Dr. Massimo Vetralla
- Biologist and Nutritionist
- Specialized in Pharmacology and Sports Nutrition
- Specialized in Clinical Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, Nutrition for Type I and II Obesity
- Research in Food Safety and Metabolomics
Our body is a complex harmony, and like every harmony it needs rhythms and cycles, set by a biological clock known as the circadian rhythm. The science that studies it is called chronobiology.
In chronobiology, the circadian rhythm is a cycle with a period of about 24 hours during which physiological processes repeat regularly.
The hormonal variations that occur over the 24-hour cycle are called circadian.
Circadian rhythms regulate most of the body's functions, such as body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone production.
First among them, cortisol, commonly known as the "stress hormone", follows a finely tuned dynamic across the 24-hour day.
The thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and, in women, the luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin (PRL) peak at night.
The growth hormone (GH), which regulates the growth phase of the individual but is also produced throughout life and is responsible for tissue regeneration and for maintaining an efficient lipid metabolism, also peaks at night, while testosterone shows less marked variations across the 24 hours.
Circadian rhythms are mainly regulated in the central nervous system, more precisely in the hypothalamus, but they can be strongly influenced by external stimuli, first of all sunlight, which hits the retina and, through the optic nerve, communicates with the pineal gland, regulating in this way the production of melatonin, the key hormone in the sleep-wake process.
Disrupting circadian rhythms can have a significant impact on health, on hormone production, and on energy metabolism.
The first parameter to consider in order to maximize the function of energy metabolism through the regulation of the circadian cycle is sleep, which must last enough hours to fully restore neuromotor function, but also at the time slot most consistent with the daily light-dark phases and following the natural cycle of the Earth's revolution, which would mean more hours of sleep in winter.
Disrupted circadian rhythms can lead to imbalances in daily cortisol levels.
Through clinical tests such as salivary cortisol analysis, it is possible to detect imbalances in the secretion of this hormone, which, for proper energy levels and mental clarity, should peak in the early phases of the day, then decrease in the evening hours and support sleep. An imbalance in this hormonal dynamic can produce, for example, chronic fatigue and the breakdown of lean mass.
Another example is the rise in insulin levels in people who do not sleep enough hours to restore neuromotor function, leading to chronic fatigue, increased hunger linked to changes in ghrelin and leptin levels, and rising insulin resistance even in the short term.
Lack of sleep is linked, in many scientific studies, to the onset of diabetes and obesity.
A key parameter for stabilizing circadian rhythms is eating meals at regular times, which has a direct effect on hormone production.
From this idea it follows that, in a weight loss program, it is essential to schedule meals in a planned and regular way.
The amount and quality of food eaten during meals can, however, significantly change the production of hormones involved in energy metabolism. For this reason it is important to keep in mind that regulating circadian cycles is an important piece of health and fitness, but always within a nutrition plan personalized for the individual.
The choice of eating a specific food or macronutrient at a specific time of day must take into account metabolic, practical, and emotional aspects.
For the first point, improving insulin sensitivity and regulating cortisol levels is the basis for optimizing the person's energy metabolism, while the practicality and sustainability of the nutrition plan in the long term is essential from a work and social standpoint. The emotional aspect, more complex and personal, is the necessary condition for a long-term personalized plan to succeed in improving the health and life of every individual.
For people followed by our staff within the EasyNature program, this concept is not only taught well, it is taken to the highest level of personalization, finding for each person the slimming or fattening effect of every food depending on the time it is eaten: this varies from person to person and cannot be learned from a calorie-based or supplement-based diet.
It is a huge value because, once the desired results are reached, the weight can be kept stable forever, also based on this detailed knowledge.
Our Professionals are present throughout Italy to give you a complete free consultation and then connect you with me and the other colleagues on the EasyNature staff.
We're waiting for you.
