Fat buildup describes the accumulation and multiplication of fat cells in the human body. It is a basic function of metabolism and has evolutionary biological backgrounds, which first become problematic due to the diet of modern times.
What is fat accumulation?
Fat buildup describes the accumulation and proliferation of fat cells in the human body. Fat buildup refers to the storage of fat ingested through food in the human body. Fat is a macronutrient, i.e. a nutrient that must be ingested in comparatively large quantities. However, it is recommended not to take in more fat than protein or carbohydrates, which has made modern nutrition much more difficult. Absorbed fat is stored by the body as a quickly available energy supplier for times with only a low food intake. This is due to evolutionary biology: In earlier times, fat was not as freely available as it is today, so there were no problems caused by excessive fat intake. If the diet was scarce, the stored fat cells could be quickly converted into energy by fat breakdown if no more carbohydrates were available for this purpose. If the fat build-up is out of control, the same happens today at most with conscious and planned sport.
Function and task
In addition to safeguarding the energy supply in nutrient-poor periods, the fat buildup also assumes a protective function for internal organs and certain parts of the body. This is evident simply from where fat buildup occurs in the first place. Fat accumulates very quickly on internal organs, for example on the heart and in the vessels around it – including those organs that could be affected by bumps and knocks and for which there is a certain risk of injury. To cushion these, the body accumulates fat cells first on internal organs as it builds up fat. This is followed by the abdomen, legs, buttocks and breasts. Changes can also often be seen on the chin and neck, as well as the face, as fat builds up more. These are also areas of the body where injuries from fighting and from everyday human life were likely to occur long before modern times. Fat buildup also serves to repair damage to vessels inside the body. Small cracks are cemented with the help of a plug of various fats, but this can lead to problems (arteriosclerosis) in the long run. This is another reason why fat should not be consumed in excessive quantities. In a healthy sense, the build-up of fat in the body also serves to provide lubricants for many functions of the internal organs. Therefore, it should not be completely dispensed with in the diet, since the body cannot reproduce it itself. Fat is used as a lubricant in the body by individual cells as well as by entire organs, but is still needed in comparatively small quantities compared to proteins or carbohydrates. Fat cells are also capable of storing toxins and getting them out of reach before they cause damage. If they cannot be excreted immediately, the body needs a “temporary storage facility” where they will not cause damage to internal organs. Fat breakdown creates fat cells that are ideally suited for this purpose – however, if the fat cells are broken down, stored waste products are also released and must inevitably be excreted.
Diseases and complaints
The biggest and at the same time most modern problem of fat accumulation in humans is obesity. There are quite a few different fats, all of which are necessary, but they are healthy only in the right amounts in the diet. The modern diet often contains just the fats that people take in anyway in sufficient quantities and of which they now get too many. Since the human body and its functioning still assume that high-fat diet is only a short-lasting good period. So they store every gram of fat supplied and use it to build up fat. The more fat that is taken in, the greater the risk of gaining weight from it – especially if a sedentary lifestyle is lived. A pathological consequence of too much fat build-up with increasing weight is obesity. The term stands for morbid overweight. A BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obesity.This puts a strain on the internal organs and in particular the circulatory system, can lead to serious illnesses as a long-term consequence, and obesity itself places a heavy burden on the joints of the musculoskeletal system even in the early stages. Excessive fat build-up or obesity can be caused by improper nutrition, but also by taking medication or by inborn errors of metabolism. The latter causes an abnormal fat build-up, so that those affected have to pay even more attention to diet and sufficient exercise than healthy people. When taking medication, the metabolism can also change in such a way that fat loss increases sharply while the diet remains the same. Or the medication may cause an increase in food intake and thus lead to an increase in fat loss activity. However, in these cases, it is possible to prepare for the increase in fat loss and try to counteract it with appropriate diet and exercise. A discussion with the doctor opens up further possibilities. Fat building is basically a healthy and normal mechanism of the body, but it can quickly become pathological if too many new fat cells are built up too quickly. Short-term consequence is obesity, long-term consequences can be several serious diseases.
