Transcript Fad Diet Study

WHAT IS THE BLOOD TYPE DIET?
•
Created by Dr.
Peter Adamo, the
Blood Type Diet
requires
participants to eat
certain foods that
correspond to
their blood type’s
needs.
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•
In immunology, antigens are
defined as “substances that
cause one’s body to undergo
an immune response” (U.S
National Library of Medicine,
2014)
They can be delivered into
one’s body via bacteria,
viruses, pollen and other
external sources, and in some
cases can be developed
entirely within our own bodies.
http://research.uconn.edu/wpcontent/uploads/sites/351/2014/11/FEI_IM_20130728_Serda_95_immunecell_
orig.jpg
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Red blood cells have a genetically-determined set of antigens
on their exterior, which are responsible for the four blood
types: A, B, AB and O
The immune system develops antibodies against whichever redblood antigens are not present in one’s blood stream.
For example, a type A individual would develop B-antibodies,
which will destroy any B or AB-type blood that enters the body.
Image from; http://hcbb.com/blood-type-101/ (2015)
• This chart from healthyandnaturalworld.com shows
how each type of red blood cell has its own antigens,
and produces antibodies against other blood types.
http://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/eat-right-blood-type/
•
According to the
developers of the
Blood Type Diet,
certain foods contain
special receptors
called lectins that will
disturb red blood cells
which have antibodies
matching their status.
A relatively low-lectin dish, which would be recommended
under the Blood Type Diet’s guidelines
(http://www.abcnaturopath.com.au/blog.php?poid=74)
IS IT EFFECTIVE?
The problem with the
•
BTD’s (Blood Type Diet’s)
primary concept is that…
• The antigens in red
blood cells, despite
having the ability to
•
destroy foreign cells,
have no scientifically
proven effect on body
weight
Although there is blood
present in some meats, the
cells found within are dead by
the time of consumption, and
would have no effect on blood
Even if there were antigens
present in our food, the red
blood cells do not come into
direct contact with our blood
stream, and would not
negatively affect body weight
or the immune system.
As is seen in this Diagram of the human digestive system,
food and the resulting waste is never directly injected into
a blood vessel or a circulatory organ. Instead, the nutrients
from food are absorbed into the blood stream inside the
intestine through small folds known as villi which contain
small blood vessels called capillaries.
Making unnecessary changes to
one’s diet will only result in
weight gain and increased
dissatisfaction. It is
understandable that both youth
and adults may try to use this as
an everyday weight loss strategy,
but those following the BTD will
normally finish physically and
emotionally worse off than when
they started.
Don’t believe me? Many
organisations have
also succesfully
disproved the Blood
Type Diet’s claims,
including one study
performed by the
University of Toronto
So, the Blood Type Diet, created by Dr. Peter
Adamo, receives a D, for debunked…