stop burning fat, quickly burn up all their sugar, and hit the dreaded “wall”.

Second thing wrong; the trainer didn’t give her a diet beyond telling her some healthy things to eat, and he encouraged her to take fruit juice during exercise to keep her going. She told me she also had an oatmeal muffin and juice at the gym beforehand, “or I just couldn’t face it”. We estimated that she had at least 400 calories before starting and another 200-400 during the exercise, about 600-800 extra calories per day, a total of 3,000 – 4,000 extra calories for the five workouts. Bottom line. Any calories you put in your stomach before or during exercise to lose fat, will be preferentially used first by the body. So she was setting herself up to grow plump as a goose.

How much fat did she burn? If you could burn fat perfectly, (remember, no calories in the stomach and no panting) aerobic treadmill work or aerobics classes can use up to 200 calories of fat in an hour. So, if everything was perfect, she could burn a total of 1000 calories (about 4 ounces of fat) over the 5 workouts. Because of the mistakes in her program, likely she burned half that, probably only 500 calories (only 2 ounces of fat loss) over the whole 5 workouts. Meanwhile she ate an extra 3,000 – 4,000 calories, at least half of which would be turned to fat (6-8 ounces of fat gain) just to be able to do the workouts.

For comparison, steady housework uses about 130 fat calories per hour. It’s a good level of effort for burning fat, and costs nothing. Because you are in proximity to food, however, you have to resist eating anything, or you switch to burning mainly sugar. Two hours housework a day will burn far more fat than most gym workouts. Let’s consider perfect fat burning again: 2 hours housekeeping per day x 6 days a week = 12 hours. Twelve hours at 130 calories = 1,560 calories (6 ounces of fat loss) per week. Beats her gym workouts – no contest.

Whenever I see nonsensical gym programs for fat loss I turn back to the rigorous meta-analysis of 25 years of controlled research on exercise and fat loss published in The International Journal of Obesity. These were all medium intense gym programs for fat loss, supervised and motivated by university trainers. They counted only people who attended regularly for 4-6 hours per week. Average weight loss over all the studies was 6.4 lbs in 15 weeks. That’s an average loss of only 7 ounces a week.(1)

The researchers also examined studies that added a reasonable nutrition program to the exercise. Results got much rosier. The same meta-analysis examined the best of the exercise-plus-diet studies over 25 years. In 15 weeks, on a good diet plus 4-6 hours per week in the gym, subjects lost an average of 24.2 lbs. That’s a loss of 1.6 lbs per week.(1)

So, if we compare the exercise alone groups (loss of 6.4 lbs) with the exercise-plus-diet groups (loss of 24.2 lbs), adding the nutrition resulted in a loss of 17.8 lbs of fat. Now you know, no matter what anyone tells you, fat loss is mostly dependent on what and when you eat.

My client is back on her diet track now. After torturing herself very expensively in the gym for 5 hours, our body composition machine showed a gain of 4 lbs, about 3 lbs of water because her body was swollen from the effort, and about 1 lbs of fat. By working out until (in her own words), “my legs turned to Jello”, she had wiped out a week of the fat loss she was getting from a simple diet of two shakes and one meal a day. As I have written many times before, the usual exercise program is excellent at removing fat – but only from your wallet.

If you want to learn more secrets of weight loss go to The Healthy Helms Website.

 1. Miller WC, Koceja DM Hamilton EJ. A meta-analysis of the past 25 years of weight loss research using diet, exercise or diet plus exercise intervention. Int J Obesity, 1997;21:941-947.

Four Days in Gym May Be Better than Six! Just Sayin'

Feeling guilty about not hitting the gym every day? Maybe you shouldn’t, new research suggests.  The New York Times reports on a new study.

Working out four days a week may be at least as beneficial — or even better — than six, according to a new study by sports scientists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. What’s more, working out as little as a couple times a week can provide substantial health benefits.

The UAB study, published in the journal Exercise & Science in Sports & Medicine, tracked 72 sedentary women — aged 60 to 74 years — who were divided into three groups and asked to follow different exercise regimens for a 16-week period.

The first group exercised twice a week, lifting weights one day and doing aerobic exercises (bike riding or jogging) on another. The second group engaged in four workouts a week, lifting weights twice and riding a bike or jogging on two other days. The third group exercised six days a week, lifting weights three days and doing aerobic workouts on three others.

For each group, researchers gradually increased the intensity of the workout routines to moderate levels to build endurance and muscle strength. By the end of the study, the workouts were 40 minutes long on each exercise day.

The results showed that all of the women lost weight and improved their strength and endurance. In addition, the researchers noted there was virtually no difference in fitness or strength levels among the groups, regardless of whether they exercised two, four, or six times a week.

But the results also indicated that, after four months, the women exercising four times per week were expending far more energy on workout days — by more than 200 additional calories — than they were at the start of the study. They were also burning more calories per workout than either of the other two groups.

The twice-a-week group was expending slightly more energy on each workout day — about an additional 68 calories — than at the start of the study. But, unexpectedly, the six-times-a-week exercisers were actually burning less daily energy — about 150 fewer calories — than at the start of the study. They also complained that the workouts took too much time out of their weeks, and made them less likely to be active when they weren’t formally exercising.

But even the six-day exercisers were not overly fatigued. The researchers also found that their blood levels of stress-related cytokines, believed to measure nervous system changes that may signal stress in the body, were not any higher than women in the other two groups.

The findings contrast with some past studies that have suggested working out only a couple times a week isn’t enough to be beneficial, boost fitness, or lose weight. They also differ from previous research that has indicated vigorous daily exercise may be too physically taxing and can cause problems with the central nervous system and increase stress in the body.

In fact, the UAB team’s findings suggest even two workouts a week can produce substantial benefits and that people who have time and like to exercise almost every day don’t suffer ill effects.

“All groups increased fat-free mass, strength, and aerobic fitness, and decreased fat mass,” the researchers concluded. “No changes were observed in cytokines or perceptions of fatigue/depression.”

University Study Finds Isagenix Superior to Leading “Heart Healthy” Diet

September 20, 2012 IsagenixHealth.net

Dr. Krista Varaday
University of Illinois
Chicago College of Applied Sciences

Dr. Krista Varady discusses clinical research on Isagenix products.

The highly anticipated results are in—Isagenix products are superior to a leading “heart healthy” dietary plan for weight loss and visceral fat loss. The manuscript has been submitted to two peer-reviewed journals and is still under review; however, you can read more details about the study on our clinical research summary and marketing flyer.

Krista Varady, Ph.D., the lead investigator of the study, is a prolific researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Applied Sciences with more than 30 peer-reviewed research publications. She has a Ph.D. in nutrition from McGill University—one of the top universities in Canada. Dr. Varady has devoted much of her time to investigating the ability of weight-management strategies to decrease cardiovascular disease risk and is one of the pioneers in research on alternate-day and intermittent fasting.

Dr. Varady’s research was presented in August at the 10th annual Isagenix Celebration in Phoenix. Eager to share the exciting results, Dr. Varady answered questions from Isagenix Chief Science Officer Suk Cho, Ph.D.:

Q: What did you think when you tried Isagenix?

A: I always try things before I make my subjects do it. I used Isagenix for three weeks in January before we began the study. I didn’t want to lose a ton of weight, but I did want to see if I could lose a few pounds with it. The easy of use was great—no dishes at breakfast or lunch; you didn’t even need to have milk at home. I went out and bought a few shake products to compare it to and I’m not sure what you guys do, but the consistency is like a smoothie. The other shakes were clumpy and it made them less appealing.

Q: What else impressed you about Isagenix products?

A: I was impressed by the Cleanse Day and the high-protein IsaLean® Shake. All the ingredients actually seemed wholesome. I had thought the shake would be a high-sugar beverage, but I found it to be really nutritionally complete.

Q: What attracted you to collaborate with Isagenix on research using their products?

A:  The main thing was that Isagenix incorporates fasting while on Cleanse Days. I find that really novel. If you look at other meal-replacement diets, they never really incorporate fasting or cleansing. Usually it is a shake for breakfast and a shake for lunch, but they don’t use all the other products Isagenix uses. I like that it is a multifaceted approach. You are also using supplements that may provide metabolic benefit and protect against free radicals—I thought that was really neat too, but the main thing was that there was a Cleanse Day every week because I am really interested in fasting research.

Q: What can you tell us about the study’s results?

A: Our main finding was that weight loss was actually greater in the Isagenix group. On average they lost 3.9 kg, so that works out to be around 9 pounds or so. Obviously, some lost more and some less, but the Isagenix group lost 3 pounds more on average than the other diet. We also saw those changes with fat mass. With Isagenix, we saw slightly greater reductions (although not significant) in fat mass. Neither group lost a significant amount of lean mass, which is great because you want to maintain your muscle mass to keep your metabolic rate higher and that allows you to burn more calories per hour.

Q: What are the results for visceral fat (fat that surrounds the organs)?

A: Even though it wasn’t statistically significant between groups, we found that there was a much greater reduction in visceral fat in the Isagenix group—about twice as much. They lost 0.7 kg, about 2 pounds. I find that amazing—they lost 2 pounds around their organs—that’s a lot!

Q: What other part of this study’s results do you find most exciting or intriguing?

A: What I found most intriguing at first was the adherence of the Isagenix group; they seemed to adhere better because of the convenience factor of the Isagenix system. Also, the Isagenix group lost more weight and more fat (especially visceral fat); and the blood chemistry looked wonderful.

Q: What other personal observations have you made about the Isagenix products and how they affect subjects?

A: Isagenix people just seemed happier. Also, the satiety (or fullness) aspect; people didn’t feel motivated to binge after a shake or cheat on the diet because they really did find those shakes quite filling, so I was pretty impressed with that. That is the main reason that I am even testing out these diets—to find diets that people will actually do and adhere to over the long term. They liked the taste of the shake and just in terms of the easiness too, they said small things like “there were less dishes to wash” and “for breakfast all you really have to do is keep the blender clean, there’s not that much prep involved and it is a portable system.” But those are actually really important things—if a diet is hard to do, people aren’t going to do it for very long. So making it easy, making it easy to clean up after—all those things add up for long term weight loss.

Q: You had some products left over after the study and people asked you for them, right?

A: Yeah, I had 3 boxes left of the shakes and I have never seen women diving in there, fighting with each other. They were all over each other. Those were gone pretty quickly after we opened them up!