Muscle Talk

Less Sodium, More Potassium, Less Belly

You’ve heard the term “retaining water.” Usually it has to do with how much sodium and/or carbs you’ve had and how much water you’re holding, and it can affect how bloated you look and feel. But recently, researchers have found that it’s not just water you hold with salt in the diet—it’s body fat too. Scientists in Texas noticed a positive correlation in animal studies between more salt in the diet and more fat deposits. This has also been confirmed by epidemiologists looking at human studies. After taking samples from 3,000 people in Dallas, scientists found that people with a higher sodium-to-potassium ratio in their urine also had more body fat. It’s not known exactly why, but it could potentially occur because foods high in salt are often also high in sugar, or because foods high in salt are usually highly processed and unhealthier than natural foods. To get more potassium in your diet, increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Citrus Extract Could Be the Magic Pill

Orange you glad you started eating more citrus? Scientists in Dallas put 100 people on a calorie-reduced diet with a recommendation to exercise. They also gave half the group Sinetrol, which doesn’t contain any stimulants such as synephrine or octopamine. It’s a new supplement that is made from the peel of citrus fruits and is rich in phenols (compounds with numerous health benefits, including reducing risk of cardiovascular disease). After 12 weeks, the group that was given Sinetrol lost about 3.7 kilograms of fat (compared to 1.4 kilograms from the placebo group) and gained 1.1 kilograms of fat-free mass (read: muscle!), compared to the placebo group, which didn’t really change. Gaining fat and losing muscle? Step aside, little blue pill; make way for orange!