Scientists have learned a great deal about adipose tissue, or fat, in the past decade. In addition to being a storage depot for energy, your adipose tissue secretes a number of substances that exert important physiologic effects. These substances are adipocytokines, chemical messengers that influence glucose and fat metabolism, control your appetite and regulate your response to insulin. Adiponectin, one of these adipocytokines, has gained attention for its ability to increase fat metabolism.
Rate of Metabolic Syndrome Increases
In the late 1980s, scientists described a constellation of physiologic traits -- called "syndrome X" -- which appeared to increase a person's risk for developing heart disease. In the intervening years, researchers have better defined these risk factors, which are now called "metabolic syndrome." According to Dr. Darwin Deen of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the primary characteristics of metabolic syndrome are high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and lipid abnormalities, such as elevated triglycerides or a low HDL level. With the increasing incidence of obesity, metabolic syndrome is becoming more common.
Adiponectin Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas in response to increasing levels of glucose in your bloodstream, which typically occurs after you eat a meal. Insulin stimulates your cells to absorb and metabolize glucose. If your cells do not respond normally to insulin's signals, you are said to be "insulin resistant," which is the driving force behind metabolic syndrome. A 2003 study in "European Journal of Endocrinology" demonstrates adiponectin's ability to increase the sensitivity of your liver and muscles -- two of the main locations of glucose metabolism -- to insulin's effects.
Serum Adiponectin Levels May Predict Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
Even though adiponectin is produced by fat tissue, obese subjects tend to produce less adiponectin than lean persons when levels are adjusted for body mass, according to a 2004 "Obesity Research" study. Lower adiponectin levels are associated with lower HDL cholesterol and more vascular inflammation, both of which are markers for metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease. Conversely, high adiponectin levels correlate with a lower risk for these disorders.
Considerations
Adiponectin is a protein messenger molecule produced by adipose tissue. It plays a role in energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity in the human body. Plasma levels of adiponectin vary with weight and gender, with higher levels being associated with health benefits. Women and lean persons typically have higher adiponectin levels than men or obese individuals. According to a 2011 "Pediatric Nephrology" review, there are currently no standardized, normative values for adiponectin, but studies show variations in values from 5 to more than 15 micrograms per ml. If you have questions about your own adiponectin level, ask your doctor.
References
- "American Family Physician"; Metabolic Syndrome: Time for Action; D. Deen; June 2004
- "European Journal of Endocrinology"; Plasma Resistin, Adiponectin, and Leptin Levels in Lean and Obese Subjects: Correlations with Insulin Resistance; J.V. Silvha, et al.; October 2003 (PDF)
- "Obesity Research"; Resistin, Adiponectin, Grehlin, Leptin, and Proinflammatory Cytokines: Relationships in Obesity; J. Vendrell, et al.; June 2004
- "Pediatric Nephrology"; Adiponectin, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease: Emerging Data on Complex Interactions; M.M. Lo, et al.; February 2011
