More work is needed to verify their findings, but UBC researchers are arguing that those on a keto diet should pause when considering a ‘cheat day.’

Just one dose of carbohydrates can damage blood vessels

The often embraced ‘cheat day’ is a common theme in many diets and the popular ketogenic diet is no exception. But new research from UBC’s Okanagan campus says that just one 75-gram dose of glucose—the equivalent a large bottle of soda or a plate of fries—while on a high fat, low carbohydrate diet can lead to damaged blood vessels.

“The ketogenic—or keto—diet has become very common for weight loss or to manage diseases like Type 2 diabetes,” says Jonathan Little, associate professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBCO and study senior author. “It consists of eating foods rich in fats, moderate in protein, but very low in carbohydrates and it causes the body to go into a state called ketosis.”

Little says the diet can be very effective because once the body is in ketosis and starved for its preferred fuel glucose, the body’s chemistry changes and it begins to aggressively burn its fat stores. This leads to weight loss and can reverse the symptoms of diseases like Type 2 diabetes.

“We were interested in finding out what happens to the body’s physiology once a dose of glucose is reintroduced,” says Cody Durrer, UBC Okanagan doctoral student and study first author. “Since impaired glucose tolerance and spikes in blood sugar levels are known to be associated with an increased risk in cardiovascular disease, it made sense to look at what was happening in the blood vessels after a sugar hit.”

For their test, the researchers recruited nine healthy young males and had them consume a 75-gram glucose drink before and after a seven-day high fat, low carbohydrate diet. The diet consisted of 70 per cent fat, 10 per cent carbohydrates and 20 per cent protein, similar to that of a modern ketogenic diet.

“We were originally looking for things like an inflammatory response or reduced tolerance to blood glucose,” says Durrer. “What we found instead were biomarkers in the blood suggesting that vessel walls were being damaged by the sudden spike in glucose.”

Little says the most likely culprit for the damage is the body’s own metabolic response to excess blood sugar, which causes blood vessel cells to shed and possibly die.

“Even though these were otherwise healthy young males, when we looked at their blood vessel health after consuming the glucose drink, the results looked like they might have come from someone with poor cardiovascular health,” adds Little. “It was somewhat alarming.”

The researchers point out that with only nine individuals included in the study, more work is needed to verify their findings, but that the results should give those on a keto diet pause when considering a cheat day.

“My concern is that many of the people going on a keto diet—whether it’s to lose weight, to treat Type 2 diabetes, or some other health reason—may be undoing some of the positive impacts on their blood vessels if they suddenly blast them with glucose,” he says. “Especially if these people are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease in the first place.”

“Our data suggests a ketogenic diet is not something you do for six days a week and take Saturday off.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

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The Pyramid International Laboratory is located at an altitude of 5,050 metres on the Nepali side of Mt. Everest.

High altitude adaptation makes muscle tissue highly resilient to fatigue

The Sherpa people of the Himalayas have long been recognized for their unique ability to excel physically in the thin air of higher altitudes. But new research from UBC’s Okanagan campus, published last week in the Journal of Physiology, now suggests that their specially adapted muscles give them up to twice the resistance to muscle fatigue of lowlanders.

“People who live near sea level—lowlanders—struggle with fatigue and impaired physical performance at high altitude, when the oxygen levels are very low,” says Chris McNeil, assistant professor at UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences and study senior author. “But the Sherpa are born and raised at low-oxygen and their ancestors have lived above 4,000 metres for 20,000 years so they are the gold standard of exceptional high-altitude performance. Unfortunately, very little research has looked at how their muscles deal with fatigue in such an extreme environment.”

McNeil and his doctoral student Luca Ruggiero wanted to know if the muscle fibres of the Sherpa were just as efficient in a low-oxygen environment as their well-studied cardiorespiratory systems. To test the idea, they travelled as part of a UBC Okanagan-led expedition to the Pyramid International Laboratory, located at 5,050 metres on the Nepali side of Mt. Everest. At the Pyramid lab, they performed muscle fatigue tests on 10 Sherpa and 12 lowlanders.

“We wanted to know how Sherpa muscles became fatigued after physical strain and how quickly those muscles recover compared to people who spend their lives at oxygen-rich sea level,” says Ruggiero. “It turns out that the Sherpa fatigued about 33 per cent less than lowlanders and recovered nearly twice as fast.”

“In fact, at 5,000 metres, where the oxygen concentration is roughly half that at sea-level, the Sherpa out-performed even the fittest lowlanders studied” he adds.

For their tests, the team connected the dominant leg of the participant to a specialized device called an isometric dynamometer to measure the force exerted by the quadriceps—muscles on the front of the thigh that straighten the knee. After determining the strength of each participant, electrical stimulation was used to make the quadriceps contract rhythmically, as they do when walking, for approximately four minutes. Muscle fatigue was measured as the drop in force from the start to the end of the four minutes.

“We specifically wanted to look at the quadriceps because they are so important in activities like walking, hiking and climbing,” says McNeil. “Even with similar oxygen delivery to the muscles in both groups, Sherpa muscle fibres have a remarkable ability to use oxygen efficiently during and after exercise.”

Understanding Sherpa muscle capabilities is not only interesting for researchers, says McNeil, but may also have practical applications for lowlanders living with a variety of diseases or afflictions.

“You don’t need to be on Everest for the body to experience the negative effects of reduced levels of oxygen reaching tissues,” says McNeil. “For example, those suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease struggle with fatigue and impaired physical performance just like a healthy lowlander would if they were living at high altitude.”

“A better grasp of how Sherpa muscles are able to not only survive but thrive in such a harsh environment could one day lead to exercise or pharmacological interventions and change the lives of countless people,” he adds.

“That’s the holy grail of studying the incredible physical abilities of the Sherpa.”

The study was published this week in The Journal of Physiology with funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund.

UBC Assist. Prof. Chris McNeil and doctoral student Luca Ruggiero test leg fatigue using a specialized device called an isometric dynamometer.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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2017 graduates throw their mortarboards into the air to celebrate their success after receiving their degrees.

More than 1,750 students will cross the stage and receive degrees

UBC Okanagan’s gym and courtyard will be filled with traditional ceremony, shouts of celebrations and lifetime memories for two days this week.

More than 1,750 graduates will receive their degrees as the university celebrates the class of 2018 and convocation takes over campus on Thursday and Friday. It’s one of the largest cohorts of graduates in UBC Okanagan’s history, illustrating the growth that continues to shape the university.

“Over the past 13 years we’ve watched with pride as UBC Okanagan’s graduating classes have grown along with the campus,” says Deborah Buszard, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal. “As the campus continues to develop – including with the opening of the new Commons building later this year – we look forward to seeing the impact of UBC Okanagan’s newest alumni in their communities and around the world.”

On Thursday, June 7 more than 620 graduates will cross the stage as students in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies are conferred their degrees.

Two honorary degrees will also be issued Thursday. Astrophysicist Victoria Kaspi will receive an honorary Doctor of Science at the 11 a.m. ceremony. Rosalind Williams will be presented with a Doctor of Letters at the 1:30 p.m. ceremony.

That same day, chemistry Professor Stephen McNeil will be presented with the Killam Teaching Prize, the first time a UBC Okanagan faculty member has received this prestigious award. The Killam award is given to a professor nominated by students, colleagues and alumni in recognition of excellence in teaching. The Governor General Gold Medal Winner, an award presented to the student with the highest academic accomplishment at a university, will also be presented Thursday morning.

There are three convocation ceremonies Friday, June 8 as students in the School of Engineering, the Faculty of Management, the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Health and Social Development— School of Health and Exercise Sciences, School of Nursing and the School of Social Work all graduate.

Mission Hill Family Estate founder Anthony von Mandl will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws at Friday’s 11 a.m. ceremony. At the same ceremony, Education professor Leyton Schnellert will be presented with the Teaching Award of Excellence and Innovation. School of Engineering Professor Yang Cao will also be presented with the Teaching Award of Excellence and Innovation at the 8:30 a.m. ceremony that day.

Of the 1,752 degrees being presented this week, 107 students will earn their master’s degree and 33 are being conferred as PhDs. All outstanding achievements, says Buszard.

“I offer the UBC Okanagan class of 2018 my warmest congratulations on their remarkable achievements,” she adds. “Whether they go on to create a new venture, take on a societal challenge or pursue further studies, I know our graduates have the intellectual tools to flourish in the face of change, wherever they go from here.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

The post UBC Okanagan hosts six graduation ceremonies this week appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Participants find high-intensity interval exercise as enjoyable as traditional exercise

While we know high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is time-efficient and good for our health, researchers are still curious to determine if less active users are willing to do it.

In fact, limited research has examined exactly how inactive people perceive HIIT—which consists of multiple short bouts of intense exercise, says Matthew Stork, a PhD candidate in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC’s Okanagan campus. Stork recently completed a study comparing inactive people’s feelings and enjoyment of HIIT to traditional long-duration aerobic exercise. He found that inactive people who tried the high-intensity exercise for the first time found it just as enjoyable as traditional exercise.

Matthew Stork is a PhD candidate in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC’s Okanagan campus

“The number one cited barrier to physical activity is a perceived lack of time, and research has shown that as little as 10 minutes of HIIT, three times per week can elicit meaningful health benefits,” says Stork. “The concern is that short bursts of intense exercise may be perceived as unpleasant, especially for those who aren’t physically active, to begin with.”

Stork wanted to know how people felt about their high-intensity exercise experience both during and after their sessions. He also

hoped to determine whether feelings, ranging from pleasure to displeasure, during a HIIT session could predict the likelihood of completing the same exercise outside of the lab.

“We wanted to learn more about people’s perceptions towards HIIT and ultimately determine if even inactive people are willing to do these types of exercises on their own free time,” says Stork. “There’s research evidence showing that negative feelings experienced during traditional forms of exercise, like going for a long run, can lower your likelihood of completing that exercise again in the future. We anticipated the same would be true for HIIT, but as it turns out, it’s not so simple.”

To test his idea, Stork and his team recruited 30 inactive men and women who had never tried HIIT before. Each participant completed high intensity and traditional moderate intensity exercise on a stationary bike in the lab. They measured how the participants felt on a multi-point pleasure-displeasure scale throughout the activity. Each participant was also asked to log any exercise they completed on their own during the following four weeks.

“We found that participants reported equal levels of enjoyment and preferences for HIIT in comparison to traditional exercise, despite experiencing feelings of displeasure during the higher intensity exercise,” says Stork. “Importantly, 79 per cent of participants reported completing HIIT on their own, outside of the lab.”

Stork says his study should give hope to those who struggle to fit exercise into their busy lives.

“Many people want to give up on exercise because they don’t feel that they have enough time. However, HIIT may be a viable, time-efficient exercise option, even for inactive people who have never tried it before.”

Stork’s study was recently published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise with funding from the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

The post Short bursts of intense exercise are a HIIT, even with less active people appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Jonathan Little, assistant professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences.

First of its kind research looks at easier methods to control sugar spikes

New research published today in the Journal of Physiology demonstrates that drinking a ketone supplement can lower blood sugar levels and might be a new tool to help diabetics control spikes in blood sugar.

Assoc. Prof Jonathan Little, who teaches at UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences, and researchers at the University of Oxford have demonstrated that a single drink of ketone ester—a common new class of nutritional supplement—enables better control of blood sugar in healthy individuals.

With Type 2 diabetes and obesity reaching epidemic proportions, Little says that identifying effective methods of controlling blood sugar levels is becoming all the more important. Both diabetes and obesity are associated with high blood sugar, which can damage the vessels that supply blood to vital organs and can also increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

“Type 2 diabetes is becoming ever more prevalent and people are increasingly looking to nutrition as an alternative to insulin or other pharmaceutical interventions,” says Little. “The problem is that the effectiveness of nutritional supplements, particularly relatively new products like ketone esters, haven’t been properly investigated. We’re now starting to fill in the gaps.”

Although previous studies have shown that infusing ketones into the bloodstream can reduce blood sugar levels, this study is the first to show that a ketone ester supplement can also lower blood sugar levels.

For the study, 20 people consumed a ketone monoester supplement or a placebo after a 10-hour fast on two different days. Thirty minutes later, participants consumed a drink containing 75 grams of sugar (which is a standard oral glucose tolerance test). Blood samples were collected every 15-30 minutes throughout the entire 2.5 hours process for analyses of glucose, lipids and hormones.

Little says the blood sugar spike was reduced for the individuals who consumed the ketone drink compared to those who drank the placebo. It is important to note, he says, that the study was completed with non-diabetics to reduce the confounding influence of insulin resistance, beta-cell dysfunction and medications.

“Our study was done in healthy young participants but if the same responses were seen in people with, or at risk for, Type 2 diabetes then it is possible that a ketone monoester supplement could be used to lower glucose levels and improve metabolic health. We are currently working on these studies.”

He also notes the physiological mechanisms that underpin the improved blood sugar control also need to be understood.

On the lighter side of the research, Little says making a placebo drink with a taste that matched the unpleasant ketone supplement added a bit of variety to the work.

“The ketone supplements do not taste very good and in order to blind the participants we had to make a control drink that also tasted distinctly bad,” he adds. “It made for interesting mornings seeing how the participants would respond to the taste of their drinks.”

This research was published in Journal of Physiology and was funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant. Little is a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator and Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Scholar.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

The post A ketone drink could help diabetics by lowering blood sugar appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

People with eating disorders need to find healthful relationships with exercise

UBC researcher Danika Quesnel says telling people who are undergoing treatment for an eating disorder to completely abstain from exercise can be detrimental to the patient’s recovery and long-term health.

Quesnel’s research has determined that the traditional prescription to treat an eating disorder—encouraging people to refrain from exercise—may not be as effective as initially believed. In fact, it could be potentially detrimental to long-term prognosis.

Quesnel, who completed this research while an interdisciplinary student in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences and the psychology department, says there is a definite disconnect when it comes to how much exercise should be allowed for people with an eating disorder. In fact, there is no simple “one size fits all” recommendation.

Quesnel interviewed a number of eating disorder health professionals throughout North America and Europe. She says it’s common for someone with an eating disorder to have a dysfunctional relationship with exercise.

“Dysfunctional exercise behaviour, meaning someone who has an abusive relationship with exercise, is present in around 30 to 80 per cent of patients with eating disorders,” says Quesnel. “However, the exercise behaviours are not commonly addressed when that person is being treated for an eating disorder. In fact, people are often told to stop exercising. Period.”

While it is hard to monitor and ensure that a patient is not engaging in inappropriate exercise when they have been recommended not to, Quesnel says it’s more complicated than that.

“It’s not a realistic option. Both clinical and research experts can agree on that,” she says. “What we should be doing is developing guidelines to incorporate healthy amounts of exercise into the treatment so we can help patients develop long-term, appropriate relationships with exercise.”

Ideally, Quesnel says a person being treated for an eating disorder, should be encouraged to take a break in the activity they are they overdoing. For example, someone who compulsively runs could eventually be encouraged to try a different activity or a team sport.

“It’s an emerging topic, one that is on the minds of many, yet little information is available,” she says. “How much is the right amount? There needs to be a gradual protocol that begins in treatment and needs to be based on the patient’s physical health, activity goals and preference. The ultimate goal is that they develop a healthy lifestyle around physical activity beyond the context of treatment.”

It’s also important, she says, to tailor the activity to each individual and introduce flexibility, strength training and then cardiovascular exercises in stages which a patient progresses through based on their health.

“Exercise prescription can be tricky in the context of eating disorder treatment,” she says. “These are people who have very dysfunctional relationships with exercise. We need to help patients develop a   healthy relationship with exercise, just as we help them improve their relationships with food. We need to be able to give them an exercise program that matches with their treatment goals and one they can follow for the long term.”

Quesnel’s research was published recently in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

The post Abrupt end to exercise not the answer when it comes to eating disorder treatment appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Is one diabetes sufferer’s journey to freedom from medication the answer for all?

J.J. had a choice. Continue to consume a daily cocktail of diabetes medication or change the way he eats.

For the Vancouver Island resident, it was a no-brainer. He opted for the latter and joined a new clinical trial offered jointly between UBC’s Okanagan campus and Pharmasave.

The study is testing whether a low-carbohydrate therapeutic nutrition intervention can help patients with Type 2 diabetes get their blood sugar levels under control and reduce their medications.

“My story has been incredible so far,” says J.J. “I’ve gone from 100 units of insulin to zero in two weeks and I’m slowly reducing many other medications for everything from high blood pressure to cholesterol.”

But what does this story mean for others suffering from Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes? Is a change in diet the silver bullet?

Jonathan Little is an assistant professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences and the lead researcher on the study.

Jonathan Little, assistant professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences.

Why is J.J.’s story so interesting as a researcher?

The idea that you can “reverse” Type 2 diabetes, or at least get the disease into remission, is a novel and intriguing one that goes against the current dogma that Type 2 diabetes is a chronic progressive disease. Anecdotes and personal stories are valuable in science because they give us an indication of what might be possible, where to go and what to try next. Stories of personal successes like J.J.’s have led to our research team working on a much larger study, in collaboration with Pharmasave across BC, to see whether it is possible to reverse Type 2 diabetes on a larger scale.

Is this proof that diet or lifestyle can cure diabetes?

No. What this tells me is that reversal of Type 2 diabetes is possible with a dietary approach and that we need to look at a much greater number of people. We need to apply thoughtful tests and proper study designs to produce Grade A evidence. While this individual result is exciting and should be celebrated, it is important that we continue to conduct rigorous clinical trials to determine whether the results are repeatable, robust, and sustainable across most or all individuals who have Type 2 diabetes.

Does his story mean that others will get the same results?

Maybe or maybe not. That’s why we’ve designed the study. It’s important to keep in mind that anecdotes may be very powerful but that doesn’t mean that the results apply to everyone. Every person with Type 2 diabetes has a different genetic profile, different environmental exposures, different background so may not respond the same way. We conduct a randomized control trial, such as ours, to help determine if the results apply, on the average, to individuals in spite of all of these factors.

What are the next steps?

We are aiming to recruit 200 participants across 13 sites in BC within the next year. Engaging more people interested in reversing their Type 2 diabetes is our most immediate next step and will help us better understand this disease.

For more information about the study and how to participate, please contact: therapeutic.nutrition@ubc.ca

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

The post From 100 to zero in two weeks flat appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

UBC Okanagan associate professor Mary Jung

Partnership sets-up university laboratory downtown Kelowna

With world diabetes day just around the corner on November 14, UBC Okanagan associate professor Mary Jung wants to help those living with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes create, and more importantly, maintain healthy habits.

The developer and researcher has devoted her research career to investigating what makes healthy habits stick. Her laboratory at UBC’s Okanagan campus —while petri dish and beaker-free— has been home to multiple studies that sought to identify how to make lasting dietary and exercise changes. The result: Small Steps for Big Changes, a three-week personalized diet and exercise lifestyle counselling program for individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes.

With the help of a private BC foundation, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Small Steps for Big Changes is now available to the Okanagan community at the Kelowna Downtown YMCA.

Developed in 2012 with an initial group of 32 participants with prediabetes, the personalized, one-on-one, training and counselling program showed promising results. Fast forward to 2016, and once again, the program has proven to result in long-lasting positive lifestyle changes for its 100 participants at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The YMCA UBC collaboration represents a unique form of research in action. While typically health research experiences a 7-year delay from study to practice, the YMCA-based lab offers the cost-free, accessible program while continuing to gather evidence for wider adoption.

“This pilot represents an opportunity for continuing to build evidence of the program’s success, while putting the time-efficient, effective program directly in the hands of people who can use it,” says Jung, who explains the vision for the program is to offer access across British Columbia, and beyond.

While adhering to a healthy diet and regular exercise have innumerable rewards for all populations, the program was developed with the intention of addressing the silent epidemic of prediabetes, which Diabetes Canada reports is expected to grow to 23 per cent of the Canadian population by 2025.

“The goal is to help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in those at risk by providing a program that is accessible and cost-free,” says Jung.

“Our aim is to help individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes to become independent exercisers and more devoted to a healthier diet. In the end, we want to enable positive, healthy and life-long changes to behaviour.”

YMCA of Okanagan was critical to moving the laboratory from campus to community. When Karlene Sewell, General Manager of Health Initiatives, learned of the program, it was a logical collaboration.

“YMCA of Okanagan is dedicated to building healthy communities,” says Sewell. “Small Steps for Big Changes represents YMCA’s pursuit of new programs and services that address the specific and unique needs in the communities we serve.”

The downtown community lab represents the first small step towards big changes for the YMCA and UBC partnership.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

The post UBC and YMCA partner to offer evidence-based health program to community appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Jonathan Little is an assistant professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences.

Popular new ketone salts enhance fat burning but impair high-intensity exercise performance

In the quest to improve physical performance, many athletes are turning to untested nutritional supplements. But in the case of one recently available and popular class of supplements—ketone salts—research from UBC’s Okanagan campus suggests it may inhibit, rather than improve, athletic performance during high-intensity exercise.

“Ketone salts are relatively new to the market and there’s not much research on their impact on performance,” says the study’s co-author Jonathan Little, assistant professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences. “We know from one previously published study that ketone supplements may improve long-duration endurance performance but we’re interested what happens during short-duration and high-intensity workouts, like running a 10k or cycling up a hill.”

“It turns out that ketone salt supplements actually impair high-intensity exercise performance.”

Ketone salts work by artificially elevating blood ketone levels, similar to what happens naturally during periods of starvation, and forces the body to rely on burning fat as a fuel, explains Little. Burning fat is a more effective long-term fuel but is more complex to process and isn’t as readily accessible for quick bursts of muscle activity as is a fuel like glucose.

“Elevated blood ketones seem to inhibit the body’s use of glycogen, the stored form of glucose, and favours burning fat instead,” adds Little. “That means that the body’s quick-burning fuel cannot be accessed during high-intensity bursts of activity and athletic performance is dropping off as a result.”

In his study, Little recruited ten healthy adult males with similar athletic abilities and body mass indices. After a period of fasting, they were asked to consume either beta-hydroxybutyrate ketone salts or a flavour-matched placebo, in a randomized order, and then engage in a cycling time trial. Power output on the day participants consumed ketone salts was seven per cent lower than on the day when they consumed the placebo.

“Often these supplements are marketed as a means of improving athletic performance but in this case, the research tells a very different story,” says Little. “On top of that, the long-term impacts of artificially increasing blood ketone levels—essentially tricking the body into thinking it is in a state of starvation—is completely unknown.”

“I hope this helps athletes navigate the science of supplements rather than relying on label marketing alone.”

Little’s research was recently published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism and supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada Engage Grant.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

The post Ketone nutritional supplements: Good or bad for athletic performance? appeared first on UBC's Okanagan News.

Experts provide tips on how to raise happy healthy kids in today’s world

Ask any parent. Their most important goal is to raise children who are healthy—physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally.

Yet with childhood obesity and Type I diabetes rates soaring, and screen time and sedentary behaviour on the increase, even the most well-meaning parents, grandparents and caregivers may be missing the mark.

This year, UBC Okanagan’s annual Mini-Med public health education series will focus on children’s health. Top practitioners and experts will share their knowledge about today’s health hazards when it comes to raising children.

Mini-Med, presented by alumni UBC, is a four-part educational lecture series open to the public. Starting Wednesday, October 18, sessions take place weekly at UBC’s Clinical Academic Campus, at Kelowna General Hospital. Series registration: Adults are $30, students and seniors are $20.

Mini-Med curriculum: Children’s health

October 18—Dr. Shazan Amed: Live 5-2-1-0
Dr. Shazan Amed, a pediatric endocrinologist at BC Children’s Hospital, stresses that obesity and Type 2 diabetes are preventable. She is the founder and project lead of Live 5-2-1-0, an initiative of BC Children’s Hospital aimed at preventing childhood obesity and its related complications like Type 2 diabetes.

October 25—Assoc. Prof. Ali McManus: Please Wait to be Seated
UBC Okanagan Associate Professor Ali McManus will discuss sedentary behaviour and the importance of keeping children active. She is the president of the North American Society for Pediatric Exercise Medicine and directs the Pediatric Inactivity Physiology Lab which focuses on the impact exercise, physical activity and sedentary behaviour have on the wellbeing of children.

November 1—Dr. Tom Warshawski: There’s More to This Than Meets the BMI
Almost every day, a new conflicting message about the health consequences of obese kids hits the media. Dr. Warshawski, consultant pediatrician in Kelowna and current chair of the Childhood Obesity Foundation, will provide an evidence-based overview of how to optimize health through healthy eating and active living instead of focusing on the BMI.

November 8—Deborah MacNamara: Raising Children in a Digital World
Teacher and counsellor, Deborah MacNamara will provide strategies on raising healthy children in our digital world. She will give tips to help put parents in the driver’s seat by making sense of kids from the inside out and provide strategies for preparing our children to live healthy lives in this digital and ever-changing world.

To learn more about Mini-Med and this year’s speakers, or to register visit: minimed.ok.ubc.ca

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