Not sure if this is clear. Our bodies are supposed to replace all the cells every 7 or so years. Does that mean the fat too? Or when someone loses 20 year weight, are you getting rid of 20 year old fat?

  • mushroommunk@lemmy.today
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    2 days ago

    The 7 year thing is a myth. Howtown has a very good summary on it. 7 year myth some cells are replaced but how often depends on the cell type, some never get replaced.

    When you gain weight your fat cells grow, and when you lose weight they shrink. You don’t actually gain and lose fat cells the way people think. However, the stuff in those cells could very well be old. It’s a complex system and hard to sum up and I’m only friends with the biology people from college but that’s what I understand from them.

    • TheRealKuni@piefed.social
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      2 days ago

      When you gain weight your fat cells grow, and when you lose weight they shrink. You don’t actually gain and lose fat cells the way people think.

      But as my doctor explained to me, if they get big enough, they divide. Then even if you lose weight, you have fat cells hanging around who think they should be holding onto more fat than they are. So your body will want to be fat, and will enforce that with cravings.

      It’s why it’s extremely hard to lose a large amount of weight and leave it off. I’m on my third major attempt now.

      • dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net
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        2 days ago

        Seems like that would be an argument for liposuction as a way to supplement other weight loss because it would remove those cells.

          • volvoxvsmarla@sopuli.xyz
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            2 days ago

            I’ve studied nutrition science and we talked about what you described and yes, the blunt “truth” is that liposuction is the only reliable way to really get rid of “emptied fat cells”. There are a lot of things playing into the dreaded yo yo effect but the fact that it is much easier to refill emptied cells than to make new cells via division is definitely a big factor.

            (“Truth” is in “” because I dislike this term in a scientific context but english is my third language and it’s pretty late over here so I am struggling to find a better suited word)

            Good luck on your weight loss journey. It is an incredibly hard and brave one to take and I admire that you are trying.

        • Bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca
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          2 days ago

          I don’t know much about liposuction but I believe it can only be done on subcutaneous fat (just under the skin) but not the deeper intra-abdominal fat that can be the cause of fat related health problems. If you can ‘pinch’ most of your fat then it is probably subcutaneous and lipo would help to remove the excess cells.

      • jet@hackertalks.com
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        2 days ago

        The weight set point theory doesn’t apply to low carbohydrate eating. The abundance of fat cells does not make people doing keto fatter. It’s mostly the carbohydrate insulin model of obesity. Eating food that drives insulin makes people gain weight.

        The abundance of active adipocytes can drive leptin issues, and aromatase issues. But as those adipocytes get emptied, there are no longer being as metabolically active and aren’t an issue. Especially on low carbohydrate diets that don’t drive elevated insulin levels

      • LavaPlanet@sh.itjust.works
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        2 days ago

        I’ve heard similar, that your body wants to keep the “norm” whatever that is. And it makes sense that any extreme weight loss, would seem, to your body, that there is a famine or something is wrong and then reset the balance back to what it was, as soon as it can.

    • DaddleDew@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      That opens the door to new insults such as “You so fat your fat cells are the size of grapes”

    • pelespirit@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      2 days ago

      the stuff in those cells could very well be old.

      So, losing weight, is like taking a long needed shower for your cells.

      Edit: That link is awesome. Your gut lining turns over every few days and your skin is weeks? That brings up so many more questions about the biome then.

      • mushroommunk@lemmy.today
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        2 days ago

        Kind of? The cells, called adipocytes, primarily store triglycerides and a few other things in a liquid form. When you lose weight that liquid gets squeezed out and used as energy, to build other chemicals your body needs, or peed straight out.

        So less a shower and more getting rung out like a sponge.