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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cecilia on May 15, 2005, at 3:42:27
I know that a lot of stuff-medications, fat soluble vitamins, natural hormones like estrogen, pesticides and toxins in the environment etc. are stored in fat cells. Anyone know what happens when you lose weight-do levels of all these things in your blood increase? Cecilia
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 15, 2005, at 7:54:13
In reply to Question on biochemical effects of weight loss, posted by Cecilia on May 15, 2005, at 3:42:27
> I know that a lot of stuff-medications, fat soluble vitamins, natural hormones like estrogen, pesticides and toxins in the environment etc. are stored in fat cells. Anyone know what happens when you lose weight-do levels of all these things in your blood increase? Cecilia
Oh, I love a good question. You made me take a closer look at this, and I find that there has been new information published since I last looked. I do love good questions.
First, though, I'd like to clarify what seems to be one minor misunderstanding. Adipocytes do not store hormones. They manufacture and secrete them. Adipocytes are glands, but that was not recognized until only recently. They modify systemic metabolism, and the more fat your store, the more regulatory power they obtain.
Yes, fat-soluble pollutants are released from adipocytes during weight loss, and proportionally to the rate at which fat is released from storage.
Many of those toxicants (things that each of us has stored in our fatty tissue, by the way) disturb muscle tissue metabolism (oxidation of fatty acids), thyroid function (induced hypothyroid), and thus, decrease the basal metabolic rate. In effect, the toxins inhibit weight loss, and promote a return to weight gain. Quite apart from these effects, they are generally pro-inflammatory, and promote some cancers.
This seems to be quite an argument for controlled gradual weight loss. Your body does have some capacity to destroy or excrete these toxins, and a gradual release from fat stores will give your body its best chance to deal with them.
You can't do a blessed thing about what is already stored in your fatty tissue, but you can do something about what you eat while you're losing that fat weight. If your diet during that period is organic, or in some other way carrying a lower toxin burden, it will not be additive to that released from fat storage, and you thereby minimize the net toxin burden your liver must deal with.
Thanks for asking a great question.
Lar
Posted by Cecilia on May 29, 2005, at 2:51:40
In reply to Re: Question on biochemical effects of weight loss » Cecilia, posted by Larry Hoover on May 15, 2005, at 7:54:13
Thanks for the reply. It is creepy to imagine all those toxins oozing out of my fat cells. Like the people on the Titanic who kicked themselves for skipping dessert as the ship sank, I often think that if I ever lose weight I`ll get cancer and all that starvation will have been in vain. Slow sensible weight loss is undoubtedly good, but I`ve never been able to do it. Fast or not at all (usually not at all). Now I`ve been diagnosed with diabetes so I`m trying once again. It`s so hard when you`re chronically depressed. It`s not like I have any expectation that losing weight will make me any happier, I was depressed before I was ever fat. But I`ve already got neuropathy in my feet and overwhelming terror at other potential complications. Questions: First re neuropathy: the two natural things I`ve read most about for this are alpha lipoic acid and benfotiamine. I`ve read that the R-alpha lipoic acid is better than the regular, is this true? And what you do know about benfotiamine (vitamin B1 modified to make it fat soluble)? They use it for neuropathy in Germany, but I can`t help wondering if it`s really safe in large doses since it`s not flushed out of your system like the regular water souble B1. Also, you mentioned that weight loss can induce hypothyroidism, I`m already hypothyroid and on levothyroxine, do people usually need more levothyroxine while they are in the weight loss process, after they have lost weight, or both? Also re estrogen, I know some is produced by fat cells which is why fat women usually have fewer menopausal symptoms (I guess there are some advantages to everything) but did I understand correctly that it`s not actually stored in the fat cells, so weight loss will decrease the supply of circulating estrogen? Thanks for tackling any of these questions you`re willing to, I hope your own pain problems are improving. Cecilia
Posted by bimini on July 11, 2005, at 8:28:35
In reply to Re: Question on biochemical effects of weight loss » Cecilia, posted by Larry Hoover on May 15, 2005, at 7:54:13
Thank you, that was interesting.
bimini
Posted by Green Willow on October 20, 2005, at 21:54:21
In reply to Re: Question on biochemical effects of weight loss » Cecilia, posted by Larry Hoover on May 15, 2005, at 7:54:13
> > I know that a lot of stuff-medications, fat soluble vitamins, natural hormones like estrogen, pesticides and toxins in the environment etc. are stored in fat cells. Anyone know what happens when you lose weight-do levels of all these things in your blood increase? Cecilia
>
> Oh, I love a good question. You made me take a closer look at this, and I find that there has been new information published since I last looked. I do love good questions.
>
> First, though, I'd like to clarify what seems to be one minor misunderstanding. Adipocytes do not store hormones. They manufacture and secrete them. Adipocytes are glands, but that was not recognized until only recently. They modify systemic metabolism, and the more fat your store, the more regulatory power they obtain.
>
> Yes, fat-soluble pollutants are released from adipocytes during weight loss, and proportionally to the rate at which fat is released from storage.
>
> Many of those toxicants (things that each of us has stored in our fatty tissue, by the way) disturb muscle tissue metabolism (oxidation of fatty acids), thyroid function (induced hypothyroid), and thus, decrease the basal metabolic rate. In effect, the toxins inhibit weight loss, and promote a return to weight gain. Quite apart from these effects, they are generally pro-inflammatory, and promote some cancers.
>
> This seems to be quite an argument for controlled gradual weight loss. Your body does have some capacity to destroy or excrete these toxins, and a gradual release from fat stores will give your body its best chance to deal with them.
>
> You can't do a blessed thing about what is already stored in your fatty tissue, but you can do something about what you eat while you're losing that fat weight. If your diet during that period is organic, or in some other way carrying a lower toxin burden, it will not be additive to that released from fat storage, and you thereby minimize the net toxin burden your liver must deal with.
>
> Thanks for asking a great question.
>
> Lar
>
Lar or Anyone,
Just saw this old post and it brought to mind a wealth of problems I had last summer. I became very ill and lost 30 pounds in about 4 months, was dxd with fat malabsorption. During this time, I developed hundreds if not more small very painful lumps (about 3/8" x 3/8") over the large muscles in my body. They first appeared on the back of my thighs, then over the front of my thighs, eventually over my diaphram muscle and upper arms. The only way that I could relieve the pain was to physically rub them out; then they would combine into larger lumps and disperse. The pain was so severe that sometimes I would sit for a few hours rubbing on them. The doctors I saw could not identify them, a simple biopsy (done by a simple doctor) showed that they were fat. Doctors thought of things such as adipose lipomas, pancreatitis enzymes, necrotizing fat, but no one knew for sure. During this time I was very ill. Your interesting chain makes me wonder if these were pockets of toxins. Eventually my weight stablized and the fat malabsorption dx went away, the painful lumps dispersed but left me with horrible loose cellulite looking skin, even though I am still fairly thin. I would love some ideas on what these might have been. Thanks, Green Willow
Posted by Larry Hoover on November 6, 2005, at 11:19:53
In reply to Re: Question on biochemical effects of weight loss » Larry Hoover, posted by Green Willow on October 20, 2005, at 21:54:21
> I would love some ideas on what these might have been. Thanks, Green Willow
I've thought about this a lot, and I don't have any idea what might have been going on. Sorry.
Lar
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