How to get rid of visceral fat: a randomised double-blind clinical trial

Abstract

Inflammation and oxidative damage are immanent in visceral adiposity that is characterised by excess lipids and lipoproteins, viewed as the core components of arterial plaques, ultimately obstructing blood flow and lymphatic drainage. Accumulated toxicity dysregulates the orexigenic hormone ghrelin and anorexic hormone leptin, which are part of a reciprocal network controlling appetite. Weight gain promotes hormonal imbalance, expressed in disturbances in free T3 and an inverse low testosterone/high cortisol incongruity that provokes stress-eating behaviours. The author explored a number of interventions designed to reduce visceral adipose tissue (VAT), including radiofrequency, lasers and exercise, as well as exercise alone. Short-term gymnastics evidenced a modest advantage in VAT decrease, but there were no changes in body mass index (BMI) or physical appearance. Overtraining appeared to negate the benefits of exercise by increasing inflammation and cortisol, while suppressing testosterone and leptin that inevitably instigated hunger and weight gain. The blood samples of 10 overweight, healthy adults who underwent 12 treatments during the course of 1 month were examined. Results demonstrated a statistically significant decline in very-low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and VAT, accompanied by a substantial increase in basal metabolic rate and skeletal muscle mass. Importantly, free T3, insulin-like growth factor 1, leptin, and testosterone were elevated towards the top of the normal range, while cortisol and ghrelin gravitated towards the low end of the normal range, without ever spiking outside the limits of hormonal balance.