What causes the pancrease to release insulin ?

[ChristianBBer]

If one ingestes sugar, we all know inulin is released to take the sugar and utilize it where the body see's fit.

So the sugar ingested causes an insulin response.

However, what happens when you chew on sugar free gum ? Or diet soda?

Does insulin get released the moment you start chewing on something sweet? Does your body control the gates of insulin dependent on what's actually digested or what your mouth is tasting ?

Basically, in a simple question, does sugar free substances initiate an insulin response? or does it have to be tangible sugar ?

[bwelch1985]

I don't think so. I'd guess that amylase gets released upon chewing sweet calorie free stuff but not insulin. Insulin is a response to glucose in your blood. If there's no glucose in a food then why would there be an insulin release?

[chelly88]

From my understanding you can get an insulin response just at the thought of food... maybe I have that mixed up.

Jillian Michaels claims (based on research- have never investigated for myself) that the body anticipates sugar in association with a sweet taste from artificially sweetened food/beverages, releasing insulin which tends to cause increased cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods. I know for me personally it feels like it's doing just that. I get a similar feeling of drop in blood sugar from sweeteners on an empty stomach as I do from caffeine on an empty stomach (I have also been tested in the past to have a delayed response on fasting glucose tests...) and notice a marked increase in sweet cravings. But I also know many people who are not affected in the same way. Mind you I'm very skeptical on some of the things she writes about...

[simpleguy4]

I don't think so. I'd guess that amylase gets released upon chewing sweet calorie free stuff but not insulin. Insulin is a response to glucose in your blood. If there's no glucose in a food then why would there be an insulin release?

^^^^^This. The pancreas releases insulin to deal with elevated blood sugar.....the couple of grams of carbs in SF gum,Crystal Light, etc. is not enough and the sweetness of the taste palys no role.

[Barn01]

But remember that once you spike insulin you will most likely get increased cravings for carbs. It's your body's way of tell you that it is primed and ready to deal with the extra glucose. So a good way to curb carb cravings is to avoid raising insulin levels. Too bad that goes against MPS

[str8flexed]

If one ingestes sugar, we all know inulin is released to take the sugar and utilize it where the body see's fit.

So the sugar ingested causes an insulin response.

However, what happens when you chew on sugar free gum ? Or diet soda?

Does insulin get released the moment you start chewing on something sweet? Does your body control the gates of insulin dependent on what's actually digested or what your mouth is tasting ?

Basically, in a simple question, does sugar free substances initiate an insulin response? or does it have to be tangible sugar ?

it's a debated topic and scientists still aren't sure but it doesn't seem that diet sodas cause insulin release from the research i've seen.

[rushki]

it's a debated topic and scientists still aren't sure but it doesn't seem that diet sodas cause insulin release from the research i've seen.

that^

But from my experiences, certain diet sodas MAY make you crave sweets. You get the taste replacement but the body still wants the real thing..

I had a little breakdown and went through 10 diet code red mtn dews non stop... i don't have cravings if i don't have anything like it..

so advice is, don't look at sweets, don't have sweets in the house, and limit diet soda to maybe 1-2 cans a day, i do 1 can a day at dinner post work out as a treat/desert thing. ENJOY it.

Specifically limit it because you should be drinking lotsa water ^_^

[simpleguy4]

From my understanding you can get an insulin response just at the thought of food... maybe I have that mixed up.

Jillian Michaels claims (based on research- have never investigated for myself) that the body anticipates sugar in association with a sweet taste from artificially sweetened food/beverages, releasing insulin which tends to cause increased cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods. I know for me personally it feels like it's doing just that. I get a similar feeling of drop in blood sugar from sweeteners on an empty stomach as I do from caffeine on an empty stomach (I have also been tested in the past to have a delayed response on fasting glucose tests...) and notice a marked increase in sweet cravings. But I also know many people who are not affected in the same way. Mind you I'm very skeptical on some of the things she writes about...

After seeing the stupid s**t Jillian Michaels has had clients do on her TV shows and the suggestions she has made, I would be very leery of any info coming out of her mouth. She gives all personal trainers and fitness professionals a bad name....too bad she is what 99% of the general public see via her ill conceived TV shows.

[str8flexed]

After seeing the stupid s**t Jillian Michaels has had clients do on her TV shows and the suggestions she has made, I would be very leery of any info coming out of her mouth. She gives all personal trainers and fitness professionals a bad name....too bad she is what 99% of the general public see via her ill conceived TV shows.

she's an idiot and will say anything to hawk her crap and sell her programs. she's absolute garbage

[sunlillyfairy]

However, what happens when you chew on sugar free gum ? Or diet soda?

Does insulin get released the moment you start chewing on something sweet? Does your body control the gates of insulin dependent on what's actually digested or what your mouth is tasting ?

Basically, in a simple question, does sugar free substances initiate an insulin response? or does it have to be tangible sugar ?

There was a lot of misinformation listed here.

#1) Yes, the second you start chewing the hypothalamus in your brain is stimulated to start releasing insulin. A Dr. and my dietitian taught me this, and it's been proven true for me. I am a type II diabetic and if my blood sugar level is high I can chew on gum or celery and my numbers go down. Jicama is my favorite, nuts are good for this too. If you chew low sugar foods on an empty stomach you will release insulin... this can cause a low blood sugar response which can make you feel hungry and crave carbs. ESPECIALLY if you are not diabetic or your blood sugars are not elevated.

#2) Chemical sweeteners are not "one in the same." Aspartame, which is found in most popular diet sodas and the blue packets like "equal".., it contains an amino acid called phenylalanine, which causes insulin to be released, triggering hunger. The "pink" and "yellow" packets don't use the same chemical and don't cause the same response. Unfortunately, most diet drinks, like Pepsi and Coca-cola, use aspartame. I think they both have a non-aspartame option if you look for it. (Pepsi One and Coca-Cola Splenda).

[Roniboney]

Protein can increase it also

protein does have an insulin response, it just doesn't (directly) increase blood sugar. It increases blood insulin.

The reason your blood sugar goes up after eating protein is because of the release of glucagon, I believe, which is released at the same time as insulin. It has the opposite effect of insulin; to encourage cells to release glucose.

But there is a biochemist monitoring this thread so I'm ready to humble myself to anyone who thinks I'm wrong

[chuckles_345]

it's a debated topic and scientists still aren't sure but it doesn't seem that diet sodas cause insulin release from the research i've seen.

Agreed. I had someone last week try to tell me that sucralose increased insulin secretion which I found hard to believe since in order for a substance to cause an insulin release it needs to 1) have a transporter that would allow it to be absorbed and enter the blood stream and 2) either enter the beta cell and be metabolized to increase the ATP/AMP ratio (carbs, and amino acids like leucine and glutamine do this) or have a receptor on the membrane of the beta cell which it can bind to and exert a change inside the beta cell resulting in insulin secretion (fatty acids do this). Long story short I did some reserach and found this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22153513 which is pretty good evidance that sucralose does not stimulate insulin (however, I know this is still debated).

[str8flexed]

yea the other thing is if that insulin was released in response to sucralose, then you'd go hypoglycemic everytime you drank a diet soda... which doesn't happen

[str8flexed]

There was a lot of misinformation listed here.

#1) Yes, the second you start chewing the hypothalamus in your brain is stimulated to start releasing insulin. A Dr. and my dietitian taught me this, and it's been proven true for me. I am a type II diabetic and if my blood sugar level is high I can chew on gum or celery and my numbers go down. Jicama is my favorite, nuts are good for this too. If you chew low sugar foods on an empty stomach you will release insulin... this can cause a low blood sugar response which can make you feel hungry and crave carbs. ESPECIALLY if you are not diabetic or your blood sugars are not elevated.

#2) Chemical sweeteners are not "one in the same." Aspartame, which is found in most popular diet sodas and the blue packets like "equal".., it contains an amino acid called phenylalanine, which causes insulin to be released, triggering hunger. The "pink" and "yellow" packets don't use the same chemical and don't cause the same response. Unfortunately, most diet drinks, like Pepsi and Coca-cola, use aspartame. I think they both have a non-aspartame option if you look for it. (Pepsi One and Coca-Cola Splenda).

i've never seen data that aspartame increases insulin and we looked at it before and did not see an increase. Does phenylalanine? yes. But the amount of phenylalanine in a diet soda is under 50mg... it's a tiny amount

[jaxfitguy]

she's an idiot and will say anything to hawk her crap and sell her programs. she's absolute garbage

thank GOD I'm not the only one that thinks that! I have spoken with other trainers that idolize her and refer their clients to her gadgets! pathetic!

[wrkoutfrq]

it wouldn't surprise me if diet soda does have some small effect on insulin secretion, since prior to elevation of blood glucose levels ingestion stimulates the secretion of intestinal peptide based hormones (called incretins) that activate the beta cells producing insulin from the pancreas. apparently just the act of oral ingestion can stimulate their production, although without the blood glucose needed to actually completely trigger secretion from the beta cells i don't know what full effect they have.

to answer the original OP's question about what causes insulin release, an influx of glucose (facilitated by the incretins) causes a rise in ATP within the beta cells of the pancreatic islets. this increase in ATP causes ATP dependent membrane channels to open, releasing insulin into the blood stream.

[pistolpete102]

I thought chemoreceptors sensed the increase in blood glucose and that triggered an insulin response, im sure there are other pathways as well tho

[bigfish18q]

yea the other thing is if that insulin was released in response to sucralose, then you'd go hypoglycemic everytime you drank a diet soda... which doesn't happen

This is a good point, being that there is no real sugar in diet soda your blood insulin level wouldn't increase.. increasing insulin for no reason. Which could end up being dangerous, however this does not happen.

[rsmrdn]

This is a good point, being that there is no real sugar in diet soda your blood insulin level wouldn't increase.. increasing insulin for no reason. Which could end up being dangerous, however this does not happen.

There is limited research on this topic. 1. Only ONE poorly designed Australian study looked at gut bacteria changes in response to artificial sweeteners and weight gain. This has been disproven. 2. As a Registered Dietitian, and a CSCS who has worked with weight issues and eating disorders for over 25 years....never have I read a study to indicate a sweet TASTE can prompt insulin release. There must be actual FOOD...carbohydrate primarily, and to a lesser degree protein.

I don't know what doctor or dietitian stated that this could happen, but I'd love to see the actual research.

AND Jillian is a nut-case! She gives the professions of personal training and nutrition counseling a bad name. I encourage all to discount what she says....period. Thanks to all who stated similarly