Lipolysis and Metabolism

Lipolysis, also known as “fat splitting,” is the breakdown of fats from storage into glycerol and fatty acids. Fatty acids and glycerol are released into the blood stream and used by the major body organs such as the liver, cardiac muscle, and resting skeletal muscles for aerobic respiration. In fact these organs prefer fatty acids as their preferred energy choice.

So the question becomes what does lipolysis and metabolism have to do with each other. Lipolysis is one of the aspects lipid or fat metabolism for one. It is also directly related to the amount of carbohydrates a person ingests. When someone, who is attempting to lose weight, starts to cut their calories by eating fewer carbohydrates the body not only slows it metabolism but also affects the lipolysis cycle. When carbohydrate intake is diminished lipolysis is accelerated as the body starts using stored fat to supply the body’s energy needs. What happens next is a chemical process in which the ability of acetyl CoA (acetyl coenzyme A), which has the main function of conveying carbon atoms within the acetyl group to the citric acid cycle to be oxidized for energy production, to begin the Krebs cycle is dependent on how much oxaloacetic acid is available to act as a pickup molecule. A carbohydrate deficiency causes oxaloacetic acid to be converted to glucose to supply the brain with the energy it needs, this results in a diminished supply of oxaloacetic acid.

Because of the lack of oxaloacetic acid the oxidation of fat cannot be completed and a process called ketogenesis the liver begins to convert the acetyl CoA to ketones and ketone bodies that are released into the blood stream. The accumulation ketones lead to a condition known as ketosis. Ketosis is a condition that is common in people suffering from starvation, people who are eating inadequate amounts of carbohydrates while dieting, and those who have diabetes.

The majority of ketones are organic acids which can lead to metabolic acidosis. This acid build up causes the blood pH to drop dangerously low because the body is unable to buffer the acid build quickly enough.

When ketosis occurs the person suffering it begins to have fruity breath as the acetone vaporizes in the lungs, their respirations become more rapid because the body is attempting to lower the carbonic acid in the blood by getting rid of excess CO2. If left untreated ketosis can lead to coma or even death as the nervous system becomes depressed as the blood pH drops.

Lipolysis is but a part of the body’s metabolism, but as you can see it is an important part that can have life threatening affects if something goes wrong or we make poor choices when it comes to feeding our bodies the carbohydrates it needs to function properly. Many of the diets people follow today do not only not make sense but can down right dangerous.