Why late-night eating disrupts glucose metabolism | Dr. Satchin Panda
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Scientists discovered a surprising link between melatonin and blood sugar control, with considerable evidence suggesting that melatonin inhibits insulin secretion. They observed that people who carried a variant form of the melatonin receptor gene (MTNR1B) were more likely to have obesity or diabetes. The prevailing thought is that when melatonin is bound to its receptor, it suppresses the pancreas from producing insulin. If we eat carbohydrate-containing foods when melatonin levels are high, our pancreas cannot produce the insulin needed to use the glucose. Therefore, eating too close to bedtime or immediately upon waking, before nightly melatonin levels have declined, may hamper the body's ability to process glucose. In this clip, Dr. Satchin Panda describes the relationship between melatonin and insulin and how this might determine the best time to eat.
Rhonda: Interesting about what you just said about them, possibly the melatonin levels being elevated, even, two to three hours after waking up, you have previously said, in another podcast you've talked about how melatonin actually can inhibit the secretion of insulin from the beta cells in the pancreas, the islet cells in the pancreas.
And that would obviously affect your blood glucose levels. Do you think, avoiding eating food, even waiting an hour or two after you wake up before you start to eat would be something that would be helpful for regulating glucose levels.
Satchin: Yes. this connection between melatonin and glucose is relatively new because. in 2009, simultaneously four different papers came out from human genetic studies showing that, people with diabetes or increased fasting, blood glucose level have a polymorphism or mutation in the melatonin receptor gene. And that was really perplexing because until then melatonin was supposed to have its function only on sleep and people never thought that it can affect blood glucose.
And then from 2009, until, say, 2015 16, there are a lot of studies. that started to understand why melatonin affects blood glucose. and slowly a much better picture is emerging. That melatonin, just like it makes our brain to sleep. It also makes our pancreas to sleep, or islet cells to sleep. That means It makes these Insulin-producing cells, less responsive to glucose so that they don't produce as much insulin as they should when we eat something that has carbohydrates.
A class of cells that produce, store, and release insulin in the presence of glucose. Beta cells are located within endocrine tissue in the Islet of Langerhans region of the pancreas. They are the targets of autoimmune cells in type 1 diabetes.
A peptide hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreatic islets cells. Insulin maintains normal blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells; regulating carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism; and promoting cell division and growth. Insulin resistance, a characteristic of type 2 diabetes, is a condition in which normal insulin levels do not produce a biological response, which can lead to high blood glucose levels.
An essential mineral present in many foods. Iron participates in many physiological functions and is a critical component of hemoglobin. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart arrhythmias.
A hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle in mammals. Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland of the brain and is involved in the expression of more than 500 genes. The greatest influence on melatonin secretion is light: Generally, melatonin levels are low during the day and high during the night. Interestingly, melatonin levels are elevated in blind people, potentially contributing to their decreased cancer risk.[1]
A chemical that causes Parkinson's disease-like symptoms. MPTP undergoes enzymatic modification in the brain to form MPP+, a neurotoxic compound that interrupts the electron transport system of dopaminergic neurons. MPTP is chemically related to rotenone and paraquat, pesticides that can produce parkinsonian features in animals.
A long, flat glandular organ located in the upper abdomen, behind the stomach. The pancreas has both digestive and endocrine roles. As a digestive organ, it secretes enzymes that participate in the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. As an endocrine organ, it produces and secretes insulin and other hormones that regulate blood glucose levels.
A type of white blood cell that plays critical roles in the body's adaptive immune response. T cells form in the bone marrow but mature in the thymus (hence the "T" designation). They destroy malignant cells by triggering apoptosis – a type of cellular self-destruct mechanism that rids the body of damaged or aged cells.
The highest level of intake of a given nutrient likely to pose no adverse health effects for nearly all healthy people. As intake increases above the upper intake level, the risk of adverse effects increases.
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