» liver fat http://www.lapislight.com/wp Sat, 31 Jul 2010 01:53:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Fat accumulation around organs linked to decreased heart function http://www.lapislight.com/wp/2009/11/28/fat-accumulation-around-organs-linked-to-decreased-heart-function/ http://www.lapislight.com/wp/2009/11/28/fat-accumulation-around-organs-linked-to-decreased-heart-function/#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:02:28 +0000 Dr. Jonathan http://www.lapislight.com/wp/?p=764 There are a few newsworthy findings reported in this study, recently published in the journal Obesity, that used MRI and MRS (proton MR spectroscopy) to measure the accumulation of fat around the heart and in the liver.

  1. Fat accumulation around organs is linked to decreased heart function
  2. Body mass index (BMI) is not a reliable predictor of fat accumulation
  3. Fat in the liver was associated with insulin resistance and triglycerides.

I have seen numerous individuals who do not appear overweight and whose BMI was normal, but bioelectric impedance analysis (an objective measurement of body fat percentage) revealed that they were ‘metabolically obese’—there was excess fat around their organs. Insulin resistance was a factor in each case.

]]> http://www.lapislight.com/wp/2009/11/28/fat-accumulation-around-organs-linked-to-decreased-heart-function/feed/ 3 Chili pepper reduces obesity-induced insulin resistance & liver fat http://www.lapislight.com/wp/2009/11/01/chili-pepper-reduces-obesity-induced-insulin-resistance-liver-fat/ http://www.lapislight.com/wp/2009/11/01/chili-pepper-reduces-obesity-induced-insulin-resistance-liver-fat/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:20:21 +0000 Dr. Jonathan http://www.lapislight.com/wp/?p=265 This welcome study demonstrates that capsaicin (the chemical that makes chilies hot) “lowered fasting glucose, insulin, leptin levels, and markedly reduced the impairment of glucose tolerance.” Levels of inflammatory cytokines (signalling molecules that increase inflammation) in fat and liver tissue also “decreased markedly”. Adiponectin (the hormone secreted in fat tissue that reduces body fat, type 2 diabetes, blood vessel deposits and fatty liver disease) was increased, along with other beneficial agents. “Our data suggest that dietary capsaicin may reduce obesity-induced glucose intolerance by not only suppressing inflammatory responses but also enhancing fatty acid oxidation in adipose tissue and/or liver.” So eat chili peppers to burn fat, suppress inflammation and improve glucose tolerance.

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