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On this episode of Longevity by Design, Dr. Gil Blander welcomes Dr. Yanina Pepino, Professor of Ingestive Behavior at the University of Illinois, to discuss the fascinating link between taste, personal preferences, and long-term health. Yanina's research shows our food environment significantly shapes cravings. This exposure starts as early as the womb, impacting future preferences.
Yanina explains that bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications are powerful tools for weight management. However, she emphasizes the importance of using these interventions as opportunities to adopt healthier eating habits. She highlights the potential of GLP-1 agonists as a treatment for alcohol use disorder, noting their ability to reduce alcohol cravings.
The conversation also explores the impact of non-nutritive sweeteners. While generally considered safe, Yanina's research suggests that these sweeteners may have metabolic effects. She encourages listeners to be mindful of their intake and to prioritize natural sugars in moderation.
Episode highlights:
- Introduction: 00:00:00
- Why have you decided to be a scientist: 00:03:40
- How did you get interested in the taste & smell preference in humans: 00:04:40
- The Impact of Maternal Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy on Newborn Alcohol Preferences: 00:06:00
- What you consume during pregnancy can influence your newborn’s preferences: 00:08:00
- What Are the Individual Differences in Human Taste: 00:08:20
- Do you know if taste perception is influenced by an individual’s specific macro- and micronutrient needs: 00:14:00
- What are the effects of bariatric surgery-induced weight loss on flavor perception, eating behavior, and alcohol drinking: 00:16:00
- The Impact of GLP-1 Drug Use on flavor perception: 00:26:45
- The Impact of lifestyle related weight losss on flavor perception: 00:30:10
- The Negative Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Bariatric Surgery Patients: 00:34:30
- The potential positive Impact of GLP-1 injection on Alcohol Consumption: 00:39:30
- What Is the Effect of Non-Caloric Sweeteners on Post-Meal Glucose Spikes and health: 00:41:30
- Bitter taste and why some of us don't like it: 00:52:00
- Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic on Taste and Smell Perception: 00:54:30
- Yanina's top tip for healthspan: 00:42:10
Early Taste Exposure Shapes Lifelong Preferences
What we eat during pregnancy and infancy might pre-program a child's future food preferences. Yanina's research reveals that exposure to flavors, even in the womb, can influence what we enjoy eating later in life. This highlights the importance of establishing healthy eating patterns from the very beginning, as those early experiences can have lasting effects. Parents and caregivers have a powerful role in shaping those early preferences for a healthier future generation.
Bariatric Surgery and GLP-1 Offer a Chance to "Reset"
Both bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications are not just quick fixes, but opportunities to rewire your relationship with food. While these interventions can significantly impact hunger hormones and promote weight loss, their long-term success relies on behavioral change. Yanina stresses the importance of using this period of altered appetite to explore new, healthier food choices and establish lasting dietary habits.
Don't Be Fooled by "Zero-Calorie" Sweeteners
While considered safe, non-nutritive sweeteners might have unintended consequences for our metabolism. Yanina's work suggests that these sweeteners, despite lacking calories, can still impact insulin response and potentially contribute to insulin resistance. This emphasizes that these artificial sweeteners are not a free pass for a sweet tooth. Moderation and prioritizing natural sugars in limited amounts remain crucial for metabolic health.
Why Diets Fail: It's Not Just Willpower
Losing weight through lifestyle changes alone can feel like an uphill battle. Yanina explains that it's not simply a lack of willpower but a complex interplay of biological factors. Once we gain weight, particularly fat, our metabolism changes, making it harder to control hunger. Bariatric surgery and GLP-1 agonists offer an advantage by directly addressing those hunger signals, providing a window to establish healthier habits.
"It is very difficult. It doesn't mean it cannot be doable. A lot of people can do it, they lose weight, and they're able to keep it off, but the problem is that once a person gains body weight — in particular, once you gain fat — there are a lot of things in the metabolism that make it very difficult to tame your hunger."
The Unexpected Link: Bariatric Surgery and Alcohol Dependence
Gastric bypass surgery, while intended to address obesity, can unintentionally alter alcohol metabolism in a way that increases the risk of alcohol use disorder. The surgery changes how the body processes alcohol, leading to more rapid absorption and a heightened, faster-acting effect. This highlights the importance of careful monitoring and intervention for those who have undergone bariatric surgery and may be at risk.
"They will reach blood alcohol levels that are double what they would have before surgery or compared to people without surgery. And not only they are double, the brain sees this immediately, like five to nine minutes after you finish drinking, your brain is at that level."
Could GLP-1 Be a Game-Changer for Alcoholism?
Emerging research suggests GLP-1 agonists, already making waves in diabetes and weight loss, could offer a new avenue for treating alcohol addiction. Unlike gastric bypass, which may increase the risk of alcohol problems, GLP-1 seems to have the opposite effect. Studies indicate that these medications can potentially reduce alcohol cravings and consumption, opening up exciting possibilities for those struggling with alcohol use disorder.
"And interestingly, now that you mentioned, GLP-1 agonists are being studied. There are many studies going on that they could be helpful to tame alcohol intake. And so there is robust data in animal models that animals reduce how much alcohol they drink."
The Bitter Truth: Genetics vs. Experience
Our perception of bitter tastes is largely determined by genetics. Humans are born with an aversion to bitterness, likely an evolutionary adaptation to avoid potential toxins. However, our experiences can override those genetic predispositions. Exposure and learned associations, like the acquired taste for beer or coffee, can make us enjoy things we might have initially found repulsive.
"We are born disliking bitter. So if you take a baby, it doesn't matter which mammal, it can be a rat, it can be an orangutan, it can be a human, and you give them something bitter, they will gape, and they will try to remove what is in their tongue."
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