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The biochemical and immunological mechanisms by which the body modulates inflammation and regulates metabolism are becoming increasingly evident. A low intensity, persistent inflammation and an excessive consumption of fatty foods or simple sugars appear to provoke the same effect of weight gain and increase in adipose tissue within the body. We are constantly learning more about the signals that cause weight gain; this increased knowledge helps us to understand metabolism and the way in which it is activated in one direction or another thanks to signals that indicate inflammation or danger.

The same weight gain signal that is caused by sugar (a substance which was not easily found by our Paleolithic ancestors) is also activated by meals with a high fat content.

From an evolutionary point of view, the reason is easy to understand: at that time men needed to store as much excess fat as possible, taking advantage of moments of abundance. Therefore a tree full of ripe fruit or a large animal killed by the tribe “had” to be stored before they became spoiled.

The body's genetic structure predisposes it for weight gain when it comes into contact with sugar (the so-called elephant signal) but also when it encounters food with a high fat content. While we've known about the effect of sugar for some time, the one linked to fat is a relatively recent discovery.

A study that was recently published on Cell documented the activation of the mechanism by which the energy introduced is transformed into stored energy, that is, fat (Zhang X et al, Cell. 2008 Oct 3;135(1):61-73). According to the American researchers, the excessive consumption of fats and simple sugars activates several hypothalamic nuclear factors (NF-kB) that modify the leptin/insulin balance and encourage the deposit of adipose tissue.

This work also caused great interest on the part of MSNBC who recognized the importance of this topic and discussed it on a broad scale

The general picture is much more understandable if we consider that the action of hypothalamic nuclear factors is determined by the presence of IL1 and TNF, (as described by Solt et al J Biol Chem. 2007 Mar 23;282(12):8724-33. Epub 2007 Jan 23). In the final analysis, these inflammatory cytokines can be considered as the cause of weight gain.

This information explains to us how dietary control of low grade inflammation can have a positive effect on metabolism regulation.

Italian version