Well-functioning fat may be the key to fewer old-age ailments:
How well does your fat function? It isn't a question that one gets asked very often. Nonetheless, research in recent years suggests that the function of our fat tissue, or adipose tissue, is central to why our bodies decay with age, and strongly linked to human diseases like diabetes 2, cancer as obesity often develop and fat cells undergo functional changes as we get older. Thus, overall health is not just influenced by the amount of fat we bear, but about how well our fat tissue functions.
[...] Gudiksen and a group of colleagues looked at the role of age and physical training in maintaining fat tissue function. Specifically, they studied mitochondria, the tiny power plants within fat cells. Mitochondria convert calories from food to supply cells with energy. To maintain the life processes within cells, they need to function optimally.
[...] Just as a car engine produces waste when converting chemical to usable energy, so do mitochondria. Mitochondrial waste comes in the form of oxygen free radicals, known as ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species). ROS that isn't eliminated damages cells and the current theory is that elevated ROS can lead to a wide range of diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's. Therefore, the regulation of ROS is important.
"The group of older people who train most form less ROS and maintain functionality to eliminate it. Indeed, their mitochondria are better at managing waste produced in fat cells, which results in less damage. Therefore, exercise has a large effect on maintaining the health of fat tissue, and thereby probably keeping certain diseases at bay as well," says Gudiksen.
Journal Reference:
Gudiksen, Anders, Qoqaj, Albina, Ringholm, Stine, et al. Ameliorating Effects of Lifelong Physical Activity on Healthy Aging and Mitochondrial Function in Human White Adipose Tissue, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A (DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab356)
(Score: 4, Interesting) by crafoo on Tuesday February 22 2022, @02:01PM (4 children)
mitochondria are amazing. they have their own little bits of DNA separate from the cell nucleus:
https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Mitochondrial-DNA [genome.gov]
I thought I had read somewhere that mitochondria are a re-purposed (kidnapped) single-cell bacteria. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/cells-living-in-cells [asu.edu]
Not that strange really. Half of the cells in our body aren't "really us", as they are gut bacteria and other living things taking up residence in what we consider "our body".
Anyway, you know the saying about old AND fat people. Exercise is a chore. It's better to just live an active life. When you have energy and a choice, choose to do things rather than not do things.
(Score: 1, Redundant) by DannyB on Tuesday February 22 2022, @04:21PM (2 children)
Just because some cells don't have our DNA doesn't mean they aren't part of us. Everyone has them. The mechanisms are understood. Such as gut bacteria. So aren't they really part of us?? Maybe what we are includes other low level living things which are simply part of the standard machinery.
It would be like a robot complaining that some low level important but out of sight subsystem somewhere runs Windows.
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.
(Score: 2) by crafoo on Tuesday February 22 2022, @06:04PM
It's a semantics argument that I don't care about. I'm not sure what kind of point you are tying to make? I think metaphors are overused and abused. Maybe your point could be made more clear if you just explained your idea directly?
mitochondria as a captured and integrated bacteria is a relatively recent theory, but well supported and accepted. The DNA for mitochondria is passed down through the female line, so it is clearly fully integrated into "us".
Some pieces of "us" follow our reproductive process. Some pieces of "us" are collected from our environment as we go about our lives. That seems like a reasonable place to draw the line. Again, a pointless argument. But now at least you know where I draw the line. It's completely subjective though.
(Score: 1, Touché) by foundling on Tuesday February 22 2022, @09:03PM
Except, in biological systems, such a occurence has a name: cancer.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Tuesday February 22 2022, @11:00PM
They not only have their own DNA; their genetic code is different. That genetic code governs how the DNA gets transcribed into proteins.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 22 2022, @02:19PM (4 children)
It's one thing to pretend that rolls of fat in a bikini aren't disgusting, but to suggest that lard-ass Americans will enjoy healthy old age because of their super-functioning fat is a step too far.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday February 22 2022, @04:26PM (2 children)
I didn't read any suggestion that obesity was a good thing.
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 22 2022, @04:54PM (1 child)
Stop fat shaming!
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday February 23 2022, @07:57PM
I'm not shaming anyone. I didn't see anything in the article to support that idea that excess weight is in any way generally healthy.
Perhaps the post that complained about bikinis was fat shaming?
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by istartedi on Tuesday February 22 2022, @06:19PM
I don't see how you would draw that conclusion. Everybody knows that obesity is unhealthy. If the fat is an organ, then the proper analogy to draw is with an enlarged heart. The reasons for enlargement may be different, but in both cases the enlarged organ is malfunctioning.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 22 2022, @02:36PM (4 children)
...to better Soylentnews experiences.
I see comments here, but the counter on the main page reads zero for the last two stories.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday February 22 2022, @04:22PM (3 children)
I noticed that also. It may be a new feature.
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 22 2022, @04:38PM (2 children)
Ongoing problem, last couple of times it took MechanicJay to fix the counter on the main page.
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Tuesday February 22 2022, @05:53PM (1 child)
Yep - we don't know why it happens. The fix requires we restart some software in the correct sequence. Thanks to all for bringing it to our attention.
[nostyle RIP 06 May 2025]
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday February 23 2022, @08:00PM
Your sig:
Something I've said on SN many times:
The people who complain the loudest about their rights are the ones who care the least, or not at all about anyone else's rights.
Only they have rights. Others do not. Or the rights of others are inferior to their own rights.
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.