Fatty tissue is not only energy storage, but also acts as an organ that produces various messenger substances: The abdominal fat in particular sometimes sends out fatal signals in the process, the full implications of which are only just being recognized by medicine. Among other things, the fatty tissue in the abdominal cavity releases immune messengers that cause a kind of chronic inflammation and thus promote the development of arteriosclerosis. It also decreases the effect of insulin, which promotes the development of diabetes.
Adipose tissue acts as its own organ on the whole body
20 to 30 percent of Germans are affected by the “affluence syndrome” – a time bomb: “It is known that obesity promotes high blood pressure, blood sugar and lipid metabolism disorders; but only recently have we begun to recognize the mechanisms and the fact that the fatty tissue in the abdominal cavity in particular is a high risk,” explains Prof. Dr. Harald Klein, Director of Medical Clinic I at Bergmannsheil. One of the new findings is that signals from the fatty tissue also affect the brain, muscles and blood vessels. Particularly from the abdominal fat (so-called visceral fat), increased messenger substances are produced that also play a role in inflammation, such as TNFα and interleukin 6.
Fatal consequences
This chronic inflammatory response is thought to promote the development of atherosclerosis and increase the risk of diabetes via a reduction in the effectiveness of insulin. To make matters worse, increased adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity decreases the concentration of another messenger substance produced primarily in the remaining adipose tissue: Adiponectin.
“Adiponectin is anti-inflammatory in the blood vessels and increases insulin action, so it may also become therapeutically important,” says Prof. Klein. Finally, visceral adipose tissue also produces substances that can influence the coagulation system and blood pressure.
Many aspects: Sleep problems, fatty liver, blood lipid levels.
Another scientific aspect is also highly interesting for the researchers: in the search for the age gene, it was discovered that, at least in worms, the receptor for insulin plays a major role. If it or downstream mechanisms do not function, the animals grow older. “This fits well with results of other studies showing that food restriction is one of the few ways to prolong life,” Prof. Klein said. Thus, even independent of the increased disease risks from metabolic syndrome, increased adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity could be a life-shortening factor.
