Hormonal
In human abdominal (visceral) obesity, circulating levels of the endocannabinoid 2-AG are significantly elevated and correlate with visceral fat mass, serving as a critical correlate of peripheral endocannabinoid system dysregulation.
If you have abdominal obesity, your body likely has higher levels of 2-AG, a lipid messenger that promotes fat storage and insulin resistance. This is not just 'being overweight'; it is a specific hormonal state driven by visceral fat. Addressing visceral fat accumulation is key to correcting this dysregulation.
Circulating 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) was significantly correlated with body fat (r = 0.45, P = 0.03), visceral fat mass (r = 0.44, P = 0.003)... Our findings suggest that abdominal fat accumulation is a critical correlate of the dysregulation of the peripheral endocannabinoid system in human obesity.
Why this rating
Observational clinical study with n=60, controlling for confounders, showing statistically significant correlations.
Source
Dysregulation of the Peripheral and Adipose Tissue Endocannabinoid System in Human Abdominal Obesity
Matthias Blüher et al. · Diabetes · 2006
DOI 10.2337/db06-0812
More from this paper
- In visceral adipose tissue of obese individuals, the expression of the CB1 receptor and the degrading enzyme FAAH is downregulated, creating a negative-feedback loop that sustains high local endocannabinoid activity.Good
- Elevated circulating 2-AG levels in visceral obesity are negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity, as measured by glucose infusion rate during euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, independent of total body fat mass.Good
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