MCT for Health

We have already discussed conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) here several times. Unlike ordinary linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), CLA are also C18:2 fatty acids, but they differ in the spacing of the double bonds along the carbon chain—they are closer together. They can also have different combinations of trans and cis double bonds. What they have in common is that they are less stable than linoleic acid and are more susceptible to peroxidation . They are therefore better sensors of oxidative stress. They more accurately reflect the state of metabolism and respond more sensitively to metabolic disturbances, breaking down more readily into various signaling molecules. The most common source of CLA in our diet is milk fat. However, our bodies can also produce CLA from trans-vaccenic acid (TVA) , which is also present in milk. There are animal studies showing that as little as 1% of calories from CLA in mice completely eliminates arterial plaque and restores fat metabolism , protects the liver , a...

After more than ten years since I first became acquainted with the work of Dr. Bates, I am finally returning to the issue of the eyes, which actually started my interest in how the mechanisms in the human body work. At the end of 2012, I put away my glasses, which I had worn almost constantly until then. Since childhood, I have had excellent vision in my right eye, but my left eye is amblyopic. I wore the glasses so that my left eye would not turn off completely, so that the strongly blurred image in the left eye would be at least as large as in the right eye. In fact, I had seen very well all my life, but a few years before that, my eyesight began to deteriorate. I also had eye inflammation almost every year. During one of these, my diopters and astigmatism in both eyes suddenly changed. I was very surprised by this and even more surprised that the ophthalmologists didn't care at all, they would simply prescribe you different diopters and that would be the end of it. Then my diopt...

As the organism and its cells age, a substance called lipofuscin accumulates in the cell cytosol. It is a yellowish-brown metabolic waste (pigment) formed by oxidized fats and proteins. It is commonly called the “pigment of aging” because it gradually accumulates in cells (especially in neurons, heart muscle, liver and retina) and its amount naturally increases with age. It is not a homogeneous compound, it is probably a mixture of intertwined and interconnected chains that exhibit fluorescence. This fluorescence when stimulated by near-UV radiation is not always the same, it varies depending on the place of origin, composition and age from green to blue. The literature tells us that it is actually unprocessed cellular waste. Normally, these substances would be removed by the formation of lysosomes, organelles where unusable substances are digested and broken down into reusable material or waste. Lipofuscin is the remnant of dysfunctional lysosomes, so it shows a state where the decomp...

The effort to lower blood glucose levels seems obvious, the reason is simple. High glucose levels cause oxidative stress and damage to body organs (eyes, blood vessels, kidneys, etc.). This leads many people to promote and apply low-carb and ketogenic diets. But is it really glucose that causes it? After all, it is the most common fuel for obtaining energy so that cells can function at all. Isn't that strange? Moreover, the cell can easily defend itself against overload by means of insulin resistance. So why doesn't it work? Is it really glucose that is harmful to the body? So let's take a closer look. If you are reading this blog, I think you already know where the core of the problem is. Yes, it is the activation of an enzyme that is supposed to serve only in emergency situations, otherwise it should be deactivated. It is the enzyme aldose reductase (AR, AKR1B1). It is present in the liver, vascular endothelium, cornea, etc. It is the first enzyme of the so-called polyol ...

In the previous post, I showed how the omega-6 linoleic acid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) suppresses signaling of cellular energy deficiency, i.e., a shortage of ATP molecules . This forces the cell to switch into an energy-conserving metabolic mode, activate glucose fermentation or cellular senescence, or ultimately undergo apoptosis—programmed cell death. Today, we will look at another older study  (from 2014) in which researchers investigated whether fatty liver disease could be alleviated by suppressing the function of the AR enzyme, i.e., by inhibiting aldose reductase. If you have not yet heard of aldose reductase (AR, also known as aldo-keto reductase AKR1B1), I have published a large number of posts on this blog presenting studies showing that AR activation is the basis of virtually all modern chronic diseases, whether it is obesity , liver damage , or vascular endothelial damage . Today, the main activators of AR are not only elevated blood glucose l...