Inflammatory Fat & Weight Loss Resistance: Causes & Solutions
Not everyone burns fat or loses weight the same way. While diet and exercise play a key role, your genetics influence how your body stores fat, regulates hunger and responds to inflammation. One major factor in weight-loss resistance is pro-inflammatory fat—fat that actively releases inflammatory molecules, making it harder to burn.
What is inflammatory fat?
Inflamed fat is what I like to call “Angry Fat.” Inflamed fat contributes greatly to not only obesity but weight-loss resistance. It is very hard to burn inflamed pro-inflammatory fat!
Inflammatory fat refers to fat cells that can produce and release higher amounts of inflammatory molecules. This can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation. Reducing inflammation is one of the “Keys” to supporting healthy weight management, and body composition. The types of fats in the body that can cause inflammation are Visceral fat and Ectopic fat.
Visceral fat is the fat stored around your internal organs, such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines. Ectopic fat refers to fat stored in non-adipose tissues, such as the liver, heart, and skeletal muscles. Unlike subcutaneous fat (the fat under your skin), visceral fat is metabolically active and releases pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Pro-inflammatory cytokines are messenger proteins that trigger inflammation to fight infections or injuries. These cytokines contribute to chronic inflammation, which can lead to various health issues, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and certain cancers.
“Adipokines” are proteins that produce inflammatory signals by adipose tissue. They play a role in contributing to obesity, weight loss resistance, and inflammation in other places in the body. Obesity also contributes to high levels of adipokines. When we carry a larger number and size of fat cells, it increases adipokine production, which can contribute to conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes, increased appetite, lower satiety, and increased food intake. Examples of adipokines include leptin, adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor TNF-a, C-reactive protein CRP, and Interleukin-6 IL-6.
Specific genes produce inflammatory adipokines from fat cells. Variants in these genes may lead to greater production and release inflammatory signals as well as lower anti-inflammatory adipokines.
For example, variants in the TNF-a gene, CRP, and IL-6 are associated with greater pro-inflammatory fat signaling and may contribute to chronic inflammation and obesity. The ADIPOQ (adiponectin) is uniquely produced anti-inflammatory protective effects and stimulated fat breakdown for fuel. Genetic variants in the ADIPOQ gene may result in lower production of adiponectin. Variants in LEPR genes lead to changes in the production of the adipokine leptin hormone produced in fats. Leptin exerts insulin sensitization and anti-inflammatory effects and helps control appetite and satiety signaling, leading to increased or decreased food intake. Leptin, however, does not work in isolation. Obese individuals may produce high levels of leptin which can
lead to resistance causing reduced satiety signaling, increased appetite and calorie intake, and contribute to pro-inflammatory effects.
How to 9uoprevent Pro-Inflammatory Fat?
Many lifestyle choices and factors can contribute to lower adipokine production which can reduce overall inflammation and improve body composition. Such as diet, lifestyle habits, and nutrients.
Diet:
A dietary approach to lowering adipokine production may include the Mediterranean Diet rich in; olive oil and plant fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, wild-caught omega 3 fish, fresh plant fiber fruits & vegetables, fresh herbs and spices such turmeric, ginger, garlic. Conversely avoiding high processed diet, high sugar, high corn & soy-fed meat, and excessive grain such as gluten and corn may also help reduce pro-inflammatory fat.
Lifestyle:
Lifestyle habits to reduce pro-inflammatory fat include Intermittent fasting, adequate sun exposure for vitamin D, moderate exercise, cold immersion, meditation practices, gut microbiota health, and improving sleep hygiene and circadian rhythm. Reducing toxic load such as non-toxic hygiene, cleaning products, and cooking materials may help reduce inflammatory response.
Nutrients:
Specific nutrients can impact specific adipokine-associated genes. These include Omega 3s fatty acids, Curcumin, Boswellia, vitamin D, and probiotics.
Understanding your genetics provides specific Diet, Lifestyle, and Nutrient recommendations which are essential in reducing pro-inflammatory fat and adipokine production. Your genetic potential for adipokine (inflammatory fat derived proteins) production may be key to understanding difficulties in weight management or weight-loss resistance. Improving adipokine response will help with healthy body composition and reduce disease risk.
5 Key Takeaways on Inflammatory Fat
1. Inflammatory Fat & Its Effects
Inflammatory fat, or “Angry Fat,” refers to fat cells that release pro-inflammatory molecules, contributing to chronic low-grade inflammation. This type of fat makes weight loss difficult and increases the risk of obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.
2. Types of Pro-Inflammatory Fat
Visceral fat: Stored around internal organs (liver, pancreas, intestines), releasing inflammatory cytokines.
Ectopic fat: Stored in non-adipose tissues (liver, heart, skeletal muscles), further driving inflammation.
3. Adipokines & Genetic Influence
- Adipokines are inflammatory protein signals secreted by fat cells. High adipokine levels contribute to increased appetite, insulin resistance, and chronic inflammation.
- Genetic variants in TNF-a, CRP, IL-6, ADIPOQ, and LEPR** genes can impact adipokine production, influencing weight management and inflammation levels.
4. Reducing Pro-Inflammatory Fat
- Diet: Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil, omega-3s, plant fibers, and anti-inflammatory spices (turmeric, ginger, garlic). Avoid processed foods, refined sugars, and grain-fed meats.
- Lifestyle: Intermittent fasting, sun exposure, exercise, cold immersion, meditation, gut health, and better sleep.
5. Key Nutrients & Genetic Personalization
- Omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, Boswellia, vitamin D, and probiotics help regulate adipokines and reduce inflammation.
- Understanding genetic predispositions can optimize diet, lifestyle, and supplements for better weight management and lower disease risk.