"A Bagel in the Life of Metabolisms A and B
To understand how Metabolism B reacts to carbohydrates, let’s compare you with a friend who has Metabolism A.
You and your friend plan to spend the day shopping. On your way to the mall, you decide to stop for a bagel and coffee. A bagel contains carbohydrate, so as it digests it turns into glucose that is released into the bloodstream. The brain detects this rise in blood glucose and instructs the pancreas to release the right amount of insulin to help bring the blood glucose back into the normal range. Glucose above the normal range will be used to refill glycogen stores in the muscle cells (the stores that you use to move, exercise, and even breathe) and fat cells (the stores that you burn when your muscle and liver stores have been depleted).
Think of insulin as the key that opens the cells’ door to allow glucose to enter. Your friend’s pancreas released just enough insulin to keep her blood glucose in the normal range, replenish the liver and the muscle cells, and store any excess in fat cells. After eating her bagel, your friend feels full and will remain satisfied during the four to five hours that this process takes.
Your pancreas, however, because of Metabolism B, releases excess insulin to deal with the bagel’s glucose rush. Once this insulin helps to refill the glycogen stores in your muscle and liver, the excess keys will open excess fat cells. In an effort to feed these fat cells, you will dip into your normal blood sugar, leaving too little glucose left in the bloodstream to keep up your energy and sense of satiation. Your blood glucose has now dipped below the normal range.
And so, after eating exactly the same meal, you will end up “fatter” than your friend and with lower blood glucose than she has! Your brain senses the low blood glucose and you will begin to feel tired, washed out, and hungry. This all happens only two hours after eating. You look at your friend—she feels great with no fatigue or hunger. What a woman!
You feel the urge for a chocolate bar now! Your brain has caused you to crave carbohydrates, the one type of food that will quickly bring blood glucose up to normal. You start to feel a bit lightheaded, empty, and irritable. Meanwhile, your friend shops away merrily.
If you cave in and eat that bar, you will immediately feel better, but only for a short time. The carbohydrates contained in the bar will return your blood glucose to normal and relieved, you will think to yourself, This is the best chocolate bar on earth! You accuse yourself of being a carboholic. But although you may appear to be out of control, gobbling carbs even as you desperately desire to lose weight, you are really a person following the direction of your brain to bring your blood glucose into a reasonable range.
The satisfaction only lasts a short time. When the chocolate bar digests and your blood sugar begins to rise, your brain once again calls upon your pancreas and once again your pancreas, in its Metabolism B mode, releases too much insulin. The cycle has repeated itself and excess fat cells receive the glucose while your blood glucose levels again dip. You are slowly becoming fatter and, to add insult to injury, the insulin receptors on your fat cells are stretching making it more difficult to open the cells (see “The Key to Insulin Resistance,” page 27). Your energy level is dropping again, and you will soon need lunch. You don’t want to ask your friend to stop for lunch already. What if you simply ignore your brain and refuse to give in and eat? What if you remain steadfast and ignore your cravings? Will you be thinner if you ignore carb cravings? Surprisingly, the answer for people with Metabolism B is no."
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