Beyond the Hype: Investigating New Health & Wellness Trends

Welcome to the latest edition of Healthwatch! In this issue, we embark on an exciting journey to decipher the truth behind the buzzworthy health and wellness trends that are taking the world by storm. With social media’s influence, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest fads, but do these trends stand up to scientific scrutiny? Join us as we delve into five popular trends – from the enigmatic allure of bulletproof coffee to the promise of better sleep with supplements, the protein craze, the rise of continuous glucose monitoring, and the chilling truth about ice baths. Prepare to discover the evidence-backed reality behind these trends and make informed decisions for a healthier life!

Bulletproof Coffee

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of butter? Maybe it’s crispy toast or hot parathas? Definitely not coffee, right? A new health trend claims to keep hunger at bay and increase energy levels by mixing 3 contradictory ingredients.

What is Bulletproof coffee?

Also known as butter coffee or keto coffee, it comprises coffee, oil, and butter. The recipe’s original source is the Bulletproof Health Blog, and the steps to make it appear straightforward. Blend 1 cup of black coffee with 1 Tbsp of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, for example, coconut oil, and 1 to 2 tbsp of unsalted butter or ghee.

Why is it so popular?

Promoters of bulletproof coffee assert that it offers several advantages. It’s popularity also comes from the fact that the added fats help reduce the acidity from the coffee. However, doesn’t adding fat to our morning coffee seem counterintuitive?

Unfortunately, there isn’t any scientific evidence to support or discredit butter coffee since it’s such a new concept. Here are some potential benefits and the scientific reasoning provided by those who’ve tried and tested this drink.

Increased energy: While caffeine is a potent stimulant that can increase your energy, supporters of bulletproof coffee claim that caffeine is not the only factor in this beverage’s ability to improve your energy levels in the morning.

MCT oil can also raise your energy levels, making it a potent complement to caffeine. How does this work? Dietary fats are typically stored in the adipose tissue surrounding your muscles. However, MCT travels straight to your liver, where it is converted into potent energy molecules known as ketone bodies. Since medium-chain triglycerides digest faster than different types of fats, they might result in more frequent bursts of energy.
Stabilized blood sugar levels: Based on hormones, and frequency of meals, our body chooses to burn either glucose or fatty acids to energize itself. So, given the fact that consumption of fats raises insulin very little, butter coffee can be really helpful in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Reducing hunger pangs: MCT oil may encourage the release of hormones that alert your brain when your stomach is full, which can decrease your appetite and cause you to eat less (which may result in weight loss).

Are there any downsides?

High-calorie content: One cup of bulletproof coffee can contain between 230 and 500 calories, depending on how it is made.
High in fats: Butter and coconut oil are rich in saturated fats. Increased LDL cholesterol levels, also called “bad” cholesterol, and an increased risk of heart disease are both caused by excessive consumption of saturated fats. However, your daily intake of saturated fats is based on your overall diet, wherein 1-2 tsp of ghee proves to be good for your HDL cholesterol levels.

Melatonin for Sleep

Considering that 62% of adults worldwide say they don’t sleep as well as they’d like (Philips Global Sleep Survey) and as many as 67% report sleep disturbances at least once a night, the popularity of sleep supplements is not surprising.

What is melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone produced by our bodies in response to darkness. This is responsible for maintaining our circadian rhythm, the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle that governs when we wake up, feel alert, feel tired, and sleep.

Here’s how melatonin works in the body:

Our bodies organically produce melatonin to help us fall and stay asleep. Interestingly, this hormone is only released at night (when it’s dark), and its levels tend to rise just before bedtime. In addition to making you feel sleepy, melatonin levels in the blood remain elevated for about 12 hours until it is time for daylight again.

But why do some people have lower levels of this hormone? It can be brought on by various things, including consumption of alcohol & caffeine, smoking, working in shifts, ageing, specific medications, and exposure to excessive nighttime light as well as blue light.

Are melatonin supplements safe?

For most people, yes. Supplementing with melatonin is safe over the long term because it is non-toxic and non-addictive. Melatonin has fewer side effects than many other sleep aids, including dependence, diminished effectiveness after repeated use, and hangover effects.

Studies have shown that daily melatonin doses of 2-10 mg for up to 3.5 years have not been linked to any serious adverse events. There is no evidence that melatonin supplementation affects your body’s ability to produce its own, in contrast to other hormones.

Finally, since there are no serious adversities recorded from the consumption of melatonin supplements, it can be helpful to many. But in case your sleep requirements aren’t being met over a long period of time, we recommend you consult your doctor.

Protein Supplements

While the market for protein supplements steadily expands each year, it is evident that integrating protein powder into many diets is a trend that will be around for a while.

What are protein supplements?

Protein supplements are made by extracting protein from plant- or animal-based sources, including peas, rice, soy, cow’s milk, and eggs. The most common protein powders are whey, plant-based, egg or soy protein.

How does protein powder help?

One of the most common benefits of protein powder is that it helps build muscle tissue and muscle mass. It also assists in healing injured muscles and tissues, in addition to helping muscles grow. Using these supplements after exercise has been shown to improve muscular performance, reduce muscle damage, and speed up healing.

Beyond muscle growth, these supplements can also be crucial in weight management. Protein-rich diets are known to increase metabolism and enable appropriate fat storage and burning. Also, eating a meal high in protein makes you feel fuller for longer.

Thus, including protein powder in a meal may aid in weight loss and decrease the amount of total body fat.

Are protein supplements necessary?

While protein is a vital nutrient that we can’t live without, the question arises, are these supplements as necessary as we’re led to believe?

The answer depends on your dietary choices.

It is generally easy for most people to consume the recommended amounts of protein through their regular diet, so supplementing may not be necessary.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), or the amount deemed sufficient for the majority of healthy individuals, is set at 0.8 grams per kilogram. This means a person weighing roughly 70 kilograms (154 pounds) would require 56 grams of protein per day.

Consider this – A small handful of nuts, one egg, and one-half cup of chickpeas all contain about 6 grams of protein. A piece of chicken or fish the size of the palm of your hand offers approximately 30 grams. So, if you have the time to plan your meals and include the right amount of protein, you don’t need to consume supplements.

Studies have also demonstrated that high-protein diets with and without protein supplements were equally effective, indicating that the advantages of protein supplements are their convenience and ease of consumption. So, if your schedule doesn’t allow you to incorporate the right amount of protein into your meals, mixing a spoonful of protein powder into a milkshake might be the right choice.

What about Dry Scooping?

Taking a protein supplement—which may contain protein, caffeine, and other ingredients—and swallowing it dry rather than mixing and diluting it in water is known as “dry scooping.” This practice is followed by a glass of water.

Why would someone want to do this? The reason behind the craze is that dry scooping is said to give you a more significant energy boost, enabling you to exercise harder and longer. Is there any truth to this? No! Not only does it pose a risk of choking, but it could also lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate. It’s safe to say, skip this trend.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)

Many of us monitor our blood pressure, heart rate, weight and steps per day via the latest technological devices. But what about blood sugar? Would you keep track of your blood glucose levels throughout the day?

What are CGM devices?

A CGM is a small medical device that continuously measures your blood glucose levels, usually with a 5-minute gap between readings. Most CGMs can send alerts when your blood sugar levels are too high or too low.

What are the benefits of CGM?

CGMs have fundamentally changed how diabetes is managed since they provide continuous, dynamic glucose information every few minutes, unlike traditional fingersticks (blood glucose meters), which only provide a single glucose reading. This is equivalent to approximately 288 readings per day.

How do these increased readings help?

Better glycemic control *
If you’re living with diabetes, a CGM device can help you choose your treatments more wisely, thanks to continuous feedback on your diet, exercise, and insulin needs. This awareness can result in more stringent glycemic control than using a blood glucose meter alone. CGM can provide helpful information at critical times during the day, such as before and during physical activity, before driving, ahead of a trip or essential event, and even in the middle of the night.

* Glycemic control refers to the typical blood sugar (glucose) levels in a person with diabetes.

Quick and proactive action
With some CGM devices, you can set individualized thresholds that send alerts when your readings stray from the desired range. This means you could be aware of your out-of-range status before you start experiencing symptoms, allowing you to take proactive action.

Should you use a CGM device if you don’t have diabetes?

While CGMs are obviously helpful for diabetics, why should someone who doesn’t have diabetes keep track of their blood glucose levels? Well, they probably don’t need to.

One of the functions of CGMs is to warn a person with diabetes or on diabetes medications when concerning thresholds are reached, but these limits don’t mean much for a healthy person. In fact, it is completely normal for a healthy person to have some spikes & dips in their blood sugar, and interpretation of CGM based data should be done only by a trained physician for such people. There is no evidence or study yet that shows blunting blood sugar spikes does anything for our health amongst healthy individuals. Continuously tracking your body’s sugar levels, without knowing what exactly it means, or what action to take, causes further anxiety and can often lead to bad decision making – say having a high carb packet of chips because you’re alerted by your device of a dip, which could be perfectly normal.

Ice baths

Celebrities and athletes are increasingly embracing ice baths to deal with muscle soreness, anxiety, decrease inflammation, and improve metabolism.
While the connection between freezing water and these health benefits appears far-fetched, there is initial evidence to validate some of these claims.

What are the benefits of an ice bath?

Pain management & tackling muscle soreness: The theory behind ice baths is that by lowering body temperature, there is a reduction in blood flow, swelling, and inflammation in the muscle tissues. Inflammation in the body can cause pain, so if you can reduce inflammation, you may be able to reduce overall pain; it follows the same logic as icing a sprained ankle.
Improved mood: Studies have found that submerging your body in cold water elevates dopamine concentrations in the brain by 250%. Because of the critical function it performs in controlling mood, dopamine is called the “feel-good” hormone. Additionally, it improves mental clarity and alertness throughout the day.

Are there any risks?

Frostbite and hypothermia! Extreme heat or extreme cold exposure for an extended period may harm the body. Spending more than 15 minutes in an ice bath can be dangerous.

Also, ice baths can be painful. While this isn’t necessarily a risk, it is essential when deciding whether to try an ice bath.

Lastly, people who suffer from cardiovascular disease should avoid ice baths because immersion in cold water raises blood pressure and puts more strain on the heart. This can be risky for those with heart issues because it can occasionally result in life-threatening irregular heartbeats.

Conclusion:

Whether you’ve just started on a journey to better health or been on it for a while, it’s easy to get swayed by the sheer popularity of some emerging health and wellness concepts. But it’s important to remember that not all are well-researched or scientifically validated.

Contradictory arguments make the decision challenging. Our suggestion? Before trying something new, consider your health status, fitness goals, and dietary restrictions, and couple this with the scientific understanding of a new trend.