Fat cells are interesting little buggers. New research suggests that they die and grow back...making the number of cells we have in adulthood relatively constant.This may place limits on achievable body fat percentages (ie, why someone can get to 6% and another person to 15%).
Also, it holds true that the size of fat cells is the important factor. They plump up and shrink with diet and exercise. Notice in Pic 1 (from the Journal of Clinical Investigation) cells for A & D are from lean mice, the others from obese mice. Same in Pic 2 from the USDA.
It's believed that proliferation of fat cells happens at certain points: in infancy, at puberty (9-13 yrs.) and possibly again in adulthood if significant weight is gained. So, fat cells will die and grow (in number and in size)...but when we lose weight, they simply shrink.
13 comments:
This is very interesting specifically relating to childhood obesity. If a child is not guided in the right direction during those crucial years(9-13yrs)...they would be proliferating a larger amount of fat cells, which they will hang onto for life, pre-disposing them to adult obesity? If you were to miss the crucial fat cells growth bench marks, is it more difficult for an individual to gain/produce fat? All very interesting!
Looks like a tile Mosaic, very artsy, I swear I saw a figure in there......;)
I think you're on the money Trish. I also think childhood obesity permanently screws your body's DNA, leaving one with a greater propensity to store fat. Just like blistering sunburns before puberty predisposes one to skin cancer later in life...the skins cells are programmed by that exposure...let the mutating begin!
John, you'd be surprised how many of my fabric designs look like technical biology drawings! Basic elements of design.
Matt D, I believe you may have infiltrated my medical records to obtain those pictures. Those photos look very similar to my last colonoscopy. I will seek my revenge!!!
I think why one person can get to 6% and one to 15% has alot to do with the inner motivation and discipline. TO get to 6% unless you are a genetic mutant like some people we know ( Matt Dicintio and Mike Kuhns)INvolves locking yourself in your house on the weekends and never going off of an eating schedule of every 2 hours which includes eating only chicken fish and veggies and flax seed oil. I know and understand this pain this is the life of a bodybuilder.
Mike...egad...then what "figure" did JJ see in there???:)
Tanner: does that apply to going from 26-20% or 22-18%, too? Where is the body more stingey with giving up the fat for energy?? I think a lot of CFers are interested in that "plateau" point...ie, eating and working out in a way to make the body give up those difficult fat stores....
Interesting arcticle. Very counter intuitive to what most people would think about losing weight/fat. So while trying to get leaner I should work on shrinking fat cells, not losing them. While obviously unhealthy (and dumb), I wonder what a procedure like liposuction (or some other fat cell removal processes) would do to this balanace the body naturally tries to maintain.
Oh and just another FYI, if anyone wants more info from the author (Tom Venuto) of the first article Matt linked let me know. I picked up his "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" system a few years ago when I was training for javelin. Has some excellent info in it.
I thought that the one picture was October from 2010 DJ calendar. (some subliminal pre-promotion.
Regarding lipo... Assuming that you don't change your eating habits, you will need to store the same amount of fat in less cells, so you'll enlarge the cells in other areas of your body. Basically, you'll end up with fatter arms, shoulder, etc.
By the way, Mike K. took part in an experimental procedure where they remove all fat cells in his body.
Fat shoulder?
good pooint Matt /when i dieted down it was only from about 12-15% down to about 5-7% but it was quite difficult to get that last little bit Mucho cardio was needed
Matt - Like you never stared into the mirror asking yourself... "Does this Corps Fitness tank make my shoulders look fat?"
Tanner, what was your calorie breakdown?
Intake and expended daily?
Carbs, protein, fat?
Karate, your brain is weird, man!:)
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