The Lydian Center for Innovative Medicine :: Cambridge, Massachusetts

FIRST LINE THERAPY

What is First Line Therapy?

First Line Therapy is a therapeutic lifestyle change program. Based on your Bio-Impedance Analysis (BIA) test results, it incorporates a customized medical food (shake), nutritional supplements, exercise and a low glycemic diet tailored to your individual needs.

Who Needs First Line Therapy?

First Line Therapy can benefit almost anyone. If you are looking to achieve healthier living, disease prevention, weight loss, or help addressing diabetes/pre-diabetes, elevated cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, or chronic disease such as hormonal imbalance, autoimmune disease, and gastrointestinal disease to name a few, this approach is highly recommended.

Metabolic Syndrome: in clinical trials conducted through various universities in the United States, First Line Therapy, was shown to be especially effective in helping patients with metabolic syndrome. Clinical trials have also shown First Line Therapy to be effective in addressing Cardio Metabolic Syndrome. After following a 12 week First Line Therapy protocol patients formerly fitting the diagnostic criteria for Metabolic Syndrome were no longer classified as having Metabolic Syndrome.

Diagnostic Criteria for Metabolic Syndrome -- 3 out of the 5 below:

Waist Circumference increased by >35 inches for women, or >40 inches for men
Triglycerides elevated to >150mg/dl
HDL decreased to <50 for women, or <40 for men
Blood Pressure elevated to >130/85 mm Hg, or drug treatment for hypertension
Blood Sugar elevated to >100 mg/dl, or drug treatment for elevated glucose

Why First Line Therapy?

Approximately 30% of America’s children are overweight and one in six children are obese. Excess weight is correlated to increased mortality risk, increased fatigue, increased diabetes and hypertension risk. But even one quarter of people with normal Body Mass Indexes (BMIs of 19-24) have insulin resistance, which is a risk factor for other chronic disease including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, hormonal imbalance etc. Normal weight individuals can be metabolically obese, having elevated levels of body fat, and classified as a “skinny fat person.”

Thus, newer studies show that weight and BMI are not as accurate predictors of chronic disease risk factors as are the diagnostic criteria for Metabolic Syndrome, or direct measurements of body composition. Mere weight loss does not necessarily lead to better health. For example, quick weight loss programs that result in loss of muscle are actually detrimental to health. Loss of weight in the proper body compartments is essential to optimal metabolic function in the body.

First Line Therapy is a program that helps bring body composition back to proportions that are supportive of healthy cellular function. It increases overall health, energy and allows the body to heal from chronic disease.

How do we measure progress?

Symptoms, vital signs, laboratory values and BIA measurements are tracked. The way a BIA machine works is similar to that of an EKG. The BIA measures reactance (related to the ability of the cell to store charge, and variations can occur depending on its integrity, function and composition) and resistance (opposition offered by the body to the flow of an alternating current. Water and electrolytes have lower resistance, fat has higher resistance).

Computer regression analysis of reactance and resistance gives computed data such as proportions of intracellular water, extracellular water, body cell mass (skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, organ tissue), free fat mass, phase angle, basal metabolic rate; when parameters such as age, weight, height, amount of exercise are entered into the program. BIA devices are required by the NIH to be standardized and results are accurate and reproducible.

How is the data relevant?

Water: “The solution to pollution is dilution.” Increased fluid outside the cells may indicate a toxic body. Adrenal stress affects aldosterone, which regulates fluid distribution. Proper amounts of water need to be inside a cell for optimal function. Maintenance of intracellular water is essential for mitochondrial energy levels and regulation of electrolytes.

Muscle: Body cell mass (Active Tissue Mass) can indirectly give information on muscle mass when other parameters, such as intracellular water, are taken into account. Sarcopenia (loss of muscle) is associated with poor immunity, aging, osteoporosis, impaired healing and poor quality of life.

Fat: Pounds or percentage of body fat cannot be determined by weight or BMI. Decrease in weight with some weight loss programs does not necessarily mean loss of fat. The BIA can measure these components, tracking shift of body composition such as reduction of body fat and not loss of muscle mass.

Phase Angle: arc-tangent reactance/resistance X 180 degrees/pi. Phase angle clinically correlates with cell membrane integrity and water distribution between intra and extra cellular spaces. Higher phase angle increases good prognosis in HIV, bacteremia, liver disease, kidney disease, and cancer. A higher Phase Angle generally indicates better health, vitality and stamina.

Basal Metabolic Rate: BMR calculations based from BIA are significantly more accurate than calculations based only on height and weight. The BMR is used to calculated food requirements for the individualized First Line Therapy Food Plan.

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