Scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California developed a method to track the longevity and turnover of fat cells in the human body. By analyzing the levels of carbon-14 in DNA from fat cells, they were able to determine when the cells were created and calculate how long they had survived.
Their findings revealed that about 10% of fat cells die and are replaced each year, regardless of age or weight. This fat cell turnover may offer the possibility of blocking fat cell regeneration as a potential treatment for obesity.
The scientists also examined fat cells in biopsies from nearly 700 adults of various ages and weights. They found that fat cell numbers quickly climb through the teen years, with overweight children gaining more fat cells than normal-weight children. However, fat cell numbers level off and stabilize in adulthood.
Additionally, the researchers looked at how fat cells change after severe weight gain or loss. They found that non-obese men who added significant pounds had a boost to fat cell size but no change in the number. Later weight loss caused the fat cells to shrink but not vanish. Likewise, people who lost weight after stomach-stapling surgery had the same number of fat cells two years later, but the cells were smaller because they contained less fat.
This study's results offer a better understanding of the difficulty of losing weight and keeping it off, even after significant weight loss. If you are overweight and lose weight, you still have the same number of fat cells, which means you still have the capacity to store lipids. According to scientists, fat cells do not go away, they simply shrink when the fat stored within the cell is used up. This information highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy weight during adolescence to prevent the proliferation of fat cells, which can linger for a lifetime.
In conclusion, this research reveals the critical role of adolescent health and the impact it has on our bodies for a lifetime. It's never too late to make healthy choices and maintain a healthy weight, as it can have significant long-term benefits.
