Do Fat Cells Have Memory?

Greetings!

There are many questions people wonder about: "What's the meaning of life, the universe and everything." "why me?" "Is there a god (or a God)?" "What time do the shops open in this town?" and "why is it so damn difficult for me to lose weight?"

Of all the above questions, I found an article that attempts to explain the last one (for the rest of the above questions, I suggest studying philosphy... or reading the Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy).

Anyway, the article is based on a clinical study that showed that:

a particular fat-building enzyme is three times more abundant in the muscles of obese people than in the muscles of people who are lean, and that this propensity continued even when the cells were removed from the body and grown in a lab. The cells of obese people remembered their metabolic program, which could help explain, in part, why losing weight and maintaining weight loss is so difficult.

(Here is the article, if you want to read it. Another window will open.)

Now, the dude from Living La Vida Lo-Carb ridiculed the finding because he has been able to lose a lot of weight through a low carbs regime (Atkins' to be precise).

He reckons his cells have amnesia or something, as he has not gained weight since he began losing it.

Whilst I can see the point he's making, I think he has chosen to ignore the reality of "genetic memory". This is what scientist regard as "cellular memory".

Over thousands of years (if not millions, depending on whether you are a creationist or evolutionist subscriber) our cells have gathered and stored information that is passed from one being to another via our DNA. In some instances individuals had to adapt to scarcity, and their bodies had to make do without much food around. This information has arguably been stored in our genes. Hence, some of us have a propensity to store large amounts of energy... just in case.

Now, this should not be a case of "oh well! That explains everything, and I am meant to be fat anyway." No!

It is just a matter of understanding how our bodies work... and possibly why. Once we know these factors, we are in a better position to take appropriate measures to correct this imbalance.

Let me tell you this: I'm not having a go at the low carbs dude. I'm happy that he's lost weight using his low carbs regime. However, if he discontinued his regime, his cells would probably "remember" their program and start storing fat....

... just as it happens whenever we fall off the wagon. ;-)


Yours in Health,


Skinny Jeff



For lots of delicious low fat recipes, weight loss and healthy eating tips and articles, visit www.Delicious-Low-Fat-Recipes.Com (They're so delicious... you won't believe they're good for you!).

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