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Body fat: friend or foe?

Posted August 10, 2007 at 04:00 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: In The News, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating

There’s no question that fat has a bad reputation. To look at the number of people who belong to gyms and weight loss programs, or the amount of individuals undergoing liposuction each year, it becomes glaringly obvious how hated and feared fat has become in our appearance-obsessed society. But here’s some news you may not have expected: fat is not our foe.
Don’t get me wrong - fat has its obvious pitfalls. Obesity has become a hot topic for health officials in recent years, and gaining too much weight is infamously connected to such conditions as diabetes and heart disease. However, despite the drawbacks to the presence of fat in our bodies, new studies are beginning to uncover the “pleasant” side of this seemingly negative anatomical feature.
Take, for instance, the recent report from the New York Times stating that our fat tissue often has our “best interest at heart.” And though this may seem like a radical concept, it turns out fat does have a tendency to look out for our health. Allow me to provide you with some examples.
Let’s begin with a brief anatomy lesson. In the human body, certain tissue - referred to as adipose tissue - stores energy in the form of fat. When your caloric intake exceeds the amount of calories you burn, it is the adipose tissue that deals with that energy surplus. Without the adipose tissue or fat cells, your body would turn to the liver to dump its excess energy. This, in turn, leads to a high risk of liver swelling, liver failure, and death. In other words, without some fat present, our bodies would begin to turn against us.
In addition to its position as energy-storer, fat has other functions from which our bodies benefit. For one, fat cells are now recognized as endocrine organs that secrete important hormones to other tissues in our body. Take, for instance, the hormone leptin, which is produced by fat cells. As research from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research has documented, leptin is a “good” hormone, one that produces other crucial metabolic hormones that work to prevent overeating. It’s basically that feeling you get when you’ve pigged out on greasy food and know there is no possible way you could eat any more. Without the presence of leptin, we wouldn’t get that feeling and we could continue eating to our heart’s content, quickly paving our way to obesity.
Apart from leptin, fat cells also produce the hormone adiponectin. In addition to decreasing a person’s risk for heart attacks, adiponectin helps the body burn off fat and sugar by activating the same chemical pathway we use when involved in forms of exercise. Essentially, the presence of fat in our bodies actually makes it easier to lose those extra pounds.
So when it comes down to it, it turns out fat isn’t always our enemy. Though we should be careful not to forget the risks excess fat can produce, it’s comforting to know that fat has its redeeming qualities as well.

Resources and for more information: [MedicineNet.com]; [The New York Times]; [Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research]; [picture]

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Tags: adiponectin, adipose tissue, body fat, endocrine organs, energy-storer, fat, fat cells, hormones, leptin, new york times, sugar, weight loss, whitehead institute for biomedical reserach

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