Hormonal
Acquired obesity in humans is characterized by a significant down-regulation of mitochondrial branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism in subcutaneous fat, leading to elevated serum BCAA levels that correlate with insulin resistance and liver fat accumulation.
This research suggests that in early acquired obesity, your fat tissue stops breaking down branched-chain amino acids (found in protein) efficiently. This leads to higher levels of these amino acids in your blood, which may drive insulin resistance. While this doesn't prescribe a specific diet, it highlights that metabolic health involves more than just total calories; the specific handling of amino acids by fat tissue matters.
novel pathway analyses of the adipose tissue transcription profiles exposed significant down-regulation of mitochondrial branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism (p < 0.0001). In line with this finding, serum levels of insulin secretion-enhancing BCAAs were increased in obese male co-twins (9% increase, p = 0.025).
Why this rating
High-quality observational design using monozygotic twins controls for genetics, but it is cross-sectional/observational, not an interventional trial.
Source
Global Transcript Profiles of Fat in Monozygotic Twins Discordant for BMI: Pathways behind Acquired Obesity
Kirsi H. Pietiläinen et al. · PLoS Medicine · 2008
DOI 10.1371/journal.pmed.0050051
More from this paper
- Acquired obesity in humans is associated with a significant reduction (approx. 47%) in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number in subcutaneous adipose tissue, which correlates with insulin resistance and liver fat.Good
- Acquired obesity in humans is associated with the up-regulation of inflammatory pathways in subcutaneous fat, including the overexpression of osteopontin (SPP1), which correlates with insulin resistance and liver fat.Good
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