Weird Fat Linked to Brain SHRINKAGE
You know that excess weight harms your heart. That’s not news.
And besides, should you ever forget, your doctor will surely remind you.
But did you know being overweight can hurt your brain, too?
In fact, a recent study revealed that excess pounds could be especially harmful if you’re already at a high risk for Alzheimer’s.
But there’s one particular kind of fat that sends that risk SOARING.
Researchers used MRIs to measure visceral fat (deeply buried belly fat located near several vital organs) and brain volume in adults who had a higher risk of Alzheimer’s due to family history.
The analysis found that having more belly (abdominal) fat is associated with…
- lower total gray matter in the brain,
- and lower cognition.
And while a shrinking waistline can be a good thing, shrinking gray matter is definitely not. Gray matter allows you to control movement, memory, and emotions.
In addition, men with a greater amount of pancreatic fat also had lower cognition and brain volumes.
It’s not a huge surprise that pancreatic fat would impact brain function. After all, impaired pancreatic function leads to prediabetes and diabetes, which are KNOWN to increase dementia risk.
Beyond that, the fact that metabolism is connected to brain health is really no surprise, either.
Other studies have shown that having excess belly fat can cause Alzheimer’s type changes in the brain up to 15 years before a diagnosis!
The connection to conditions like diabetes and heart disease should be reason enough to keep the spare tire under control.
But if you need a little extra push, the threat of brain shrink and increased Alzheimer’s risk might just do the trick.
P.S. Shed stubborn belly fat by kicking your body’s belly fat burning into overdrive… NATURALLY.
SOURCE:
Shekhtman, et al., Abdominal fat depots are related to lower cognitive functioning and brain volumes in middle-aged males at high Alzheimer’s risk. Obesity. doi. org /10. 1002/oby.24004
