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My food and myself
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what's good for me?
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An experiment
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What does ideal nutrition look like?
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Are fruit and vegetables best for everyone?
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Sugars and fats unhealthy for everyone?
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Our test subjects are
in for a few surprises.
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Something's happening
in the body there...
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Getting fit and strong,
or staying in shape.
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Many count on current
nutritional advice to get there.
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But why do
most fail?
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We're beginning
an experiment.
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Hello! You're the first
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You can take a seat there at the table.
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Ok, thanks.
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Welcome!
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Our four test subjects are
between 30 and 60 years old
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and have
differing lifestyles.
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Their goals are
similar to most people's:
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Some want to lose weight
and improve their fitness,
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and all of them
want to keep healthy.
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Christian Sina is head of the
Institute of Nutritional Medicine
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in Lübeck, Germany
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and leads our
experiment.
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So, I come from a medical background,
specifically gastroenterology,
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which has looked at personalized
medicine for a long time.
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We know that prescription drugs aren't
equally effective with everyone.
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With nutrition these aspects
haven't been well researched,
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but the same principles
could also apply.
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Welcome!
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It's great that you're here
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and participating in
our little experiment.
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What we're aiming for
is to take a little journey into your own
metabolism...
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to really find out
which of these things
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might lead to an increase
in your blood sugar levels
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and I'd like to put
forward the hypothesis
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at the outset of this experiment
that you will all react very,
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very differently
to the same foods.
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Sugar plays a pivotal role, as it’s
the most abundant source of energy
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our body can use
for our metabolism.
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A small amount of it can
always be found in the blood
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of any healthy
person.
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We get this essential
sugar from our diet
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in the form of
carbohydrates.
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Carbohydrates are made up of
varying lengths of sugar molecules.
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Enzymes in the small intestine
break up longer chains of molecules,
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releasing glucose.
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The glucose then passes
through the wall of the intestine,
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entering the
bloodstream.
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With that, blood sugar increases after
a carbohydrate has been consumed.
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The body reacts
by secreting insulin.
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That enhances the body's
glucose uptake, transporting it
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from the blood into
the individual cells.
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They then burn the sugar up, and the
blood sugar level lowers once more.
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Up until now, some carbohydrates
have been considered good
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for blood sugar
levels, others bad
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but can we really speak
in such generalized terms?
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Minor fluctuations in blood
glucose levels are normal.
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If there is a sharp rise, however,
the body secretes more insulin.
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After that, the blood's glucose levels
typically swiftly drop off again,
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with the result that we
become tired, or get cravings.
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If our blood glucose levels
remain elevated over a long time,
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our blood will also contain
higher levels of insulin.
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Insulin is known to be
a fat storage hormone
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people who produce a lot
of it are prone to weight gain,
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and may develop
type two diabetes.
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Extreme fluctuations
in blood sugar
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{\an8}also increase the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
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and, if I now know which
of these foods is more likely
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to produce this flatter curve, and
I know what things in my own diet
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lead to a sharper response, I
can adjust my diet accordingly.
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Before the experiment begins,
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Christian
Sina wants to know from everyone
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what their regular
diets look like.
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I do try to incorporate things
that seem healthy to me
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but I definitely won't be
passing on the chocolate.
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Vegetables are great, an apple
as well, but meat is also really nice.
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Wherever we have to make changes,
it gets hard to stick with it.
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We know that over 80%
of all study participants
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have dropped the diets we
recommend after one year at the most.
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For us, it's more about
adapting the existing diet.
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The participants have each
been given a blood sugar monitor.
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An applicator is then
used to place a thin,
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flexible thread
under their skin.
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The monitors will remain
in their arms for two weeks.
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It will record sugar
fluctuations in the tissue.
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Despite lagging some ten minutes
behind glucose levels in the blood,
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it's still the simplest way
to gather uninterrupted data.
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I'm very excited.
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I hope you're
excited too.
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The idea for this experiment
has its roots in Israel.
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The Mediterranean country is a melting
pot of cultures
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and eating habits.
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Mediterranean diets are
considered especially healthy,
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and are often recommended
for people living with diabetes.
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However, around half the people who
live here are nonetheless overweight.
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As such, researchers in Israel
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are also
looking for more precise guidelines
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on what makesa healthy diet.
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An important reference point is the glycemic index.
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While the calorific value - the
number of calories any food contains
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can be chemically
determined with great precision,
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the glycemic index
is not as simple.
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The glycemic index describes
how high, and how fast blood glucose
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will rise within two hours of eating
a food containing carbohydrates.
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The reference point
is 50 grams of glucose; with an index
set at 100%.
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If the glycemic index is over
70%, it's considered high.
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Under 70 and down to 50% is
considered an average value.
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Below that is a low
glycemic index value.
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Each person metabolizes
their food differently,though,
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so the glycemic index
can only offer an average value.
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How indicative, then,
can the index really be?
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In 2015, Israeli researchers
recruited around 800 test subjects
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for what was at the time
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the largest study of blood
glucose levels to date.
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Over the course of a week, the team
at the Weizmann Institute of Science
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recorded the blood
glucose responses of each participant
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just as in our
experiment.
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Eran Elinav
co-authored the study.
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The data confirmed the
validity of the glycemic index
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but only its average values.
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The subjects' individual
blood glucose reactions
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to the same foods varied more
widely than had been expected
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sometimes even behaving in
opposite ways than predicted.
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This was mind blowing
for us, very surprising,
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and it took us a long time
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to to really believe our
data and believe ourselves.
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Because you know,
when you think about it,
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it tells us that
the food pyramid posters
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that are hanging
in our children's classrooms
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are not correct because
it's not just, you know,
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following a class of diets
that would make you healthy.
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It is measurements of yourself
and your responses to different foods,
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that is even more important
and we disregarded it for,
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for decades
of research.
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Why then does one
person's blood sugar shoot up
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while nothing happens
to another person
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even though they're both
eating the same thing?
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To find the answer, the researchers
considered a number of parameters.
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They performed DNA analyses,
and examined stool samples,
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and then had an
algorithm evaluate the data.
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The artificial intelligence
was tasked with finding out
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what most strongly influences
the blood sugar response.
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The result: Genes
play a secondary role;
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it's the microorganisms in our
bodies that make the crucial impact.
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The microbiome describes all
microorganisms in the intestine.
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In total there are
almost 40 trillion of them.
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{\an8}Most of them are bacteria,
with over 1000 different species.
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They live mainly in
our large intestine;
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protecting us from pathogens
and aiding digestion.
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Their diversity is important
for healthy intestinal flora.
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The exact function of
certain intestinal bacteria
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is still largely
unexplored.
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The makeup of the microbiome
varies from person to person
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depending upon
diet and medication.
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The microbiome is as
unique as a fingerprint.
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Based on microbiome analyses
from stool samples, the algorithm can
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with a high degree
of probability
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predict how a person's blood
sugar will react to certain foods;
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even if the process itself
still puzzles researchers...
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We don't, to be honest,
yet know why the algorithm
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chooses one
feature over the other.
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The mechanism remains
a very big black box,
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So we use artificial intelligence in
order to bypass this huge black box
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and to reach
actionable conclusions,
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even without yet understanding the
mechanisms by which the microbes
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in the host interact in determining
our blood sugar responses.
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The microbiome can have a
strong influence on food tolerances,
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as Elinav's laboratory studies on
artificial sweeteners have shown.
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The sugar substitutes
contain no calories,
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and as such should have no
major effect on metabolism.
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Nevertheless, it's suspected that
they promote obesity and diabetes.
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In a study, Eran Elinav
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found that after consuming
the sweetener saccharin,
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around half of the test subjects
developed a glucose intolerance
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often a precondition
of type two diabetes.
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Analyses revealed that the test
subjects with negative reactions
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had consistently
different intestinal bacteria.
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There are world-wars between
researchers and physicians
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on what is good
and what is bad.
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And what we strongly believe in, and
we have a lot of evidence showing it,
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is that by disregarding
the personalized responses
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of different individuals or
different subsets of participants
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in these studies, we are missing
a very important parameter
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that may explain and even reconcile
the differences between studies.
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Researchers in Israel hope
that further studies will help them
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better understand the links
between the microbiome and diet.
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Our test subjects have
begun their experiment.
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Will their blood sugar really react
so differently to the same foods?
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Christian Sina
developed the program
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the test kit can be
purchased for 250 euros.
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During the two weeks, the four
must note down exactly what they eat.
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Mealtimes have to be
at least two hours apart,
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so that blood glucose levels
can return to their baseline values.
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With a few exceptions, they're
to eat what they usually would.
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Joachim works in sales, he's
self-employed and often on the road.
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Nevertheless, he pays
careful attention to his diet,
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even documenting
which nutrients he's eating
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but he has yet to figure out how
and why he reacts as he does to them.
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That's my goal - to have my
eating habits more under control,
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and then I'll also be
shedding a few kilos too.
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Natalie is
also curious.
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She's a teacher, and in her free
time is involved in many projects
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leaving her little time
to prepare healthy food.
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Because I don't have much
time, I often eat convenience food,
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especially during
stressful periods.
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I'd like to know what
that does to my body.
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Matthias volunteers as a
coach for two soccer teams,
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and himself also plays
sports three times a week.
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He's very fond
of eating meat.
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I hope with the analysis I'll be
able to curb disease in my old age,
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and have more energy
in daily life and for sports.
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The fourth member of the group,
Ute, has a weakness for sweets.
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Her wish: to lose a
few kilos on the scales.
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I've already tried everything - it
all only worked for a short time,
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I would lose weight but
then put it back on again.
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I feel that diets don't make
sense for me anymore.
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The blood sugar experiment
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will lead to surprising
insights for all of them.
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Do they need to change
their eating habits?
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Despite the scientific community's
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numerous recommendations
on weight loss,
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the number of overweight
people is rising worldwide.
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Could genetics
be to blame?
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That's what's they're investigating
at the Technical University of Munich.
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Christina Holzapfel
is an expert in genetics
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and is leading a large study
in which 272 participants
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have to follow a specific
nutritional regime.
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For eight weeks, a formula
diet helps them to lose weight,
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and at least one daily meal is replaced
by protein-rich shakes and powders.
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To maintain the
weights they attain,
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one group is to reduce carbohydrates
in their diet, the other fats.
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The end goal of the study is to
in the end identify the parameters
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that can predict why it's
ultimately easier or harder
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for people to lose weight, and the
hope is that our results
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we'll be able to offer personalized
nutritional recommendations
00:15:03
on how to lose weight,
or maintain weight.
00:15:10
To determine that, the
participants' saliva, urine,
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microbiome and blood
are being examined.
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The research team is paying special
attention
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to the genetic blueprint; DNA.
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The decoding of the human
genome in the early 2000s
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has paved the way
for nutrigenetics.
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This new approach to research
makes the complex relationship
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between genetics and
nutrition its central focus.
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Initial findings have
already shed light
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on the digestibility
of certain foods.
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If we start with
coffee, for instance:
00:16:04
There are people who can
drink multiple cups a day,
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and others where their heart
will be racing after just one cup.
00:16:14
Here, it's the CYP1A2
gene that's responsible.
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It regulates the production
of a liver enzyme.
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If a person produces
less of the enzyme,
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their body breaks caffeine
down less efficiently.
00:16:32
Others may suffer from
fructose intolerance.
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In some such cases, a mutation
in the aldolase B gene is to blame.
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From early childhood, those
affected can experience vomiting,
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diarrhoea,
or cramps.
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Alcohol is poisonous for living
cells, and thus harmful to the body
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it must be broken down
as quickly as possible.
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Variants in two genes
slow this process down.
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In Asia, a large
section of the population
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has at least one
of these variants.
00:17:06
There were initially great
hopes that nutrigenetics
00:17:10
would provide an
explanation for obesity, too,
00:17:13
and a few genes that effect body
weight have indeed been identified.
00:17:18
However, the crucial
variants within those genes
00:17:21
have yet to be
thoroughly explored.
00:17:24
Each person's DNA contains
some three billion base pairs.
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A pair consists of either the
base adenine and thymine,
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or guanine
and cytosine.
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In at least one out of 1,000 pairs,
one of those bases will be swapped
00:17:42
in technical
terms a 'SNiP'.
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Most SNiPs have no impact
on body function or health.
00:17:50
Some of them, however, increase
the risk of certain illnesses.
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SNiPs in the FTO gene
influence body weight.
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The gene regulates whether
fat is stored, or burned.
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People with this risk variant are
on average three kilos heavier.
00:18:11
It does, though, have to
be said that three kilograms
00:18:14
are simply not that much,
and as such the FTO gene
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though being the strongest
gene in relation to body weight
00:18:22
does not get us far in explaining
the higher body weights
00:18:26
that many people
are living with.
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People who bear
variants of the FTO gene
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can help reduce their risk of
obesity with sport and exercise.
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This has been
confirmed many times,
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including by a Cambridge
study of over 200,000 people
00:18:43
a sobering result
for nutrigenetics.
00:18:47
Nevertheless, numerous companies
offer diets based on genetic analysis.
00:18:55
To find out what' s
behind those diets,
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Joachim is performing
just such a DNA test for us.
00:19:01
We choose the
provider at random.
00:19:04
Joachim receives
the test kit in the mail.
00:19:09
According to the manufacturer,
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the test
was developed by experts in medicine,
00:19:14
biochemistry, and
nutritional science.
00:19:20
The promise:
00:19:21
Using DNA - as
I've understood it
00:19:25
it's possible to determine
what kind of metabolism I have,
00:19:28
and whether I can then likely
tolerate certain foods more or less,
00:19:32
and then I can
adjust my diet
00:19:36
The most important:
The saliva sample.
00:19:39
The manufacturer promises
to handle the sample discretely
00:19:43
and comply with data
protection guidelines.
00:19:46
A test like this one can
be obtained for 189 euros.
00:19:50
According to
the manufacturer,
00:19:52
{\an8}analysis by a certified laboratory
will take two to three weeks.
00:19:59
Fourteen days later,
the results are available:
00:20:02
A 65-page evaluation, along
with nutritional tips, and recipes.
00:20:09
Christina Holzapfel takes
a look at the result for us.
00:20:13
According to the analysis, Joachim
is a carbohydrate-protein type.
00:20:18
He's been recommended a
low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.
00:20:22
This, based on an examination
of his SNiPs: A total of 23.
00:20:32
When you consider that we have 30,000
genes and many more SNiPs than that,
00:20:37
this is only a
small fraction.
00:20:40
For example: We know there
are several hundred SNiPs
00:20:43
that are associated
with body weight,
00:20:45
and there are of course also SNiPs
that are associated with nutrition
00:20:50
so this is really a
very small selection
00:20:52
that has made its
way into this report.
00:20:58
As we see, the wording
is quite careful throughout.
00:21:03
The word 'may'
is used often
00:21:06
because there isn't
definitive scientific evidence
00:21:09
for some of
these things.
00:21:12
In the end, it's a
nutritional recommendation
00:21:17
for which I don't need to
have the genetic information
00:21:20
to be able
to provide.
00:21:23
The significance of 23
SNiPs out of several thousand
00:21:27
can only be
limited, then.
00:21:30
Angela Clausen of Germany's
North Rhine-Westphalian
00:21:33
consumer advice
organization
00:21:35
has examined such products
on the market, and urges caution.
00:21:44
A decisive factor for me is that I
have to inform myself in advance
00:21:48
about what happens with my
data if I actually go on such a diet,
00:21:51
or agree to a
genetic test like this.
00:21:54
I want to know in advance what
happens with my data afterwards.
00:21:58
Where will that
data be stored?
00:22:00
Will everything
be deleted?
00:22:02
And I simply don’t want
be left alone with my results.
00:22:05
It's all well and good to
get a 60-page printout,
00:22:09
but much
more important
00:22:10
is that I also get a personal
consultation by a doctor.
00:22:16
Joachim would also have been able
to book a nutritional consultation
00:22:20
on top of his test - for
an additional 200 euros..
00:22:33
A week has now
passed in our experiment.
00:22:36
Weighing food,
taking notes,
00:22:38
and measuring blood sugar
00:22:40
have become part of the
participants' daily routine.
00:22:47
Along with their usual diet, they've
had certain dietary tasks to perform
00:22:52
which are taking
some getting used to.
00:22:56
Today was especially interesting: This
morning there was dry white bread,
00:23:00
then two hours later there was a
Fanta, and at midday plain rice again.
00:23:06
Today's my third day with
this white bread challenge...
00:23:10
and now I have to
eat all this just like that.
00:23:12
So, bon appetit!
00:23:15
Our test subjects are supposed to eat
carbohydrate-rich foods on their own,
00:23:20
but also in combination
with other nutrients
00:23:22
such as fats
and proteins.
00:23:24
It's the only way to identify
what really drives blood sugar up.
00:23:30
Fats and proteins also
influence blood glucose levels.
00:23:33
Proteins contain
glucogenic amino acids.
00:23:37
When our bodies are not
supplied with carbohydrates,
00:23:41
the liver can also convert
these nutrients into vital glucose.
00:23:46
This takes much longer than the
direct breakdown of carbohydrates,
00:23:50
and it takes hours for
blood glucose levels to rise.
00:23:55
Fats and proteins
00:23:57
can also additionally
delay the stomach from emptying.
00:24:00
Carbohydrates
ingested at the same time
00:24:03
thus enter the intestine more slowly,
00:24:04
releasing their
glucose later.
00:24:06
Blood glucose levels
rise more moderately.
00:24:15
Essentially, the blood sugar
response to certain foods
00:24:18
can be altered by combining
that food with something else,
00:24:22
as some are more likely to have
a weakened blood sugar response
00:24:25
when paired
with fat.
00:24:26
Others are more likely to have this
if the food is combined with protein.
00:24:30
Knowing this means I can
choose to put butter on bread,
00:24:33
or instead a
protein spread
00:24:35
like cottage
cheese, for example.
00:24:38
As the researchers
in Israel see it,
00:24:40
personalized nutrition ought to make
general recommendations more precise.
00:24:47
So in general,
00:24:49
these one-size-fits-all-recommendations
00:24:51
still hold.
00:24:52
Don't smoke.
00:24:53
Exercise more.
00:24:54
Don't overeat.
00:24:56
Those are perfectly fine.
00:24:58
But if you want to go
to a more granular level
00:25:01
of greater improvement in
your own personal health,
00:25:05
{then going personal
and measuring yourselves
00:25:10
and going through a scientific process
would give you a much higher chance
00:25:16
of achieving long
and meaningful results.
00:25:22
Eran Elinav's research findings have
also been incorporated into an app.
00:25:27
It's available in
Israel and the U.S.,
00:25:29
and some 70,000
people are already using it
00:25:33
like Eliahu and
Evelyn Rosenberg.
00:25:36
Eliahu is diabetic, and as
such he's had to pay attention
00:25:40
to his sugar levels
for a long time now.
00:25:43
The app is designed to
help him keep his blood sugar
00:25:46
as unfluctuating and
as low as possible.
00:25:50
It was trial and error
at the beginning.
00:25:53
It was difficult because I didn’t
know what I was doing obviously.
00:25:55
But you learn
it very quickly.
00:25:57
Probably after about a month or
two, I didn’t need to weigh things.
00:26:01
I knew
more or less.
00:26:02
And now I just check
myself occasionally.
00:26:06
Previously, Eliahu had being
trying to lower his sugar levels
00:26:10
without lasting
success - for 25 years.
00:26:12
Then, four years ago, with the
help of the app he changed his diet.
00:26:20
He saw improvements
within just two months.
00:26:26
The dietitian would tell you: you
can’t eat that, you can’t eat that.
00:26:30
Here, whatever I want to
eat, I can test immediately,
00:26:34
and know immediately
if it is good for me or not.
00:26:37
And that basically is
the biggest advantage.
00:26:40
The app's recommendations are
based on Eliahu's microbiome analysis.
00:26:45
He strictly adheres
to the guidelines.
00:26:48
He should avoid
pasta and rice
00:26:50
he's only allowed the
occasional exception
00:26:52
when pairing them
with fatty goulash.
00:26:56
Even eating salat slows
his blood sugar response
00:26:59
thanks to the oily
sesame paste.
00:27:07
It gave me a
tool to work with.
00:27:09
Something which made my
life much easier to live with.
00:27:13
And once you see good results,
that’s the biggest achievement.
00:27:19
Eliahu's success
is no isolated case:
00:27:23
In a Weizmann Institute study of 200
people with pre-diabetic conditions,
00:27:28
personalized dietary recommendations
achieved better results
00:27:32
than a set
Mediterranean diet.
00:27:38
Heilbronn, Germany.
00:27:40
At the Baden-Württemberg
Cooperative State University,
00:27:43
Katja Lotz is leading a research
project on personalized nutrition.
00:27:48
Today, the students are
to come up with a menu
00:27:51
for a rehabilitation facility.
00:27:59
Right now, the clinics
have meal plans,
00:28:01
and they're adapting those to
different disease patterns - however,
00:28:05
the menus are still highly
standardized and cost-driven.
00:28:09
We have a number of projects
underway here with our students
00:28:12
that address this:
00:28:14
How can menus be personalized? Simply
taking into account, for instance,
00:28:19
'Is this for a
woman or a man?'
00:28:22
as there are differences
in energy intake there too.
00:28:28
Here we see the
portion size for the man:
00:28:30
He's 25, average height and
weight, a competitive athlete;
00:28:34
and here by comparison:
a woman of the same age,
00:28:37
with average
height and weight
00:28:39
and here are their
metabolic rates.
00:28:42
The basal metabolic rate
00:28:43
is the energy our body
needs for its vital functions:
00:28:47
For our hearts to beat, for us to
think, breathe, and digest our food.
00:28:52
It varies depending on
weight, age, and height.
00:28:55
On average, the basal
metabolic rate is five to 7% higher
00:28:59
for men than it is for women: That
can be up to 300 kilocalories per day.
00:29:05
Physical activity increases
the energy required.
00:29:08
As such, individual energy
consumption has to be added
00:29:12
to the basal
metabolic rate.
00:29:14
It accounts for roughly one third
of the body's total requirements.
00:29:18
If you don't know exactly what
your energy requirements are,
00:29:22
you can eat too
much - or too little.
00:29:25
So if you want to lose
weight, for example,
00:29:27
it can be helpful to determine
your own energy needs
00:29:31
and adjust your
diet accordingly.
00:29:33
A male competitive
athlete requires a portion
00:29:36
roughly twice the size
of one for a woman
00:29:38
of the same age
with a sedentary job.
00:29:41
Currently we give generalized,
evidence-based recommendations
00:29:45
on nutrition,
ordered into groups.
00:29:47
For example; One group
would be infants, one toddlers,
00:29:51
one group would be adolescents,
and then comes adults
00:29:54
which are very
broadly defined.
00:29:57
So here as well, we need to
break the groups down much further,
00:30:00
and individualize
much more strongly.
00:30:04
We can see this in
the example of salt.
00:30:06
To prevent high blood pressure,
the German Nutrition Society
00:30:10
recommends reducing use of common salt
in food; but in a third of people, {\an8}salt has no effect
on blood pressure,
00:30:18
and in a small group it even has
the effect of lowering blood pressure.
00:30:26
Salt is a wonderful
flavor enhancer.
00:30:29
If we take salt off
people's plates,
00:30:31
especially from people suffering
from high blood pressure in old age,
00:30:35
when they can
already taste even less,
00:30:37
then an aspect of pleasure
has also been taken away
00:30:40
and for me the
enjoyment aspect is crucial
00:30:43
when it comes to
personalized nutrition.
00:30:46
If someone likes to eat a
piece of chocolate, for example,
00:30:49
then that should be
incorporated into their life plan.
00:30:54
We are living ever
longer, which raises the question:
00:30:58
How can we remain active and
mobile for as long as possible?
00:31:02
The German Institute of Human
Nutrition in Potsdam-Rehbrücke
00:31:07
is focused on the
50 plus age group.
00:31:10
There has been
minimal research,
00:31:12
because people say
'Oh, they're old anyway',
00:31:16
but of course it
makes a difference
00:31:18
how I live out the three
decades after I've turned 60.
00:31:21
That's a third
of my life.
00:31:24
Information on
nutritional status
00:31:26
can now be determined
easily and objectively.
00:31:32
Now I'm measuring your
skin's carotenoid content,
00:31:34
and this will tell us how much
fruit and vegetables you have eaten.
00:31:39
Carotenoids contributes
to cardiovascular health,
00:31:42
and help prevent
inflammation.
00:31:44
How much is present in the body
can be determined by skin color.
00:31:50
Toxicologist Tilman Grune heads an
interdisciplinary competence cluster
00:31:54
in the
Berlin-Brandenburg area.
00:31:57
His goal is to optimize
nutrition in old age.
00:32:01
A look through the microscope
shows the long-term effect
00:32:04
of unhealthy eating:
Tissue samples from mice
00:32:07
show how cells
change as they age.
00:32:12
In the pancreas, alpha and beta
cells form island-like structures,
00:32:17
which regulate
blood sugar levels.
00:32:19
The beta cells - colored green
- produce the hormone insulin.
00:32:24
Poor nutrition causes
these cells to break down,
00:32:27
and the islands
lose their structure.
00:32:31
In older animals with
type two diabetes,
00:32:34
the beta cells are
especially degraded,
00:32:36
preventing
insulin production.
00:32:43
So the diet is what’s
leading to disease here,
00:32:46
because of the
high calorie, and
00:32:47
in the form of high fat and high
carbohydrate high sugar diet.
00:32:53
Are general recommendations
enough to prevent this?
00:32:56
In an intervention study, 1500 test
subjects aged between 50 and 70
00:33:03
changed their
diets for three years.
00:33:05
Half of them followed the
general recommendations
00:33:08
of the German
Nutrition Society,
00:33:11
while the other half followed a
diet with more vegetable proteins,
00:33:14
fiber, and
unsaturated fatty acids.
00:33:19
The result: later in life, it still
pays to examine things closely.
00:33:24
In the second group, metabolism
improved - and liver fat decreased.
00:33:31
The more you have, the more likely
you are to develop type two diabetes
00:33:36
and if you lower it
back to normal levels,
00:33:38
then there's a lower chance of
developing metabolic diseases.
00:33:42
Often, the consequences of poor
nutrition don't show up for decades
00:33:47
but that's not the
case with migraines.
00:33:49
As early as a
hundred years ago,
00:33:51
researchers already spotted a
connection between migraines
00:33:55
and blood
sugar levels.
00:33:57
Christian Sina's attention
was drawn to that again
00:34:00
in the course
of his research.
00:34:02
His theory is that the
onset of a migraine attack
00:34:05
is a protective reaction
to looming drop in energy.
00:34:08
In order to conserve energy, the body
tries to restrict all sensory input
00:34:13
the pain is intended to
make the sufferer retreat.
00:34:21
When we arrive at this rapid
drop in blood glucose levels
00:34:25
as a result of
insulin release,
00:34:27
sometimes the blood glucose level
will dip below the actual baseline,
00:34:31
and in effect we have
an energy deficiency
00:34:34
at least it's perceived
that way in the brain.
00:34:36
We see that as a major triggering
component of migraine attacks,
00:34:39
and that's what
we're addressing now
00:34:41
a lower, stable blood glucose
response from a personalized diet.
00:34:51
Manuela Fastje suffered
her first migraine at age 20.
00:34:55
After that, the painful attacks
came three to four times a month
00:34:59
bringing severe
limitations into her life.
00:35:04
It's like a thunderstorm
in your head.
00:35:06
You actually just
want to be left in peace;
00:35:09
even the ticking of a
clock makes your head hurt,
00:35:11
and you're no longer
able to function at all.
00:35:15
In the fall of 2021,
she had Christian Sina
00:35:18
and his team monitor her
blood sugar for two weeks,
00:35:22
just as they're doing
with our test subjects.
00:35:27
I was eating ice cream
during the test phase
00:35:31
but then I had
to acknowledge
00:35:33
that this was sending my blood
sugar levels soaring and crashing
00:35:36
and then I had to consider
eating less ice cream after all.
00:35:42
The evaluation revealed that protein
weakens her blood sugar response.
00:35:47
Today, she eats cheese
curds and yogurt with her fruit.
00:35:50
Generalized dietary
recommendations had never helped her.
00:35:57
For example, they always
say cheese isn't good.
00:36:00
If you get migraines you should avoid
eating too much cheese if possible,
00:36:04
because it's suspected
of triggering attacks.
00:36:06
{\an8}For me though, it's
not like that at all.
00:36:12
A current study
with 300 participants
00:36:14
is testing personalized nutrition
in hopes of attaining approval
00:36:18
as a migraine
therapy.
00:36:20
Manuela Fastje intends to stick
to her eating recommendations.
00:36:24
Although nothing has changed
in her stressful shift work
00:36:28
as an anesthesiologist, her migraine
symptoms have decreased significantly.
00:36:38
}I'm now having maybe
one migraine a month,
00:36:41
but they're much
easier to manage,
00:36:43
and the overall intensity
has also decreased,
00:36:47
and paying a little attention
to my diet is worth it.
00:36:54
What has the two-week
experimental phase revealed
00:36:57
for the participants in
our nutrition experiment?
00:37:01
They meet again.
00:37:06
Toast and plain quark
is pretty hardcore.
00:37:10
But it's also great how
you can see the spikes.
00:37:12
It's certainly... Something's
going on there in the body.
00:37:21
Right now I am very
curious about the results.
00:37:23
The 14 test days weren't
as bad as I expected.
00:37:27
My mood's good, I'm excited to know
if I can keep eating like this now
00:37:31
will it be good for
my life in future,
00:37:33
or do I need to
somehow restrict myself?
00:37:37
Hello and welcome.
00:37:38
I'll do it
this way.
00:37:39
I'm happy to
see you all here.
00:37:41
Let's analyze
this data.
00:37:46
At the experiment's outset,
everyone received pure glucose.
00:37:53
I think it’s you’ve had different
results after taking the same thing.
00:37:58
So, while the
curve here in orange
00:38:01
Ute, that's you - you
are at the top here at 140
00:38:04
and have a relatively flat curve,
00:38:06
while with you, Matze,
things are different.
00:38:10
And what about our test
subjects' eating preferences?
00:38:16
I remember you saying
that you love chocolate.
00:38:19
You tested milk chocolate
once, and gummy bears once.
00:38:25
And if you look here
at the gummy bears,
00:38:27
you can see that your glucose
is having to be strongly regulated.
00:38:33
With the chocolate
it’s different.
00:38:35
Here you come up to
120, and then drop down,
00:38:39
so we can give
the all-clear on that.
00:38:44
So, chocolate is better
than gummy bears.
00:38:50
Perfect!
00:38:52
It still shouldn't be too much
chocolate, due to the calories.
00:38:56
Another thing that stands
out is that Ute's blood sugar
00:38:59
always drops
sharply overnight.
00:39:01
Christian Sina advises her to
eat a snack before going to bed.
00:39:06
Her blood sugar has a
stable reaction to apples.
00:39:09
Suddenly we see a
curve here with Joachim.
00:39:12
Oh!
00:39:14
You see it, right? You can
clearly see the increase.
00:39:18
Apples and bananas
aren't so good for Joachim,
00:39:21
so Christian Sina advises him
against snacking in the evening,
00:39:25
because his
blood sugar level
00:39:27
doesn't regulate itself
down sufficiently at night.
00:39:31
I don't think it's going
to be hard for me,
00:39:33
because now I've seen these images
and I feel motivated to do something.
00:39:37
It's things you
maybe know,
00:39:39
but now that I've seen
it so graphically laid out,
00:39:42
I'll definitely follow through now.
00:39:46
Even a supposedly healthy
spelt-and-caraway bread roll
00:39:49
causes a major spike.
00:39:51
Nevertheless, Joachim just
has to eat them with butter.
00:39:56
Here you've had it with butter, and
you can see the lesser effect clearly.
00:40:00
Amazing!"
00:40:02
For Matthias,
there's no food
00:40:04
that causes a particularly
sharp rise in blood sugar.
00:40:07
Surprisingly, he can tolerate
white bread better than whole-grain.
00:40:14
I'm satisfied
with that, yes.
00:40:16
There's nothing I have to do
without, and that's a good start.
00:40:19
It means nothing's really
been wrong in the past.
00:40:22
A difficult revelation
for teacher Natalie:
00:40:24
Her much-loved pizza leads to
extreme spikes in blood sugar.
00:40:28
Christian Sina advises
her to switch to pasta,
00:40:32
which her metabolism
can tolerate better.
00:40:36
I do also really
like pasta.
00:40:39
It might maybe mean
one or two fewer pizzas,
00:40:42
and eating something
else instead.
00:40:46
What is healthy?
00:40:48
What's unhealthy?
00:40:49
Scientific studies have been examining
more and more people individually
00:40:54
and it turns out the answer
is different for everyone.
00:41:00
Whether your average,
healthy 18-year-old
00:41:02
who's still metabolically
flexible and who exercises a lot
00:41:06
needs personalized
nutrition?
00:41:07
there's actually not
enough data to say.
00:41:10
It may be different for
someone with increased risk,
00:41:13
who's perhaps already had pathological
changes in their vascular system,
00:41:17
who's overweight,
or maybe even obese.
00:41:20
Then it would make sense to consider
the option of personalized nutrition.
00:41:26
What can personalized nutrition
do to combat lifestyle diseases,
00:41:30
such as obesity
and diabetes?
00:41:34
We've seen this in decades of
unbelievable efforts in attempts
00:41:38
and money spent in trying to find
solutions
00:41:40
to these very common diseases,
00:41:42
which almost
universally have failed.
00:41:45
But with the advance of
science and scientific research,
00:41:48
and with the addition of
the personalization aspect
00:41:51
into this equation,
I'm quite optimistic that
00:41:54
in the next couple of decades we would
be able to improve people's lives.
