1. Fat Gain Signals Inflammatory Response

Adipose tissue is composed of white fat cells, which contain a large lipid droplet surrounded by cytoplasm with the nucleus on the periphery. When excessive fat is gained, these fat cells increase to four times their original size before dividing into new cells. Fat gain also alters the normal secretion of certain molecules throughout the body. While the exact mechanism is unclear, studies suggest that excessive adipose tissue can initiate an acute inflammatory response.⁶ Bone-marrow derived immune cells respond by infiltrating adipose tissue, and releasing certain molecules that can induce changes in fat cell activity and lead to chronic inflammation.⁶ This immune and fat cell activity cause downstream effects that can significantly affect your health when excessive adipose tissue exists in your body. Some of these effects are explained in further detail below.

2. Fat Cells Release Inflammatory Factors

Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α) is an inflammatory molecule released from adipose tissue. Overweight and obese individuals secrete TNF-α in greater amounts, contributing to insulin resistance.³ TNF- α down regulates GLUT-4, which is responsible for transporting glucose into skeletal muscle, resulting in reduced insulin function. TNF- α also reduces the activity of the insulin receptor, diminishing insulin’s metabolic effects and potentially leading to muscle insulin resistance.⁵

Interleukin-6 is another molecule released in greater amounts from excessive adipose tissue. Like TNF-α, IL-6 also down regulates GLUT-4, further reducing insulin function and contributing to insulin resistance. Increased IL-6 concentrations also induce the liver to release excess amounts of C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen in the blood, which are two of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.⁶ IL-6 also increases the concentration and activity of blood platelets, which increases the risk for blood clots.² The activity of cells that line the blood vessels, such as endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, is also affected by high IL-6 levels, contributing to vascular wall inflammation and damage.⁴

3. Fat Cells Cause Plaque Formation

Fat stores also affect your health by reducing the fat cell’s secretion of the anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory protein, adiponectin. This protein’s main function is to inhibit the buildup of adhesion molecules along blood vessel walls that lead to plaque formation. Adiponectin concentrations decrease as adipose tissue accumulates, placing you at greater risk for plaque formation, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance.³ Researchers believe TNF-α may be one of the contributing factors to the decrease in adiponectin concentrations.⁶

4. Fat Cells Can Become “Sick”

To further illustrate the dangers of accumulating excessive fat stores, a study by Bodenet al. (2008) in the Diabetes journal suggests fat cells from obese individuals are “sick,” due to significantly higher levels of stress to the cell. The authors explain that a constant influx of excess calories into fat cells can induce stress to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is responsible for synthesizing lipids for storage. This stress triggers ER stress sensors, which activate various pathways in the body to alleviate stress. Researchers believe that this ER stress may be a contributor to the inflammation and insulin resistance associated with diabetes. 

In conclusion, adipose tissue does much more than only serve as an energy source. Fat cells are very active, able to communicate with immune cells and initiate an inflammatory response with excess calorie storage. Both fat and immune cells secrete various inflammatory factors that negatively influence normal and healthy functions of the body. As these responses become chronic with significant fat gain, you are at greater risk for chronic inflammation, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and diabetes. Therefore, no matter how active you are, it is important to keep your body fat percentage at a reasonable level in order to maintain long-term health.

References:

1. Boden, G. et al., Increase in Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Related Proteins and Genes in Adipose Tissue of Obese, Insulin-Resistant Individuals. Diabetes, 2008. 57: p. 2438-2444.

2. Burstein, S.A. et al., Cytokine-induced alteration of platelet and hemostatic function. Stem Cells, 1996. 14: p. 154-162.

3. Diamond, A.S. et al,The Endocrine Function of Adipose Tissue. GGH, 2002. 18(2): p. 17-23.

4. Wassmann, S. et al., Interleukin-6 induces oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction by overexpression of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor.Circ Res, 2004. 94: p. 534-541.

5. Weisberg S.P. et al., Obesity is associated with macrophage accumulation in adipose tissue. J Clin Invest, 2003. 112: p. 1796-1808.

6. Wisse, B.E., The Inflammatory Syndrome: The Role of Adipose Tissue Cytokines in Metabolic Disorders Linked to Obesity.J Am Soc Nephrol, 2004. 15: p. 2792-2800.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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1. Improper Form

Before beginning any weight training program, it is very important to understand the significance of proper technique over weight. Your objective is to perform each exercise properly with the appropriate weight for your training level and engage as many muscle fibers as possible. This can only be accomplished with proper weight lifting technique. By using improper form, you are less likely to engage every muscle fiber in a given body part, resulting in slower, less effective muscle growth. Secondly, you are far more likely to injure yourself. Improper technique is one of the most common causes of weight training injuries. So, if you notice yourself using improper lifting technique as you increase weight, decrease the weight and maintain proper form.

2. Overtraining

Exercise and weight training cause injury to skeletal muscle fibers, which release various signaling molecules to orchestrate the cellular response to muscle injury. While this response is necessary for muscular development, it can lead to overtraining syndrome if insufficient recovery time is given to the body. Excessive inflammation from overtraining can result in muscle fatigue, loss in muscle protein, loss of muscle mass, and reduced muscle function.¹ It can also induce a ‘whole-body response’, in which the brain induces sickness, vegetative, or recuperative behaviors, leading to mood and behavior changes that allow the body to get rid of the excess inflammatory factors.² Some of these behaviors include sickness, disinterest in exercise, reduced libido, arthritis, or a common cold.² So, give yourself at least one or two days of rest within a seven-day period to avoid overtraining syndrome.

3. Lack of Sleep

A review article by Mullington et al. provides a detailed overview of the negative effects of sleep deprivation.³ Growth hormone (GH) commonly reaches its daily maximum during the first half of the normal sleep period. However, sleep deprived individuals experience a smaller pulse of GH levels during sleep. Sleep deprivation also decreases glucose metabolism, which can contribute to insulin resistance, accumulation of fat stores, and inflammation throughout the body. Interestingly, sleep deprived individuals have reduced concentrations of leptin, the hormone that signals satiety to the brain. They also have increased concentrations of ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger to the brain. The combination of lower GH levels, decreased glucose metabolism, reduced leptin levels, and increased ghrelin levels can be catastrophic to your weight training and fitness goals. In order to avoid these effects, give yourself at least eight hours of sleep per night.

4. No Vegetables

When changing your diet to promote lean muscle growth, simply increasing your protein intake is not enough. Some fitness enthusiasts often neglect the importance of vegetables in their diets. Although higher protein and complex carbohydrate intake is important, vegetables also provide essential minerals and nutrients that promote fat loss, muscle recovery, and muscle growth. Spinach and broccoli are great sources of folic acid, which repairs DNA and helps to produce new red blood cells.⁴ Brussels sprouts and broccoli are great sources of Vitamin C, which supports the immune system and protects the body from oxidative stress.⁵ Broccoli is a good source of zinc, which plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing.⁶ Spinach is a great source of magnesium, which helps to maintain normal muscle and nerve function and supports the immune system. Vegetables in the Brassica family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, are also great sources of fiber.

Although many of these nutrients can be consumed in supplement form, they are utilized more efficiently when they are consumed from whole foods. Other nutrient dense vegetables include, but are not limited to, asparagus, cauliflower, and kale. Interestingly, cabbage is also a source of glutamine, which supports muscle recovery and regulation of the immune system.

5. Alcohol Consumption

Although some fitness enthusiasts drink alcoholic beverages regularly, alcohol intake can be detrimental to your fitness goals. Alcohol, or dietary ethanol, has a high energy density, which can contribute to excess caloric intake. Secondly, alcohol intake causes essential vitamins and minerals to be displaced from its normal function in the body. For example, alcohol metabolism requires increased use of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6.⁷ This nutrient displacement has the potential to decrease certain B vitamin functions, such as fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and the ability to generate glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. Alcohol intake also can cause chemical damage to the mucosal lining in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in the malabsorption of nutrients.⁸

A byproduct of alcohol metabolism is the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), or oxidative stress. When combined with physical exercise, alcohol consumption and metabolism places greater amounts of stress on the body and increases the antioxidant demand. Antioxidants normally used for muscle recovery must then be displaced and used for alcohol metabolism, resulting in reduced muscle recovery. While studies do suggest that light consumption of alcoholic beverages, specifically red wine, can reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular disorders, excessive drinking can significantly inhibit your muscle recovery and fat loss.⁹

For excessive drinkers, detoxing from alcohol may be the next necessary step to take.

6. Not Enough Calories

Under-eating is one of the biggest causes of problems in failed diet plans. While you are able to lose weight with extreme caloric deficits, the losses will come from both muscle and fat. In order to lose fat and gain muscle, you must first know your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or the amount of calories your body will burn with no activity. Next, adjust this value according to your level of physical activity and fitness goals. Even though daily caloric intake is important, the quality of the food is more important. Therefore, your caloric intake should come from foods that contribute to muscle growth and fat loss, such as lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables.

By avoiding these mistakes, you are more likely to facilitate muscle growth, muscle recovery, and fat loss in a shorter period of time. However, these are not the only mistakes that exist! So, continue to do your research. Diligently seek new training and dietary strategies for maximizing YOUR potential, not someone else’s!

References:

1. Reid, M.B. and Y.P. Li, Cytokines and oxidative signalling in skeletal muscle. Acta Physiol Scand, 2001. 171: p. 225-232.

2. Smith, L.L., Cytokine hypothesis of overtraining: a physiological adaptation to excessive stress.Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 2000. 32(2): p. 317-331.

3. Mullington, J.M., et al., Cardiovascular, Inflammatory, and Metabolic Consequences of Sleep Deprivation.Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 2009. 51(4): p. 294-302.

4. Fenech, M., C. Aitken, and J. Rinaldi, Folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine status and DNA damage in young Australian adults.Carcinogenesis, 1998. 19(7): p. 1163-1171.

5. Jacob, R.A. and G. Sotoudeh, Vitamin C function and status in chronic disease. NutrClin Care, 2002. 5(2): p. 66-74.

6. Prasad, A.S., Zinc: an overview. Nutrition, 1995. 11: p. 93-99.

7. Ferreira, M.P. and D. Willoughby, Alcohol consumption: the good, the bad, and the indifferent.Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab., 2008. 33: p. 12-20.

8. Rajendram, R. and V.R. Preedy, Effect of alcohol consumption on the gut. Dig. Dis., 2005. 23: p. 214-221.

9. Goldberg, I.J. and e. al., AHA science advisory: wine and your heart. A science advisory for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee, Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, and Council on Cardiovascular Nursing of the American Heart Association.Circulation, 2001. 103: p. 472-475.

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