Visceral fat, or intra-abdominal fat, disrupts hormone balance. Visceral fat surrounds important organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines in the abdominal cavity, unlike subcutaneous fat.
High levels of pro-inflammatory adipokines from visceral fat cause persistent low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance, and hormone signaling pathway dysregulation.
Intra-abdominal fat storage is significantly linked to insulin resistance, which reduces cell response to insulin. Insulin resistance affects glucose metabolism and raises blood glucose levels, forcing the pancreas to generate more insulin.
Leptin and ghrelin dysregulation: Visceral fat buildup can disrupt leptin and ghrelin release. Adipocyte-produced leptin signals satiety to the brain, regulating energy balance and hunger.
Ghrelin, mostly produced by the stomach, increases hunger and food consumption. Visceral fat buildup may affect ghrelin production, causing appetite dysregulation and overeating.
Cortisol modulates reward processing and food desiring brain areas, affecting appetite and food intake.
Adipose tissue synthesizes estrogen, and extra visceral fat can boost estrogen production in postmenopausal women. Estrogen increases the risk of hormone-related malignancies like breast and endometrial cancer.
Hormonal imbalances cause metabolic dysfunction, persistent low-grade inflammation, and obesity-related consequences such type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain malignancies.
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