Research

Hormonal

Obesity and insulin resistance drive elevated plasma Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels primarily through adipocyte overexpression of PAI-1, mediated by cytokines (TNF-alpha, TGF-beta) and insulin, thereby increasing cardiovascular thrombotic risk.

Excess body fat, particularly visceral fat, actively contributes to heart disease risk by secreting proteins that promote blood clots. This is not just 'storage'; it is an active hormonal process. Losing weight, even moderately, can significantly lower these clot-promoting proteins, reducing cardiovascular risk.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
PAI-1 is dramatically upregulated in obesity... elevated PAI-1 levels and thrombotic disease... the key role played by the adipocyte... multiple cytokines, hormones, and growth factors may be involved... TNF-alpha, insulin/proinsulin, and TGF-beta... stimulate PAI-1 biosynthesis by the adipocyte
David J. Loskutoff et al. · Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology · 1998

Why this rating

The paper is a review citing multiple animal models (ob/ob mice) and human clinical studies showing consistent correlations and causal links via specific mediators.

Source

The Adipocyte and Hemostatic Balance in Obesity

David J. Loskutoff et al. · Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology · 1998

DOI 10.1161/01.atv.18.1.1

narrative_reviewCited 264×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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