New findings indicate that the presence of hidden fat within your muscles can significantly elevate your chances of developing severe heart conditions. This hidden fat, known as intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and heart failure, even in individuals who may seem healthy based on traditional health measures like body mass index (BMI). A recent study published in the European Heart Journal reveals that IMAT poses a unique threat by impacting the functionality of the small blood vessels in the heart.
Over 71% of adults in the U.S. struggle with obesity or being overweight, conditions that are closely associated with heart disease. While BMI is commonly used to assess obesity, it may not offer a complete assessment of heart risk, as individuals with similar BMIs can have varying heart health outcomes.
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, led by Professor Viviany Taqueti, examined 669 individuals who sought medical care for symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath. Through advanced imaging techniques, the scientists studied the quantity of fat stored within the participants’ muscles, specifically known as the fatty muscle fraction. They found that higher levels of this hidden fat were directly linked to damage in the heart’s microcirculation, a condition called coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). For each 1% increase in fatty muscle fraction, the risk of CMD increased by 2%, and the likelihood of serious heart issues, including mortality, rose by 7%, independent of BMI.
Professor Taqueti emphasized, “Obesity is now a major global risk to cardiovascular health. However, BMI as the primary metric for defining obesity and intervention thresholds remains contentious and inadequate, particularly for women, where a high BMI may indicate less harmful forms of fat.”
Contrary to subcutaneous fat stored under the skin, which primarily affects appearance, IMAT produces substances that promote inflammation and disrupt glucose regulation. This disturbance contributes to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, both of which harm blood vessels, including those that supply the heart.
Preliminary research indicates that IMAT releases pro-inflammatory substances such as interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor, further compromising heart health. Rather than merely storing calories, IMAT actively exacerbates inflammation and metabolic processes crucial for heart function.
Experts stress that relying solely on BMI or waist circumference does not accurately gauge an individual’s heart risk. Instead, assessing IMAT levels could offer a more precise understanding.
Insights into who is truly at risk are crucial, particularly for women and individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Professor Taqueti highlights how intermuscular fat (IMAT) increases the risk of heart disease, providing a new way to identify high-risk individuals irrespective of their BMI. She sees potential in IMAT measurements for guiding new treatments, including weight-loss drugs and lifestyle interventions.
A study characterizing thoracic body composition at the T12 level in patients of similar age, sex, race, and BMI with normal cardiac function and myocardial perfusion is featured in the European Heart Journal.
The focus now shifts to reducing IMAT and its associated risks effectively. Treatments like glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists targeting weight loss could help manage fat distribution. However, further research is needed to understand how these treatments affect IMAT compared to other fat types or muscle mass.
Professor Taqueti’s team is investigating how lifestyle changes, nutrition, medications, and surgery can influence body composition and heart health. Their aim is to identify optimal strategies for reducing IMAT and enhancing cardiovascular outcomes.
This research carries significance for everyone, not just those overweight or obese. Even individuals with normal BMIs may harbor dangerous levels of IMAT, elevating their heart disease risk unknowingly. Recognizing IMAT as a concealed threat underscores the importance of thorough body composition assessments beyond surface-level measurements alone.
Dr. Ranil de Silva from Imperial College London stresses the complexity of the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular risk. Further studies should explore additional factors such as inflammatory markers, insulin resistance, and lifestyle choices to fully grasp IMAT’s impact.
This newfound understanding could transform how healthcare professionals evaluate and address heart disease risks, paving the way for more personalized and efficient treatments. By identifying and targeting hidden fat stores, treatments could substantially enhance patient outcomes.
In the future, researchers aim to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of IMAT measurements in routine clinical practice. Incorporating these measures into regular heart health screenings could better pinpoint high-risk individuals, enabling early interventions and potentially averting serious cardiac conditions.
Professor Taqueti remains hopeful about the prospects of future treatments, emphasizing the need to determine the best approach for reducing the risk associated with fatty muscles. Understanding how new weight-loss therapies influence muscle fat, lean tissue, and heart health is vital for advancing treatment strategies.
Discover the importance of providing detailed and effective care for heart health, highlighting how the most significant risks can often go unnoticed. This article was originally shared by The Brighter Side of News. Interested in more uplifting stories like this one? Subscribe to The Brighter Side of News newsletter.
