what is amylin?
it was not until 1987 that the structure of the amylin molecule was identified. Amylin is a 37-amino acid peptide hormone which is co-located and co-secreted with insulin by the pancreatic beta-cells in response to nutrient stimuli.
Insulin has the role of keeping blood glucose in check while fending off challenges from food, stress, illness, and a slew of other hormones. However, like most sidekicks, amylin cannot replace or outperform insulin. Instead, amylin supplements insulin’s actions and allows insulin to do its job more effectively. This is particularly true after meals, when insulin by itself is no match for the blood glucose onslaught brought on by carbohydrates (sugars and starches) in the meal.
to say that more scientifically, amylin regulates the flow of glucose inside our blood by delaying nutrient delivery and also suppresses glucagon secretion after eating.
amylin also blocks glucogan secretion. Glucagon is a pancreatic hormone that raises the blood glucose level by stimulating the liver to release stored glucose. It is usually secreted in response to stress or hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels).
Without amylin, you produce extra glucagon when you eat which contributes to after-meal blood glucose spikes.
signs of low amylin
signs of low amylin include An irregular or fast heartbeat, Fatigue, Pale skin, Shakiness, Anxiety, Sweating, Hunger and Irritability.
signs of high amylin
signs of high amylin include Frequent and intensive hunger, Excess cravings for sugar, fat gain, forming an apple shape, Fatigue, Lack of motivation or focus, Anxiety and panic.
why should amylin matter to athletes?
people suffering from diabetes have survived for years without it. But the goal, of course, is more than just survival.
nothing matters more to an athlete than being able to produce as much energy as possible when needed and be able to control loss of energy. let’s talk more clearly then:
amylin without a doubt has the ability to help you produce energy since it regulates glucose. but this helps not only while training, but also in rest and digest process as well.
when you work out, you need to be on empty stomach which means low insulin levels but your muscles need glucose to perform properly. since insulin levels are low, you need to send glucose to muscles via Amylin.
after the exercise, your muscles again need glucose to recover and rebuild themselves and that glucose flow must be constant(not only by insulin for a short period of time after meal).
also brain fuel is glucose. you don’t want to feel foggy and tired all the time whether you are an athlete or not.
also amylin slows gastric emptying, or movement of food from the stomach into the intestines. When carbohydrates stay in the stomach longer, they are converted to glucose and enter the bloodstream in a slower, more gradual manner. so when you have low levels of amylin, food travels fast inside your body and might not be fully absorbed.
on the other hand, too much amylin secretion also raises blood glucose levels which is bad especially for brain. it can also create free radicals inside body and may even result in cancer.
amylin and fat loss
we all know the big rule of fat loss: everyday eat a little less than you burn
if you notice any good and practical fat loss plan(whether you like to call it a diet or not) has only a small margin of calorie deficit. the biggest reason behind that is NOT TO SLOW DOWN THE METABOLISM.
when you have low levels of amylin, your blood glucose levels are down which slows down metabolism.
amylin also makes you feel fuller and promotes satiety.
By helping to limit appetite and thus reduce the amount of food eaten during (and between) meals, amylin limits the potential for huge blood glucose spikes after eating.
Clinical studies in obesity have shown that amylin agonists could also be useful for weight loss, especially in combination with other agents.
amylin and diabetes
Like insulin, amylin is deficient in patients with Type 1 diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes, whose beta cells have been destroyed by the body’s immune system, secrete no amylin at all.
amylin is elevated in patients in the early stages of Type 2 diabetes at first(hyperinsulinaemia) but people with Type 2 diabetes who have progressed to the point of needing insulin injections (or infusions from a pump) have limited beta cell capacity and thus produce insufficient amylin.
the actions of amylin complement those of insulin, and that the problems of glycemic control which continue to exist in people with diabetes, despite insulin replacement therapy, may be attributable to a deficiency in amylin.