A pizza study found that the body’s metabolism is better at dealing with excess

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.July 24, 2020

A new study, involving participants often eating pizza after feeling “full,” to test how this had an immediate effect on the body, helped our metabolism cope with excessive addiction. I found it to be surprisingly good.

Researchers with a nutrition, exercise, and metabolism center at the University of Bath found that a normal diet (that is, “eat until full”) and a maximum diet (“eat until the next bite is out of control”) I compared.

They found that a young, healthy man volunteering for trial (aged 22 to 37) doubled calories and consumed about twice as much pizza when pushed above normal limits, which is surprising. Succeeded in maintaining the amount of nutrients. Blood flow within normal range.

This shows that, according to the researchers, there is no immediate negative consequence for losing metabolic control if an otherwise healthy person occasionally drinks too much. However, they warn of the danger of overeating for long periods.

We all know the long-term risks of food overdose with regards to obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, but we don’t know about the direct effects of “only eaten” parts of the body. I don’t know much Our findings show that the body actually copes very well when faced with a large, sudden excess of calories. A healthy person can eat twice as much as a “full stomach,” effectively handling this enormous initial energy surplus. “

Aaron Hengist, Senior Researcher

In this study, the average all-you-can-eat calorie intake was over 3000 kcal, about 1.5 large pizzas. However, this is so diverse that some people can consume up to five-half big pizzas at a time.

This goes far beyond the standard adult guidelines for daily (of course, just one meal) caloric intake, even higher than reported by Michael Phelps, a US Olympic swimmer, for breakfast. It’s calories.

The result is that after eating to the maximum

• Blood sugar (glucose) levels were not higher than after a normal diet.
• Your blood insulin level is 50% higher than normal (this hormone is released by your body to control your blood sugar).
• Blood lipids (triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids) were only slightly higher, despite consuming more than twice as much fat. This is interesting. Previous studies have shown that low to moderate fat consumption results in a proportional increase in blood lipids.
• The hormones released from the gut that stimulate insulin secretion and enhance satiety were most altered by overeating (eg, GLP-1 and peptide YY).

The study also examined appetite and mood throughout the trial.

-Four hours after eating maximally, participants reported drowsiness and discomfort and did not want to eat anything else, including sweets. This was surprising because reward centers in the brain are usually food-specific. Eating pizza may not be expected to change your desire for sweet food. Therefore, there is always room for dessert.

Professor James Betts, who oversaw the work, said: “We know that people often eat more than they need to, which is why many of us struggle to control weight. So previous studies have shown that Eating with one meal to understand how you will respond to the task.

“This study shows that humans can eat twice as much food as we need to make us feel “full”, but our body is overloaded with nutrients over a large meal. Makes it well adapted to supply. Studies have shown that the levels of sugar and fat in the blood were not higher than when eating half the amount of food, as the nutrients taken during the pizza eating challenge could be used or stored efficiently.

“The main problem with overeating is the addition of energy stored in the body (in the form of fat). This can lead to obesity if you eat too much every day. If a healthy person occasionally overeats, for example eating a large buffet meal or a Christmas lunch, there is no immediate negative effect in losing metabolic control.”

The researchers admit that their study is targeted at healthy young men, and will investigate whether similar effects are apparent in women, overweight, and the elderly.