You and your friend weigh about the same amount and you both decide to get healthy together. Both of you start eating healthier and working physical activity into your weekly routines, but your friend seems to be losing much more weight than you, and you continue to struggle while they seem to be thriving. It’s a fact that some people find it harder to lose weight than others, but why is this? A new study has maybe discovered the reason - a specific molecule in fat cells called lysyl oxidase (LOX).
Obesity
According to statistics from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 adults, and 1 in 6 children are obese. Being obese increases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and some forms of cancer.
No one enjoys being obese, but it takes extreme effort and determination to overcome that lifestyle. To that end, health care professionals recommend the following to help prevent sliding into that unhealthy state. For example:
- Eating unprocessed foods - Processed foods are often loaded with large amounts of salt and sugar, which is why they taste so good.
- Taking supplements - It’s advised to read reports about natural supplements at Customer Review to ensure the ones you buy have high quality, effective ingredients.
- Physical activity - Doing only 30 minutes per day of physical activity can make a huge impact on your health.
Obesity And Lysyl Oxidase
In an obese adult, the number of fat cells stays the same. This means that when you gain weight, instead of creating new fat cells, the existing fat cells must expand. The problem becomes when fat cells grow so large that they start to suffocate themselves. As fat cells become oxygen deprived and inflamed, there is an increase in lysyl oxidase (LOX).
Normally, when tissues repair themselves, they do so by forming fibrous connective tissue. When there is an excess amount, it is called fibrosis. LOX is associated with fat tissue fibrosis and has been shown to be in higher amounts in people that are obese.
Scientists explain that when your fat cells go through this type of stress, they begin to lose their ability to store excess calories. This then causes the excess calories to be stored as fat around organs, such as your liver and heart, which is why obesity can lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
More Research Needed
Fat tissue fibrosis can make it harder for you to lose weight, but not impossible. You want to make your fat tissue not become further overworked. You can do this by adding some regular activity to a reduced energy intake for a longer period. Hopefully more research will be done on the role of the LOX molecule to prevent fat cell fibrosis.
There is also more research needed to find other ways to prevent fat tissue fibrosis. In the meantime, increasing your physical activity could help. There is evidence that once fat tissue becomes scarred, it will never go back to the way it was. Even if you have lost weight, those fat cell tissues may still have the strong connective tissue, and keeping the weight off will be more difficult for you than it is for others.
Live Your Healthiest Life
Some people are genetically predisposed to hold on to more weight than others. You don’t need to look a certain way or be a specific size, instead take care to live your healthiest lifestyle. Once someone is obese, it is not impossible to get rid of fat cell fibrosis but it is very difficult. You are only given one body, so try your best to take care of it.
