<aside> <img src="/icons/promoted_green.svg" alt="/icons/promoted_green.svg" width="40px" /> DIRECTORY
Part 1 - Research and Biochemistry
Part 2 - Metabolism and Supplements
Part 3 - Molecular Genetics and Homeostasis
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<aside> <img src="/icons/compose_green.svg" alt="/icons/compose_green.svg" width="40px" /> OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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<aside> ππΌ DELVE DEEPER
Adrenoleukodystrophy Explained
The Torrey Family: Living with ALD
Gene Therapy for Adrenoleukodystrophy
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There is no specific energy pathway that the diet targets; instead, it allows participants to choose. When signing up for the diet through their website, youβll receive a calculation of a customized weekly activity target based on your metabolic rate, which is determined by your age, height, weight, and sex. High-intensity or strength workouts add the most Points. Depending on the workouts you decide to follow and what meals you eat based on the Points system will determine the energy pathway you will go through during the diet. There are three main kinds; most people go through all three at specific points during the day. But because this diet tailors to the individual, hereβs an overview of all three:
Example 1. Plyometric Exercises Initiate PES
Image Source: Cardio Trek
Phosphagen Energy System - PES
During the first 10 - 20 seconds of intense movements, the available ATP is used up. Hence, the body uses phosphocreatine, also known as creatine phosphate (CP) or PCr (Pcr), as a temporary energy buffer to reform ATP in the muscle. Out of the three systems, this operates the fastest and brings the highest input; however, the supply of CP is very limited as itβs consumed rather rapidly within 15 seconds.
<aside> <img src="/icons/stopwatch_green.svg" alt="/icons/stopwatch_green.svg" width="40px" /> Plyometrics is a form of jump training involving exercises in which muscles are exerted to their maximum potential in short intervals to build and increase strength. It is these types of exercise that activate the Phosphagen Energy System.
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Glycolytic Pathway
This is the primary energy pathway for exercise lasting 15 seconds to 3 minutes. The glucose stored in muscles from the intake of carbohydrates is turned into ATP. It is a quick system but does not provide much energy and can only continue its supply for 3 minutes maximum each time. This pathway is liable for lactic acid buildup in the muscle whenever the respiratory rate does not meet the oxygen demand during physical activity.
<aside> <img src="/icons/gym_green.svg" alt="/icons/gym_green.svg" width="40px" /> The exercises that initiate the glycolytic pathway may or may not be highly intense workouts; however, they must be continuous. They do not occur in short bursts as required by the Phosphagen Energy System, but they also do not last as long as the type of exercises needed for the Oxidative Pathway to begin. The image shows multiple workouts that can be done consecutively for 3 minutes resulting in fatigue caused by lactic acid buildup.
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Example 2. Workouts for Lactic Acid Buildup
Image Source: Vecteezy by Khoon Lay Gan
Example 3. Medium Intensity
Image Source: Vecteezy by Gerardo Giuseppe
Oxidative Pathway
If a workout lasts longer than a couple of minutes, this pathway is used. It is slow but efficient. It uses fat as its primary energy source, producing enough ATP to sustain longer-lasting activities, but only when the movements performed are of moderate intensity, such as when biking or jogging long distances.
<aside> <img src="/icons/bicycle_green.svg" alt="/icons/bicycle_green.svg" width="40px" /> Hence, the recommended number of steps per day for the average adult is 10,000. Even walking allows oneβs body to use up fat stores with the help of the Oxidative Pathway. Although biking can be done with high intensity, it is simply whether the aim is to use up glucose in the muscle or fat stored elsewhere.
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As previously mentioned, the Weight Watchers diet does not provide specific meals necessary for consumption while banning certain foods. So, instead of breaking down how one particular macronutrient is transformed by metabolism into usable energy, hereβs a general overview:
Table 1. Metabolic Pathways Derived from LibreTexts Medicine
| Catabolic Pathways | Function | Anabolic Pathways | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glycolysis | Splitting of Glucose | Gluconeogenesis | Synthesizes Glucose |
| Ξ²-Oxidation | Breaks Down Fatty Acids | Lipogenesis | Synthesizes Triglycerides |
| Proteolysis | Breaks Down Protein into Amino Acids | Amino-acid synthesis | Synthesizes Amino Acids |
<aside> βΌοΈ Acetyl-CoA, common to glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism and derived from the splitting of a carboxyl group from pyruvate during pyruvate oxidation; the removal of two carbon molecules from fatty acids during Ξ²-Oxidation; or the deamination of an amino acid, enters stage 2, the Citric Acid (Krebs) Cycle.
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Since WeightWatchers is a diet that does not impose rules on the types of foods for consumption, doing a carnivorous diet within the WeightWatchers diet is possible, just as being a vegan or choosing to eat more holistically is possible. So, depending on oneβs lifestyle, several different supplements and vitamins are recommended. However, in the interest of length, fibre supplements will be the main focus as the carnivorous diet has only recently resurfaced and is, thus, relevant.