Research

Hormonal

Chronic elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in adipose tissue causes insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction by impairing insulin signaling and reducing adiponectin secretion.

In obesity, fat cells produce too much oxidative stress (ROS) over time, which blocks insulin from working properly. This isn't about 'bad' stress in small amounts, but chronic overload. Managing weight and reducing fat mass is the primary way to reduce this specific source of oxidative stress and restore insulin sensitivity.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Whereas transient ROS produced by physiological stimuli such as insulin may be beneficial, sustained ROS generation impairs insulin response and might therefore initiate WAT dysfunction... chronic elevation of intracellular ROS levels in adipocytes subsequent to mitochondrial dysfunction results in insulin resistance through attenuation of insulin signaling [64].
Soazig Le Lay et al. · Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity · 2014

Why this rating

The paper cites multiple in vivo rodent models and human clinical correlations, though it is a review article summarizing these findings.

Source

Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Pathologies: From an Adipocentric Point of View

Soazig Le Lay et al. · Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity · 2014

DOI 10.1155/2014/908539

narrative_reviewCited 292×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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