IUBio

seasonal weight changes

F. Frank LeFever flefever at ix.netcom.com
Wed May 26 21:02:27 EST 1999


In <7id15h$o36 at dfw-ixnews3.ix.netcom.com> flefever at ix.netcom.com(F.
Frank LeFever) writes: 
>
>Yes, I will consider looking at that article.
>
>Meanwhile, I will take some of what you assert about mechanisms of
>weight gain in SAD and other contexts with a grain of salt.  Ditto
your
>theory of depression. Conceivably increased serotonin evokes a
>compensatory increase in dopamine which indeed overshoots and
>overcompensates; or do you have another explanation for the
>antidepressant efficacy of serotonin "uptake" blockers?  (As I
>understand it, they block "RE-uptake", allowing greater or longer
>action of serotonin).
>
>In any case, I was NOT asking for explanations of weight gain in
>winter; I was asking for data on AMOUNT of weight gain in normal
>populations.  
>
>Beyond that, I would like data on TYPE of weight gain: is it indeed
>only fluid accumulation, as you imply?  Are there data on relative
>contributions of fluid accumulation and fat formation, etc.?
>
>By the way: why is this appearing only in bionet.immunology?  I
thought
>I had cross-posted the query to several groups more likely to have the
>right readers than this one?
>
>F. LeFever
>
>
>
>
>In <3748D6CA.6D3BADCF at san.rr.com> "Pietr Hitzig, M.D."
><phitzig1 at san.rr.com> writes: 
>>
>>"F. Frank LeFever" wrote:
>>
>>> If you know better newsgroups to send this query to, please tell
me.
>>> Although the quality of postings in a couple of these I'm posting
to
>>> now has deteriorated badly in recent weeks (months?), truly
>>> knowledgeable people have in the past offered good information and
>>> expert opinion, and they may still be lurking in the wings.
>>>
>>> Like many other animals, humans are said to gain weight in the
>winter,
>>> lose it in the summer.
>>>
>>> Does anybody out there know of systematic, quantitative studies of
>>> seasonal weight changes in humans?
>>>
>>> If broken down by age, sex, etc., it would be nice; but even some
>grand
>>> "average" of winter vs. summer weights would be helpful.
>>>
>>> Too much to ask for, but I'll ask anyway: besides AMOUNT of winter
>>> weight gain, any good data on nature of weight gain, i.e. winter
vs.
>>> summer body composition, fat or muscle vs. water retention, etc.??
>>>
>>> F. Frank LeFever, Ph.D.
>>> New York Neuropsychology Group
>>
>>Dear Frank,
>>
>>The NGroups aren't what they used to be when we were young:-)
>>
>>I may be stating the obvious, so I will be brief. SADS (winter
>depression),
>>weight gain at time of PMS, evening fatigue, and the increase of pain
>when
>>the clouds block the sun arise from a simple teleologically logical
>origin.
>>The decrease of photons hitting the retina at such times permit the
>>increase of melatonin. Melatonin being a dopamine antagonist, when
>thereby
>>increased, suppresses dopamine. The decrease of dopamine causes
>dysphoric
>>symptoms including increased hunger, depression, and even suppression
>of
>>TH1 cytokines.
>>
>>With the decrease of dopamine, serotonin comes to the foreground.
>Serotonin
>>relative excess leads to increased edema.
>>
>>The phenotypic expression of these variables depends on the genotype
>and
>>the environment.
>>
>>References or discussion anytime. Just remember, it is DA deficiency,
>>relative to serotonin, that is the underpinnings of depression and
>fatigue
>>and somatic as well as neuropathic pain.
>>
>>Please consider looking at www.phen4.com, especially the article to
>>Harvard.
>>
>>Pietr Hitzig, MD
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>><html>
>><font color="#0000FF">Pietr Hitzig, M.D.</font> <br>
>><font color="#FF0000"><b>4863 Bella Pacific Row, Suite 147<br>
>></font></b>San Diego, California, 92109-8511<br>
>><a href="http://www.phen4.com/"
eudora="autourl">www.phen4.com</a><br>
>>PietrHitzig at PHEN4.COM<br>
>>&nbsp;619.274.5910<br>
>><br>
>></html>
>>
>>
>




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