Today I am excited to try something a little bit different!
We are going to take a slight deviation from the topic of metabolic hormones and dive into how Fat Loss can INHIBIT FAT LOSS.
I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but for so many reasons it is true! Our body is smart. Although we begrudge our weight loss plateaus they often represent a logical solution to a problem that our body is experiencing.
One of these problems, and plateau inducers, is our bodies toxic burden.
What are toxins?
In a broad sense, toxins include any foreign substance that both enters your body, and has a negative effect on your physiology. These include pesticides, additives, PBDs, BPA, halogens, pharmaceutical waste products, exhaust and petrol waste products etc etc! There are literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions of examples of toxins in our environments. Every day more chemicals are being created and pumped out, and every day our bodies are challenged to cope and deal with them.
This is not to scare you! Chemicals, toxins and other environmental pollutants are our reality, but there is so much that we can do to deal with them! The first step though, is understanding how toxins affect us.
Why do toxins build up?
We inherently have the systems in place in our bodies to deal with the processing of toxins, pollutants, xenoestrogens etc. The majority of this happens in the liver, but the kidneys, skin and lungs are also highly involved. We are programmed to process and eliminate toxins. So, why is this an issue now?
First off, we do not have the same nutrition or hormonal environments that our ancestors had. We are missing key nutrients that are required for detoxification and our lifestyles, and sleep patterns do not foster support of those systems. Additionally, we also have millions more chemicals today then we have ever seen previously, and the exposure is far greater than ever before!
Together, under processing and over exposure create the perfect storm.
How do toxins affect weight loss?
Today you are getting what we in the medical community call a ‘clinical pearl’. Essentially what this means is that although the research is sparse, my clinical experience and the experience of my mentors suggest that there is something to it. That is that a toxic burden can inhibit weight loss. This can happen for a number of reasons, listed below.
- Inflammation
Over the last few weeks we spoke about the effects of inflammation on weight loss, and specifically how inflammation can underlie weight loss resistance. We also know that inflammation is at the root of almost every chronic disease currently understood.
Research is constantly being done to further understand the relationship between some of the chemicals, toxins and pollutants that we are exposed to and inflammation. What we know currently is that these things are highly related. Insulin resistance is starting to be linked to persistent organic pollutants, we know that the thyroid is sensitive to these substances, and, whatsmore, is that the general public are now being studied as specific communities are developing systemic, inflammatory chronic disease and metabolic diseases at a rate never seen before. Exposure to PCBs, BPA, pesticides etc have all been linked to these developments1,2.
- Estrogen Mimicking
BPA is something that many people have heard of. It is found in the lining of cans, on receipts, in plastics etc. It seems everything these days is being labelled BPA free. BPA is also what is known as a xenoestrogen. This means that it can bind the estrogen receptors in the body and have an effect. Other examples of xenoestrogens include PCBs, phthalates etc.
Estrogen is already overly dominant in many people so to increase the signaling of estrogen receptors in the body has hormonal consequences in both men and women. Additionally, it also has negative effects on the regulation of weight. Women who have estrogen dominance, meaning more estrogen then progesterone, tend to gain weight easily in the chest, hips and buttocks area. This is not always the case, but can often happen! This is because there are specific receptors in that area known as alpha receptors. When estrogen binds to these alpha receptors it can inhibit lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat inside of out fat cells3.
This presents a double whammy! You have increased inflammation and metabolic disease risk with BPA and xenoestrogens, but you can also see a decrease in lipolysis with estrogen signaling! These are definitely components to consider when experiencing weight loss resistance!
- Protection from further burden
As we discussed above, the majority of the toxins we are exposed to are fat soluble, and they are stored in our fat cells. This inherently means that when we lose fat, we also are releasing toxins into the blood stream! These toxins then have to be processed by the liver, and eliminated through our stool (poop), urine, breath and skin. When we are losing weight regularly, this can inherently mean that we are overwhelming detox systems, and things are building up in our bodies. We can begin to feel tired and achey, we begin to have digestive issues, our thyroid becomes affected in some cases, and the metabolic rate slows.
The body is smart, remember? Myself, and many others before me, believe that this is no accident. By downregulating, or preventing fat loss, we are also decreasing the liberation of toxins, and giving your body some time to process what is already there. Is this frustrating? Yes! But it can be addressed.
What to do about it?
Almost everyone knows of someone who has benefitted from a detox. Maybe they lost weight, improved their energy, ditched their hormonal issues or improved the symptoms of a chronic disease. And indeed, a medically supervised detox program that is packed full of supportive nutrients and also includes herbs such as dandelion, nettle, rosemary, turmeric, burdock etc, can be a great benefit to many people.
Whether you are looking to lose weight or not, an annual or biannual ‘reset’ detox can be beneficial. I always try for twice per year. I ensure that I am eating rich whole foods, lots of colourful herbs and spices and plenty of good quality protein and fat. I will eliminate any sugar that may have slipped in, cut out grains, any dairy, wheat (which I always do) and coffee.. yes coffee… for two to three weeks. During this time, I also include a detoxification supplements, in either a protein powder or pill form.
Now this is not a cure all weight loss fad! Please do not think that everyone who employs this tactic will see the fat melting off of their bodies, but for many people who are plateauing in their weight loss detoxification can be a helpful strategy.
I am always curious to know, have you or someone you know benefitted from a detox! Let me know on my Facebook page!
Next week…
We are getting back on track with an exploration of Leptin! Feeling hungry all of the time? Do you feel like you are ‘stuck’ at a certain weight? Have you ever lost your menstrual cycle ladies, or changed it because of an eating pattern, this article is critical for you to read!
NOTE: Okay people, this is important! If you are pregnant, trying to conceive or on any medications PLEASE do not start a detox formula on your own. The liver affects how you breakdown medications, as well as toxins and if your meds leave your blood stream too quickly, or not quick enough then your life can be at risk. Natural medicine is powerful stuff, and is not safe for everyone!
References
- Mostafalou, S. Persistent Organic Pollutants and Concern Over the Link with Insulin Resistance Related Metabolic Diseases. Rev. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 238, 69–89
- Savastano, S. et al. Bisphenol-A plasma levels are related to inflammatory markers, visceral obesity and insulin-resistance: a cross-sectional study on adult male population. J. Transl. Med. 13, 169 (2015).
- Pedersen, S. B., Kristensen, K., Hermann, P. A., Katzenellenbogen, J. A. & Richelsen, B. Estrogen controls lipolysis by up-regulating alpha2A-adrenergic receptors directly in human adipose tissue through the estrogen receptor alpha. Implications for the female fat distribution. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 89, 1869–78 (2004).
