Fans of Amazon Prime Video's "The Boys" were surprised by Laz Alonso's changed appearance in Season 4, sparking speculation about whether the actor had been recast. However, Laz Alonso still plays Mother's Milk in Season 4, as he has done in every past outing. This article delves into Laz Alonso's weight loss journey and explores the science behind how dietary changes can impact body composition and overall health.
The Transformation of Mother's Milk
In Season 4 of "The Boys," Mother's Milk, played by Laz Alonso, sported a noticeably different look, much thinner than in previous seasons. This sudden appearance shift sparked speculation that the actor had been recast, but this was not the case. Laz Alonso, the 50-year-old American actor, still embodies Mother's Milk in Season 4.
Alonso underwent a significant weight loss transformation between wrapping up Season 3 production in September 2021 and commencing filming for Season 4 in August 2022. He also abandoned his usual full beard in favor of a sleek mustache. In response to a fan on Instagram congratulating him on the weight loss, Alonso jokingly replied that he got "carried away" because he had eaten "too much pizza."
Alonso's Weight Loss Methods
Alonso shared information on a DNA test from a company called BioSynergy, explaining how the test helped him identify the specific vitamins and supplements his body needed to stay healthy. He emphasized that putting unnecessary substances into the body can cause stress, as the body has to filter out what it doesn't need.
The DNA test revolutionized Alonso's approach to supplementation and health, as he now focuses on providing his body with what it is deficient in. This targeted approach to nutrition aligns with the growing understanding of how personalized dietary interventions can optimize health outcomes.
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The Science Behind Weight Loss and Body Composition
The actor's transformation highlights the impact of diet and fitness on body composition. During this time, Mother's Milk has presumably put much effort into his diet and fitness, much like Alonso himself. The article will explore the science behind weight loss, focusing on the role of macronutrients, satiety, and thermogenesis.
Macronutrients and Energy Balance
The search for a diet that is more effective for weight control than simple calorie counting rests on the assumption that some nutrients and foods are more likely to produce a negative energy balance than others. Many scientists believe that a changed diet composition per se is an ineffective tool, that the individual must simply exert willpower to prevent overeating, and that we should be looking for alternative mechanisms for the physiological background of obesity, such as sedentary lifestyle, stress, shortened sleep, undesirable gut microbiota, genetics and so on. Some scientists do claim that all calories are equal, contradictory to the concept that some foods are more obesity promoting than others and that dietary recommendations and advice also aim to contribute to the prevention of weight gain and obesity.
Evidence from observational studies shows that some dietary factors, such as sugar-rich soft drinks, refined high glycemic index (HGI) carbohydrates, and energy-dense fat-rich fast foods, are associated with increased risk of weight gain and the development of overweight and obesity, whereas diet-sodas, whole grain and low glycemic index (LGI) carbohydrates may decrease risk. These observed associations have generally been confirmed by randomized controlled trials (RCT). The mechanisms responsible for an effect on energy balance are primarily promotion of an increased food intake, second, differences in effects on thermogenesis and resting energy expenditure and finally influence on energy absorption.
There are various ways in which foods can increase caloric intake, including large portion sizes or hedonic qualities such as palatability, and their effects on hunger and satiety are very strong determinants and as such may be important targets for weight management. Sugar-rich beverages, HGI foods, and energy-dense foods consisting of mixtures of fats and refined carbohydrates drive energy intake up through their low effect on satiety for the given caloric content. The question is, to what extent can changes in these factors protect against overeating and weight gain in susceptible individuals if they eat a diet of optimal composition?
The Role of Protein in Weight Management
One of the cornerstones of Laz Alonso's transformation may have been his dietary protein intake. The level of protein in the diet normally recommended is determined by the minimum daily intake required to maintain nitrogen balance; that is, enough protein of a sufficiently high quality to prevent the catabolism of own protein stores. This is a major issue, particularly given the increased prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly population. However, prevention of autodigestion might not be the same as optimal health, and the concept that higher levels of dietary protein could help prevent and treat disorders, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, is gaining increasing support. Although focus will be on higher protein diets providing 20-30% of the diet’s energy, diets with higher protein contents, including so-called low-carb diets (30-50% of energy), will be included, particularly in the reviewed meta-analyses.
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The mechanisms by which higher protein intake may promote a negative fat balance and reduction of body fat stores are well established in short-term studies. The literature quite consistently reports that the thermic effect of protein is greater than that of carbohydrate or fat. Furthermore, there may be indications that animal protein has a greater effect than that of vegetable protein owing to differences in amino-acid composition, but this is still to be confirmed. Moreover, protein generally exerts a greater satiety effect than the other macronutrients, no matter whether the protein is in drinks or in solid foods. There is accumulating evidence that the satiety effect of protein is partly mediated by a synergistic effect of the satiety hormones GLP-1 and PYY released from the small intestine.
During weight loss higher protein diets preserve lean body tissue, the major determinant of resting and 24-h energy expenditure, which in turn prevents an excessive reduction in energy expenditure. This is particularly significant when higher protein diets are used in combination with physical training.
The DioGenes Study: High-Protein Diet for Weight Management
The DioGenes study is a pan-European, randomized, controlled multicenter trial that investigated dietary means of preventing weight (re)gain following weight loss in free-living conditions. In this trial a 6-month dietary intervention tested the effect of ad libitum diets, varying in dietary protein and GI, on weight maintenance and obesity-related risk factors, after an initial 8-week low-calorie diet (LCD) using meal replacements to induce a major weight loss before the ad libitum diets were introduced.
Families with at least one overweight or obese (body mass index: 27-45 kg m−2) parent, aged 18-65 years and at least one child aged between 5 and 18 years, were enroled from eight European cities in 2005-2007. Details of recruitment, inclusion and exclusion criteria, design and study procedures have previously been described in detail. In brief, eligible obese adults entered an 8-week 800 kcal per day LCD period, with an aim to obtaining a minimum weight loss of 8%. Families with at least one overweight/obese parent who achieved the ⩾8% weight loss were subsequently randomized to one of five energy ad libitum diets. In Maastricht and Copenhagen, the families were provided with all foods free of charge from a university supermarket for 6 months, whereas the other six centres provided the families with careful instruction.
Trained dieticians gave detailed instructions on the ad libitum diets, which differed in protein content and GI: normal-protein (NP)/LGI; NP/HGI; high-protein (HP)/LGI; HP/HGI; and control diet with medium protein content and no specific instructions on GI. All diets were moderate in fat (25-30% of energy). The target was for 10-15% of energy intake to be comprised of protein in the normal-protein (NP) and 23-28% in the HP groups (thus a difference between the HP and NP groups of 12% of energy). Participants in the LGI groups were advised to consume LGI foods and those in the HGI groups HGI foods within a food group. The aim was to achieve a 15-point GI difference between the HGI and LGI groups. During the 6-month intervention, participants were requested to attend six counselling sessions, during which intensive guidance was provided. Participants were advised to maintain their achieved weight loss during the intervention period, but further weight loss was also allowed.
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The HP diet groups consumed 5.4% points more energy from protein than the NP groups, and the HGI diet groups achieved 5.1 higher GI than the LGI groups. The mean 8-week weight loss with the LCD was 11.0 kg. Only the NP-HGI diet caused significant subsequent weight regain (1.67 kg). Weight regain was 0.93 kg less in the HP groups than in the NP group (P=0.003), and 0.95 kg less in the LGI groups than in the HGI groups (P=0.003). The HP diets were more likely to produce an additional 5% weight loss after randomisation than were the NP diets (OR, 1.92; P=0.03), and the LGI diets were more likely to result in an additional 5% weight loss than were the HGI diets (OR, 2.54; P=0.003). In conclusion, a slight increase in dietary protein and corresponding reduction in carbohydrate, together with lowering the GI of the diet by 8 units, exerted an additive effect on body weight regulation, so the combination was effective in preventing any weight regain for 6 months following a 10 kg weight loss, and also in reducing drop-out rate.
In the two supermarket centres the intervention consisted of 2 month LCD, 6 months with free foods from the supermarket, and an additional 6 months with dietetic instruction. The third part of the study enabled us to assess the longer-term effects of the diets, although in a smaller cohort. The 256 adults who completed the 2 month LCD lost 11.2 kg and the mean weight regain over the 12-month intervention period for entire group was 3.9 kg (95% CI 3.0 to 4.8). Subjects on the HP diets regained 2.0 kg less than the NP group in completer analysis (P=0.017), and 2.8 kg (P<0.001) in the ITT analysis. No consistent effect of GI on weight regain was found. For the entire 14-month intervention those on the higher protein diets lost a total of 7.3 kg compared with 4.5 kg in the NP groups.
The higher protein groups also regained 1.6 kg less-fat mass (P=0.043) and 0.9 cm less in sagittal diameter compared with the NP groups (P=0.012). These effects were achieved by reported differences in protein intake between the NP and HP groups of only 7% of energy.
The 827 children aged 5-18 years only participated in the randomized part of the trial, and 465 children (58%) completed all assessments, including measurements of body composition. Among these children only small changes in diet composition were achieved; that is, the difference in GI was 2.3 GI units, and in protein 4.9E% points. The NP/HGI diet increased body fat mass more than the other diets, and the HP/LGI diet produced a spontaneous decline in the prevalence of overweight and obesity of 14.3% (P=0.03). In a smaller cohort of the children (n=253), a complete set of anthropometry and dietary data and blood variables, and here we found that after 6 months the HP diets had significantly reduced waist circumference by 2.7 cm and LDL-cholesterol by 0.25 mmol l−1 compared with the…
Mother's Milk in Season 4
The famously wise figure of Mother's Milk is now leading The Boys in their crusade against Vought, Homelander, and the Supes of the world. This new role will undoubtedly make Season 4 the most important run yet for Laz Alonso's Supe-hunter with more screen time and involvement in the story.
Perhaps this larger role going into The Boys Season 4 may have motivated Laz Alonso in his fitness journey to get in his best shape yet. Hopefully, the actor - who has proven to be a fan favorite - will get the chance to show off his hard work in Season 4 with plenty of action and fight scenes.
Many have theorized Billy Butcher could become the ultimate threat to The Boys to close out the series after Homelander's defeat. If the superhero series were to push in that direction, Mother's Milk could become an even more important figure as he leads the way in bringing down an old ally-turned-foe.