Obesity: fat hinders muscle development
According to a new study published in the medical journal Diabetes, the excessive presence of fat mass in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes is an obstacle to the proper development of muscle mass.
Consequences of fat accumulation on muscles
In people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, fat accumulation leads to muscle wasting . This finding is revealed by a recent study conducted by researchers from INSERM (French Institute for Health and Medical Research). It is a dysfunction of adipose tissue favoring a decrease in muscle mass.
In this study (1) , the scientists isolated fat cells, precisely visceral adipocytes, which are responsible for excess fat mass in the abdomen, as well as subcutaneous adipocytes in patients with severe obesity and candidates for bariatric surgery. These cells were then linked to muscle cells.
The results, highlighted by INSERM researchers , are a decrease in the expression of genes used to produce the proteins necessary for muscle contraction: troponin, titin and myosin. The decrease in protein reached up to 50% .
” The effect is weaker with subcutaneous adipocytes than with visceral ones, which are particularly inflamed in the event of obesity and diabetes “, specifies Danièle Lacasa, researcher at ICAN, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Unit, metabolism and nutrition.
She also explains that “ Abdominal fat, a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, secretes molecules that indirectly induce the decline in the expression of muscle contraction proteins, leading to muscle atrophy ”.
The importance of physical activity
The conclusions of this study underline the importance of the practice of physical exercises, in particular for individuals suffering from obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Indeed, doing sports on a regular basis would compensate for this phenomenon and limit this muscle atrophy.
” If these initial results are validated, certain molecules could legitimately constitute therapeutic targets for reducing the muscle atrophy observed in patients “, explains Danièle Lacasa.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.