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The ultimate Christmas gift for someone with weight issues
Mice who receive a FAT transplant become OBESITY RESISTANT – this means, the little critters can eat what they like and never get fat. I want that….
You’re dreading Christmas…………..
It is the season of sugar treats.
And, thanks to a host of metabolic problems, participating in all the feasting is NOT ALLOWED.
The sugar lowering plan
This Christmas, you do have a sugar lowering battle plan.
- You told your friends and family to NOT give you edible gifts.
- You’ve committed yourself to exercise more.
- You’ve made out your Christmas wish list, at the top of the list,
IS A FAT TRANSPLANT
A fat transplant
What do you mean, it’s NOT ?
I know, I know…. having the fat sucked out (liposuction) is a more conventional approach, but this doesn’t last – the fat comes back.
You want a PERMANENT solution.
Fat is trouble with a capital T
Now I know you might be thinking – you’ve got more than enough FAT and this is what is causing ALL the trouble.
You’re right – fat is TROUBLE with the capital T.
But, it’s the type of fat, that you have, that matters.
You see, fat comes in a variety of flavours….
White fat cells (WAT)
There is white fat (WAT), which is where you store the majority of your “spare” calories.
The idea is, you will be able to reach into the cupboard when fuel supplies are low and save the day, by dispatching fuel to the rest of the body, when it needs it.
Of course, in the modern world, there is not so much opportunity to reach into the stores, so the stores grow bigger every day.
WAT about BAT ?
In addition, to your white fat cells, you have brown fat cells (BAT), which is also a fat store of sorts. This fat store is designed to keep you warm and toasty, but if you’re living in a world with central heating, this fat store is largely redundant.
So odds are………. you have lots of WAT and little or no, BAT.
Christmas wish list
Which is why, you might want to ask Father Christmas for a fat transplant.
This is what a group of genetically disadvantaged mice did……………. and it made a big difference.
Born to be fat
The BORN TO BE FAT mice, petitioning Father Christmas for help, were seriously short on the hormone leptin.
With NO LEPTIN, these little guys pretty much never feel full, so they eat and eat and eat. They manage to get fat on an ordinary mouse chow, which is quite unusual.
And, all the extra weight means the animals eventually develop diabetes.
Father Christmas……….. SAVED THE DAY
The actual fat transplant was done by researchers from Joslin Diabetes Centre, but Father Christmas put in the order. The team took 0.2 g of neck fat from perfectly healthy young mice, belonging to the C57BL/6J clan and popped it under the skin of the Ob/Ob mice.
And then watched what happened.
Obesity resistant
As you can see, the BAT transplant made the mice who received it, OBESITY RESISTANT. That is a fancy way of saying, the little critters could eat what they liked and they didn’t get fat. Okay, they were still a little tubby, but they didn’t get any fatter.
The weight of ob/ob mice following BAT fat transplant. Copyright Endocrine Society
How does a fat transplant work ?
The marked improvement had nothing to do with leptin.
The animal’s were still leptin deficient and eating like crazy.
The reason they did not turn into blobs of fur, was because all the extra calories they ate, didn’t have time to stick around. The transplanted BAT turned them into fat burning machines.
Fat burning machines
Effectively, the animals appeared to violate the basic rules of thermodynamics….
CALORIES IN = CALORIES OUT
Bet you know a few people like this.
We all do…………….
Disobeying the rules of thermodynamics
Every time you look at them, they’re eating and it’s always something FATTENING.
You secretly despise them, while at the same time admire them.
Undergoing a BAT transplant helps BORN TO BE FAT mice into “skinny bean poles”.
BUT WAIT, there is more….
Better sugar control
The mice who received a donation of BAT cells showed
- Improved glucose tolerance
- Increased insulin sensitivity
- Less fat in their liver (fatty liver)
Around about now………….. I am sure a fat transplant has made it onto your list of things you desire.
Too old for Father Christmas
The trouble is, you’re too old for Father Christmas to visit.
You may not need someone to donate BAT cells to get some more.
BAT cells are something that should be part of you.
If you’ve metabolically broken, they may be a bit thin on the ground. But BAT cells can be coaxed into action.
Don’t worry, BE COLD
To light a fire under your BAT cells – all you need to do is go out into the cold.
If you’re not enjoying a white Christmas, turn up the air conditioner and sit there and shiver. Two hours and 16 degree C on a daily basis, should give you the fat transplant you desire.
Further reading
Could being fat be a fat burning problem not a storage issue ?
Instead of blaming your weight troubles on all the extra white fat cells you’re sporting, maybe you should be lamenting your shortage of brown fat cells.
Are fat people just running on a cooler setting ?
Thermostats set for a lower temperature require less calories to be burned to keep warm and toasty inside, less calories consumed means more calories stored.
BATTING for a win against obesity means going out into the cold
Despite the concerted effort, the scale beams at you, you’re just as fat this week, as last week. What is wrong with YOU ? Maybe you’re BAT deficient.