Fat and Inflammation
True or false: Fat cells are special storage centers for depositing excess fat. Too much body fat puts extra stress on our heart and causes heart disease. If you answered "true," you are correct. If you answered "false," you are also correct - because researchers have discovered something about fat cells that no one has ever suspected.
FULL STORY:
For most of their research history, fats cells (adipocytes) have been treated as fundamentally inactive cells that play a very limited role in our metabolism. Because fat cells have been regarded as simple storage centers for excess fat, the problems they bring to obesity have traditionally been regarded as physical problems. Fat makes us too big. It makes us too heavy. The excess weight contributed by fat puts too much stress on our heart and our joints.
Over the past five years, this traditional view of fat cells has been proven incorrect. Fat cells are anything but simple storage centers for fat! When excess fat is stored up in a fat cell, the fat cell goes to work metabolically and begins to act like an inflammatory trigger. It begins to produce a whole set of messaging proteins that are used by many kinds of cells to signal inflammation. It's this chronic, underlying layer of inflammation that links obesity to type 2 diabetes, and to cardiovascular disease as well. In addition, the elevated levels of inflammatory chemicals causes some people to experience a sense of always having a mild case of the flu, leading to chronic discomfort.
References:
1. Barros, R.; Moreira, A.; Fonseca, J.; Moreira, P.; Fernandes, L.; de Oliveira, J. F.; Delgado, L., and Castel-Branco, M. G. Obesity and airway inflammation in asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006 Jun; 117(6):1501-2.
2. Bayes, B.; Granada, M. L.; Pastor, M. C.; Lauzurica, R.; Salinas, I.; Sanmarti, A.; Espinal, A.; Serra, A.; Navarro, M.; Bonal, J., and Romero, R. Obesity, adiponectin and inflammation as predictors of new-onset diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2007 Feb; 7(2):416-22.
3. Feve, B.; Bastard, J. P., and Vidal, H. [Relationship between obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance: new concepts]. C R Biol. 2006 Aug; 329(8):587-97; discussion 653-5.
4. Greenberg, A. S. and Obin, M. S. Obesity and the role of adipose tissue in inflammation and metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb; 83(2):461S-465S.
5. Mascitelli, L. and Pezzetta, F. Obesity, inflammation, and risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter. Am J Med. 2006 Jul; 119(7):e9; author reply e11.
6. Sbarbati, A.; Osculati, F.; Silvagni, D.; Benati, D.; Galie, M.; Camoglio, F. S.; Rigotti, G., and Maffeis, C. Obesity and inflammation: evidence for an elementary lesion. Pediatrics. 2006 Jan; 117(1):220-3.
7. Schwarzenberg, S. J. and Sinaiko, A. R. Obesity and inflammation in children. Paediatr Respir Rev. 2006 Dec; 7(4):239-46.
8. Wang, Y. H. and Cai, L. Diabetes/obesity-related inflammation, cardiac cell death and cardiomyopathy. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2006 Dec; 31(6):814-8.
9. White, P. J. and Marette, A. Is omega-3 key to unlocking inflammation in obesity? Diabetologia. 2006 Sep; 49(9):1999-2001.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: health and wellness, obesity, fat, C-Reactive protein
FULL STORY:
For most of their research history, fats cells (adipocytes) have been treated as fundamentally inactive cells that play a very limited role in our metabolism. Because fat cells have been regarded as simple storage centers for excess fat, the problems they bring to obesity have traditionally been regarded as physical problems. Fat makes us too big. It makes us too heavy. The excess weight contributed by fat puts too much stress on our heart and our joints.
Over the past five years, this traditional view of fat cells has been proven incorrect. Fat cells are anything but simple storage centers for fat! When excess fat is stored up in a fat cell, the fat cell goes to work metabolically and begins to act like an inflammatory trigger. It begins to produce a whole set of messaging proteins that are used by many kinds of cells to signal inflammation. It's this chronic, underlying layer of inflammation that links obesity to type 2 diabetes, and to cardiovascular disease as well. In addition, the elevated levels of inflammatory chemicals causes some people to experience a sense of always having a mild case of the flu, leading to chronic discomfort.
References:
1. Barros, R.; Moreira, A.; Fonseca, J.; Moreira, P.; Fernandes, L.; de Oliveira, J. F.; Delgado, L., and Castel-Branco, M. G. Obesity and airway inflammation in asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006 Jun; 117(6):1501-2.
2. Bayes, B.; Granada, M. L.; Pastor, M. C.; Lauzurica, R.; Salinas, I.; Sanmarti, A.; Espinal, A.; Serra, A.; Navarro, M.; Bonal, J., and Romero, R. Obesity, adiponectin and inflammation as predictors of new-onset diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2007 Feb; 7(2):416-22.
3. Feve, B.; Bastard, J. P., and Vidal, H. [Relationship between obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance: new concepts]. C R Biol. 2006 Aug; 329(8):587-97; discussion 653-5.
4. Greenberg, A. S. and Obin, M. S. Obesity and the role of adipose tissue in inflammation and metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb; 83(2):461S-465S.
5. Mascitelli, L. and Pezzetta, F. Obesity, inflammation, and risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter. Am J Med. 2006 Jul; 119(7):e9; author reply e11.
6. Sbarbati, A.; Osculati, F.; Silvagni, D.; Benati, D.; Galie, M.; Camoglio, F. S.; Rigotti, G., and Maffeis, C. Obesity and inflammation: evidence for an elementary lesion. Pediatrics. 2006 Jan; 117(1):220-3.
7. Schwarzenberg, S. J. and Sinaiko, A. R. Obesity and inflammation in children. Paediatr Respir Rev. 2006 Dec; 7(4):239-46.
8. Wang, Y. H. and Cai, L. Diabetes/obesity-related inflammation, cardiac cell death and cardiomyopathy. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2006 Dec; 31(6):814-8.
9. White, P. J. and Marette, A. Is omega-3 key to unlocking inflammation in obesity? Diabetologia. 2006 Sep; 49(9):1999-2001.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: health and wellness, obesity, fat, C-Reactive protein
Labels: integrative medicine
9 Comments:
Sir,
What is your take on Serrapeptase and Hyaluronic Acid? I have read the company information from several websites but, as usual, they sound too good to be true. Are they effective?
Thanks,
Phil VanNatta
Manhattan, KS
phillip.vannatta@us.army.mil
Serrapeptase. This is a proteolytic enzyme harvested from from a bacteria. Quite a lot of research has been done on the use of proteolytic enzymes extracted from animal sources (such as pig pancreas), pland sources (such as unripe pineapple) and bacteria (primarily Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus arrhizus). These enzymes have been shown surprisingly effective in a wide range of conditions ranging from obvious applications such as maldigestion to inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and protatitis. Serrapeptase has not received as much research but appears promising. However, there does not appear to be any recent published human clnical studies. Such studies are needed before I can recommend this specific proteolytic enzyme.
Hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is an extremely important constituent of human physiology. Ranging from joint lubrication to cartilage and skin formation. Hyaluronic injections have been well documented to help with osetoarthritis and several other conditions, such as skin wrinkles. The big question, however, is whether oral consumption does any good. Looking at digestive physiology, this large molecule is not likely to survive digestion or be absorbed. However, many companies assert they have formulations that are absorbed. The problem is lack of published human research on these formulations. I like the idea, but do not see substantiation.
WOW! I have been reading about soft tissue calcium deposits and there ability to cause inflammation too. A bunch of articles are coming out that indicated calcification is not passive, after effect of injury or old age, as previsously thought. In fact, I am very concerned about calcification as my brother (he and I both have excellent cholesterol levels) just had a heart attack at 42!!!
Anybody else know anything about calcification?
In general, calicification of soft tissues is a response to tissue injury (overdose of synthetic vitamin D2 an exception). This deposition of calcium happens, for example, in the arteries as well as joints. In joints the calcium deposition can itself then lead to inflammation.
Depostiion of calcium in the arteries is a strong indication of ongoing damage to the arteries. This can be from oxidized cholesterol, excess free radicals, etc. You need to primarily address the causes of the arterial damage. I suggest seeing a cardiologist or nutritionally knowledgeable doctor who can accurately assess and address: lipid metabilism (unfortunatley some people have genes that result in excessive prodcution of the type of cholesterol that is most easily oxidized), diet and free radical levels.
Is there any substance that can block a fat cell froming taking in excess fat but still be able to use the stored up energy that it already has?
I have been diagnosed with soft tissue calcification of one knuckle, which has caused severe inflamation. Anti-inflamatory drugs and a cortizone injection were both unsuccessful in reducing the size of my finger. Any suggestions for further treatment?
An RA doctor recently diagnosed pain in my shoulder as soft tissue calcification. Could perhaps other area's of my body have this issue underlying, like my HEART? I'm concerned because I suspect my knuckles are next as they swell and are sore at times although an x-ray didn't show it. But I worry about my heart because I have high cholesterol...a family trait. So is the calcification issue an early sign of big trouble?
Hello,
I'm interested if there was an answer to the last comment posted on 12/3/07 from nan. I am having the same trouble and have the same questions.
nan - hope you have found help and I'd be interested in what your solution has been.
Cheers - Eileen :)
I have a calcium deposit at the base of my thumb. What is the treatment for this?
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