Adipose Tissue: Is It Just 'Fat'?

When we hear the word 'body fat', most of us think of it as something unnecessary and something that needs to be reduced. But did you know that this adipose tissue, or what we call body fat, is an indispensable and very important function for our body? It performs a much more complex and surprising job than we think. It is not just a place to store energy. It is more than that, it is a functional organ that regulates the health of our entire body. Shall we learn more about this today?

Simply put, what is adipose tissue?

Adipose tissue, or body fat as we all know it, is a special connective tissue that is spread throughout our bodies. It is not just in one place.

• Under our skin (subcutaneous fat)
• Between our internal organs (visceral fat)
• Also, this fatty tissue is present even in the bone marrow inside the bones (bone marrow adipose tissue).

Many people think that the main function of fat is to store energy and release it when needed, and to provide insulation, that is, a covering that keeps the body warm. That's true. But now scientists have discovered that it does much more than that.

This fat tissue contains nerve cells and even blood vessels. It also constantly communicates with other organs in the body through hormonal signals. Therefore, fat tissue has an amazing ability to regulate the health of the entire body. However, if it becomes too much or too little in the body, this function can be impaired and major health problems can occur.

What services does adipose tissue provide to the body?

There are many more things going on in this fatty tissue than we think. Check out this list.

How does adipose tissue 'talk' to other organs?

Think of adipose tissue as a big communication center in our body. On the one hand, it produces and releases hormones, and on the other hand, it responds to hormones from other organs. This is how it connects with our Central Nervous System and other organs.

For example, adipose tissue controls the body's energy supply and demand through signals of hunger and satiety. Similarly, when we eat foods high in sugar, adipose tissue responds to the hormone insulin by converting the extra sugar into lipids and storing them for later use.

Sex hormones also influence where fat is stored in our bodies. Fat tissue also has its own immune cells. These cells either work to remove dead fat cells or to trigger an inflammatory response in response to a stimulus. Any disruption in any of these processes can lead to metabolic diseases.

Where in the body is this fat most abundant?

Fat is found all over our bodies, but there are two main places where it is stored.

• Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue (SAT): This is the layer of fat between our skin and muscles . This is the fat that we feel when we touch a part of our body.
• Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT): This is the more dangerous type. This fat is found inside our abdominal cavity, around major organs like the heart, liver, and intestines . Too much of this is not good for our health.

In addition to these two main places, there is fat in other places:

• Inside the bone marrow
• In breast tissue
• Between the muscles
• Around the heart
• Inside the eyeballs
• On the palms and soles of the feet

Are there types of fat? White vs. Brown Fat

Yes, fat is not all the same. There are two main types. They are white fat and brown fat. The functions of the two are also very different.

Is fat good for the body? What happens if there is not enough of it?

Fat is essential for our health. But the problem lies in its quantity. Like anything, too much fat is not good, nor is too little. Both of these things cause the regulatory systems in adipose tissue to malfunction.

Healthy fat levels can vary between 10% and 35% depending on age and gender.

If you gain too much fat (Obesity):

When the body runs out of fat storage space, existing fat cells are forced to grow even larger. This enlargement of fat cells is directly linked to chronic inflammation and various metabolic diseases associated with it.

If the fat is too low:

Surprisingly, an abnormal decrease in body fat also causes the same thing as described above, because the body also no longer has enough tissue space to store fats (lipids).

Some of the main medical conditions that can occur due to adipose tissue dysfunction are:

• Insulin resistance: This is the main cause of Type 2 Diabetes.
• Dysfunction of hunger and satiety signals: This leads to obesity.
• Hypertension and heart disease.
• Fatty liver disease, such as fatty liver disease .

So, how do we keep this fatty tissue healthy?

To get the most out of your fat tissue, you need to maintain it at a healthy level. Body Mass Index (BMI) can be a useful way to get a rough idea of ​​how much fat you have in your body. This chart gives you an estimate of your body fat based on your height and weight.

Therefore, it's best to see your doctor and get specific information about yourself. Your doctor can then consider the balance of your body fat, muscle mass, and water levels and set realistic goals for weight loss or gain.

As a general precaution, you don't need to think too much about the numbers.

• Try to eat a healthy, balanced diet .
• Exercise regularly .

Doctors recommend that you do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. That could be brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or gardening. If you do strenuous exercise like running or lifting weights, two or three times a week is enough.

Ultimately, body fat is not just a storage system. It is an amazing system that interacts with our entire body to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Therefore, like every other body system, the adipose tissue system deserves our respect and care.