Research
Hormonal
The improvement in resistance artery endothelial function (forearm blood flow response to acetylcholine) following weight loss is mediated by increased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and is related to reductions in abdominal visceral fat.
Losing abdominal visceral fat through weight loss helps your small blood vessels function better by increasing the availability of nitric oxide, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax and widen. This suggests that targeting visceral fat is crucial for vascular health.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The improvements in resistance artery function are mediated by an increase in NO bioavailability and are related to reductions in abdominal visceral fat.
Why this rating
Supported by mechanistic testing (NO inhibition) and correlation with visceral fat measures.
Source
Weight Loss Alone Improves Conduit and Resistance Artery Endothelial Function in Young and Older Overweight/Obese Adults
Gary L. Pierce et al. · Hypertension · 2008
DOI 10.1161/hypertensionaha.108.111427
rct · n=40Cited 167×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Energy intake-restricted weight loss alone (without exercise) improves peripheral conduit and resistance artery endothelial function in overweight/obese adults.Good
- Middle-aged and older overweight/obese adults (≥50 years) experience similar or greater improvements in endothelial function from weight loss compared to younger adults (<50 years).Good
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