Body fat.
Fat has long been painted as the bad guy behind obesity, diabetes and heart disease. However new studies are refuting that notion as not all fats are harmful. In fact losing the wrong type of fat can throw off your metabolism and increase the risk of diabetes. This study opens the door to understanding why healthy fat tissue is an important organ to regulate blood sugar, hormones and energy levels.
Researchers from the University of Michigan led the study of a rare genetic disorder called familial partial lipodystrophy type 2 (FPLD2) which results in the loss of healthy fat from some parts of the body but leads to severe metabolic issues such as diabetes. To gain insight into what goes wrong in humans with FPLD2 researchers developed a mouse model that specifically lacked the gene that is mutated in people with lamin A/C gene. The team also examined fat tissue donated by patients with the disease and compared cellular and molecular changes to understand the reason behind the progressive loss of fat tissue and the breakdown of metabolism.
The results showed that diseased fat cells become unable to store and breakdown lipids in a normal manner. In parallel the cells are very inflamed and their mitochondria which are small units that use energy stop working properly. The combination of these changes leads to an unhealthy situation which makes fat tissue to deteriorate. As healthy fat decreases the body has trouble keeping blood sugar and hormones in check which can lead to diabetes, fatty liver disease and other metabolic conditions.
"This is really underscoring the importance of healthy fats in keeping metabolism intact and functional," said Dr. Elif Oral, Professor of the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes. "People think of Type 2 diabetes as a disease of beta cells, but it's actually a disease of fat cells, too." Lead researcher Jessica Maung explained that the fat cells are damaged in what amounts to a "catastrophic" way with multiple biological mechanisms going awry at the same time ultimately leading to the loss of the tissue itself.
The researchers highlights an important point that often gets lost in conversations around weight loss which is that it's important not to lose fat as much as possible but to maintain healthy functioning fat tissue while eliminating excess unhealthy fat. Adipose tissue is much more than a storehouse of energy. It functions as an endocrine gland that secretes hormones that can affect body appetite, insulin sensitivity, inflammation and metabolism overall.
Dr. Ormond MacDougald, Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology commented on the importance of the findings adding that the study highlights the potential of teamwork between laboratory scientists, clinicians and patients to discover new avenues for treatment.
The researchers hope the findings could lead to therapy to prevent the damage of healthy fat cells. These could prove useful in preventing metabolic complications in individuals with lipodystrophy and would also have the potential to provide new understanding into the treatment of more prevalent diabetes. So the message is clear and strong i.e healthy fat is not the culprit. Although body fat is an issue maintaining healthy fat tissues is also crucial for normal metabolism.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider for diagnosis, treatment or health concerns.
