{"id":8084,"date":"2018-11-02T09:25:15","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T09:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uk.inbody.com\/?p=8084"},"modified":"2021-05-12T08:09:19","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T07:09:19","slug":"how-body-fat-sabotages-your-immune-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ro.inbody.com\/ro\/how-body-fat-sabotages-your-immune-system\/","title":{"rendered":"How Body Fat Sabotages Your Immune System"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If there\u2019s one thing everyone can agree on, it\u2019s that no one likes being sick. <\/span><\/p>\n

What if there was something you could do to improve your health and reduce your sick days? <\/span><\/p>\n

As it turns out, having a healthy body composition contributes to a stronger immune system<\/strong>, helping you to resist minor infections and reduce your risk of getting serious diseases, like heart disease and diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s a healthy body composition? Put simply, there are two main areas of focus: sufficiently developed muscle mass and a body fat percentage in a healthy range  (10-20% for men; 18-28% for women). <\/span><\/p>\n

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Unfortunately, over \u2154 of Americans are classified as overweight, with a shocking <\/span>1\/3 of Americans classified as obese<\/span><\/a> . Americans are on average heavier than any other time in history. There has been a similar increase in heart disease and diabetes diagnoses. That is why the CDC says obesity is an epidemic in this country. <\/span><\/p>\n

How does this tie back into the immune system and your health? It all has to do with the nature of body fat.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Happens When Your Immune System Activates<\/h2>\n

When your body gets sick \u2013 due to a bacterial infection, a virus, etc. \u2013 the body\u2019s defense system gets triggered, causing inflammation.  This is thanks to your \u201cinnate\u201d immune response: your body\u2019s all-purpose defense mechanism that serves as the first wave of defense against foreign invaders.<\/span><\/p>\n

The infected area becomes red and swollen due to increased blood flow, which can be unsightly and uncomfortable. Think of what happens to your nose when you get a cold. That\u2019s inflammation.<\/span><\/p>\n

This reaction is caused by white blood cells called macrophages and the proteins they emit called cytokines<\/strong> (this word will be important in a minute). These cytokines encourage inflammation.<\/span><\/p>\n

You may have not thought of it this way before, but inflammation that\u2019s triggered by your immune system is typically a good thing<\/strong>. That means your body is releasing the appropriate hormones and proteins, activating your white blood cells to start the recovery process, and working to defeat the infection.  If there wasn\u2019t any inflammation, your body would be in serious trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n

So if inflammation is what naturally occurs when your body\u2019s immune system is triggered, how does inflammation relate to body fat, body composition, and obesity? <\/span><\/p>\n

When Inflammation Becomes Permanent<\/h2>\n

When white blood cells cause inflammation, it\u2019s a sign that your body\u2019s immune system is properly functioning. Inflammation begins, white blood cells attack the foreign invader, the invader is neutralized, and the inflammation subsides.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is how your body\u2019s defense system naturally works. However, white blood cells aren\u2019t the only type of cell that have the ability to emit cytokines.  A second type of cell that can emit cytokines and cause inflammation are adipocytes or fat cells. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Most people know that your body stores excess calories as fat so that you can use it later for energy if food becomes scarce.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Just recently, scientists have learned that fat<\/span> is an active endocrine organ<\/span><\/a>, one that can secrete a whole host of proteins and chemicals, including inflammatory cytokines.<\/span><\/p>\n

What happens when your body keeps adding on more and more adipose tissue?  Cytokines are released by your fat cells, triggering inflammation. In fact, obesity is<\/span> characterized by researchers<\/span><\/a> as \u201c a state of low-grade, chronic inflammation.<\/strong>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This means that increased fat cells puts your body in a constant state of stress\/immune response. Your body is always in a state of inflammation; your immune system is permanently \u201cswitched on.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Think of your body\u2019s immune system like your body\u2019s crack team of defenders, highly trained and designed to repel any and all foreign invaders.  In this scenario, your adipose cells are like enemy agents planted in your home territory. Their mission is to spread fear of an attack at all times, and they trick your defenders to be on high alert at all times.<\/span><\/p>\n

As you might have guessed, perpetual, never-ending inflammation isn\u2019t good for the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sabotaged Immune System<\/h2>\n

Obesity causes a state of chronic inflammation, and this causes your immune system to become compromised.  Chronic inflammation is a serious issue and can lead to the development of minor and serious illness and conditions.  Here are a couple examples:<\/span><\/p>\n