Milk and insulin -- a definitive answer?

[Lifterforlife]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=546516

http://www.truthinfitness.org/projects/mcDonalds/journal.html



Those 2 links are extremely interesting reads. It really causes one to question the validity of "clean" foods in general. Citing 3,000 webpages of sources that say there is, most certainly, a difference between eating "clean" and not eating "clean" makes no difference, results are all that matters. Thought these 2 things would be an interesting read with all the insulin-response talk of milk here.

I might run such an experiment myself when it's time to cut again.

If anyone wants to get really technical, milk actually contains some trans fats naturally occurring.

"Clean" as you put it is probably is probably more readily put in the context of "healthy".

 

[fortunatesun]

Just for the sake of technicalities, I believe there is a small percentage of people where insulin spike is a factor.

It's not all that common, though. The best advice if you're still worried is to go ahead and drink your milk because, if it turns out that your one of the few where this is an issue, you'll know very shortly.

(I just posted this because someone will always come up with a story about his or her friend who has a problem with milk,etc. It might be true but it's nothing that should influence your decision.)

 

[Protobuilder]

Nice. Thanks guys. I LOVE milk and would drink it all day, and now that I"m taking a break from cutting, I've added it back into my diet. I alternate between skim & 2% depending on whether or not I want the extra cals and fat. I love the stuff. It's addicting. I just wanted to make sure that if I pound down 32 oz. before bed, I won't be getting a huge insulin spike.

 

[javaguru]

These two studies show a discrepancy between the glycemic index and II, one used type II diabetics and the other healthy individuals;

Gannon MC, Nuttall FQ, Krezowski PA, Billington CJ, Parker S. The serum insulin and plasma glucose responses to milk and fruit products in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. Diabetologia 1986;29:784-91.

Schrezenmeir J, Tato F, Tato S, et al. Comparison of glycemic response and insulin requirements after mixed meals of equal carbohydrate content in healthy, type-1, and type-2 diabetic man. Klin Wochenschr 1989;67:985-94

This study concluded consuming milk increased risk of insulin resistance;

Lawlor DA, Ebrahim S, Timpson N, Davey Smith G. Avoiding milk is associated with a reduced risk of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome: findings from the British Women's Heart and Health Study. Diabet Med. 2005;22:808-11.

This study found whey protein to have a strong insulinogenic effect, greater than milk. It appears that BCAA composition, as well as other insulinogenic aminos, may be the primary culprit in the glycemic index discrepancy. Whey is rapidly absorbed and has a very high BCAA content. BCAA's are metabolized directly in the muscle cells as opposed to the liver, which results in a marked insulin response. This coincides with the results of the famous Boire study comparing whey and casein. Boire concluded that in a fasted state much of the whey aminos were converted to glucose due to its solubility and rapid absorption, which would cause a rise in insulin independent of the BCAA's.

Glycemia and insulinemia in healthy subjects after lactose-equivalent meals of milk and other food proteins: the role of plasma amino acids and incretins
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 80, No. 5, 1246-1253, November 2004

 

[Protobuilder]

Um . . . care to put that into English? LoL I'm not sure what to make of that . . .

 

[Cynical Simian]

Um . . . care to put that into English? LoL I'm not sure what to make of that . . .

The insulin response caused by milk is large (high Insulin Index) but because it's due to proteins there isn't a correspondingly large impact on blood glucose (Glycemic Index).

 

[Protobuilder]

Nice. Nothing like feeling like a moron. LoL That makes perfect sense. Looks like I can keep my milk . . .

 

[javaguru]

The moral of the story is that you consume whey isolate after workouts and conume other proteins as a general source, milk isolate is my choice.

 

[javaguru]

The insulin response caused by milk is large (high Insulin Index) but because it's due to proteins there isn't a correspondingly large impact on blood glucose (Glycemic Index).

There is an increase in insulin because BCAA's need it to be metabolized by muscle tissue. It's not necessarily a "bad" thing just time your high insulin levels.

 

[Protobuilder]

Well, maybe I'm just dense, but javaguru's last sentence confused me:

just time your high insulin levels

. If cynical simian is right that milk causes a high insulin response but doesn't affect blood sugar levels, then what's the concern with "timing" it? (I do understand the importance of timing insulin spikes, e.g., PWO)

Sorry for being dense. I usually don't overanalyze but I'm wondering if I swore off milk during my cut for no good reason (and, yes, I understand the calorie & fat content issues, satiety concerns, etc.).