We are acutely aware that strength training develops muscle, yet exercise training also causes adaptations to white adipose tissue protecting against metabolic disorders, obesity, type2 diabetes and more. Exercise induces skeletal muscle to secret proteins called myokines and adipose tissue proteins called adipokines. These secreted proteins act to have tissue to tissue communication called ‘cross talk’. In other words muscle and body fat work together cross talking to improve overall metabolic health.
The catch is that exercise in healthy fit adults improves how adipokines interact with skeletal muscle metabolism. In the overweight the protein profile of these adipokines change in their response to exercise and how they change is currently not completely understood. What is known is that impaired adipose tissue function overtime can lead to disorders such as insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, hypertension, cholesterol, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular issues, some cancers and dementia.
The bottom line is body fat is necessary and is a good thing. A positive – unless there is much too much! Make exercise and the appropriate diet an important part of your daily lifestyle, understanding muscle and fat can and should have a healthy tissue to tissue relationship. Get Strong and Keep Strong.
