New Danish Study on Spot Reduction

[javacody]

Here is an excerpt from the article (Muscle and Fitness March 2007 page 269):

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The Danish scientists had 10 college-age males perform single-leg extensions with light weight for 30 minutes. They measured the amount of blood flowing to the subcutaneous fat cells (those under the skin) in the exercising thigh and the amount of lipolysis (release of fat) from those cells. Both lipolysis and blood flow to the subcutaneous fat cells were found to have increased in the exercising leg, suggesting that during workouts, you burn fat preferentially from the fat cells in the area being trained.</div>

Further:

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Although more research needs to be done to confirm the reality of spot-reduction and determine what training intensities provide the best results, you can start taking advantage of spot-reduction training now. Because researchers had subjects exercise continually for 30 minutes with light weight, it appears that using high reps and very short rest periods is the best way to encourage spot-reduction. To lose fat at your midsection, train your abs for 20-30 minutes with high reps and very short rest periods. Follow this up with cardio to burn the freed-up fat.</div>

This is kind of cool, but I'm trying to figure out how to work areas with high reps and not throw off results from HST. Any ideas?

 

[Totentanz]

I would take this with a grain of salt. There isn't any point in trying to implement something like this at this time. Personally, there is going to need to be a little more research before I would consider trying something like that.

Did they even post the reference to the study?

 

[javacody]

The only info in the article is that the study was from the University of Copenhagen and it was reported in a 2006 issue of the American Journal of Physiology.

 

[bgates1654]

It makes sense that lipolysis would occur in areas of increased bloodflow, but I bet that the body redistributes the fat.

 

[Morgoth the Dark Enemy]

I remember this study, and even though lipolysis was enhanced it was nothing to write home about, a really minimal insignificant ammount. I also seem to remember that the exercise protocol that they used was quite unfeasible so no, those 30 crunches everybody and their dog are doing still aren`t gonna bring out tha six-pack.

Bahh, if I could only remeber where I had something about this stashed...darn.

 

[dkm1987]

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Feb;292(2):E394-9. Epub 2006 Sep 19.

Are blood flow and lipolysis in subcutaneous adipose tissue influenced by
contractions in adjacent muscles in humans?

Stallknecht B, Dela F, Helge JW.

Aerobic exercise increases whole body adipose tissue lipolysis, but is lipolysis higher in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) adjacent to contracting muscles than in SCAT adjacent to resting muscles? Ten healthy, overnight-fasted males performed one-legged knee extension exercise at 25% of maximal workload (W max)) for 30 min followed by exercise at 55% W(max) for 120 min with the other leg and finally exercised at 85% W(max) for 30 min with the first leg. Subjects rested for 30 min between exercise periods. Femoral SCAT blood flow was estimated from washout of (133)Xe, and lipolysis was calculated from femoral SCAT interstitial and arterial glycerol concentrations and blood flow. In general, blood flow and lipolysis were higher in femoral SCAT adjacent to contracting than adjacent to
resting muscle (time 15-30 min; blood flow: 25% W(max) 6.6 +/- 1.0 vs. 3.9 +/-0.8 ml.100 g(-1).min(-1), P &lt; 0.05; 55% W(max) 7.3 +/- 0.6 vs. 5.0 +/- 0.6 ml.100 g(-1).min(-1), P &lt; 0.05; 85% W(max) 6.6 +/- 1.3 vs. 5.9 +/- 0.7 ml.100 g(-1).min(-1), P &gt; 0.05; lipolysis: 25% W(max) 102 +/- 19 vs. 55 +/- 14 nmol.100 g(-1).min(-1), P = 0.06; 55% W(max) 86 +/- 11 vs. 50 +/- 20 nmol.100
g(-1).min(-1), P &gt; 0.05; 85% W(max) 88 +/- 31 vs. -9 +/- 25 nmol.100 g(-1).min(-1), P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, blood flow and lipolysis are generally higher in SCAT adjacent to contracting than adjacent to resting muscle
irrespective of exercise intensity. Thus specific exercises can induce &quot;spot lipolysis&quot; in adipose tissue.

 

[Aaron_F]

To describe the study simply, its the best way to show statistical significance vs clinical significance.

Just because somebody can measure a statistical significance between two things does not actually make it useful for anyone,.

Case in point, the above article

At the end of the discussion, the authors translate the difference in lipolysis to

&quot;Assuming a molecular weight of 860 g/mol for TG, this corresponds to an extra breakdown of 0.6 –2.1 mg of TG in 30 min/100 g of adipose tissue adjacent to contracting muscles..&quot;

So to lyse 1gram of additional fatty acid per 100gram of adipose would take

0.6mg/30mins = 1.2mg/hour
1000mg/1.2mg/hour = 833 hours of relatively intense activity

or

2.1mg/30mis = 4.2mg/hours
1000mg/4.2mg/hour = 238 hours of relatively intense activity

Sure we can measure it and show a significance difference, but what point is the difference of 1.2-4.2mg/hour/100g fat?

 

[javacody]

Thanks for the breakdown guys.

I hope to see future studies on this topic that will result in more fat burn than that. Hardly seems worth it. 238 hours, wow. 1 gram. Thats only 107,954.98406 hours to burn 1 pound of fat. I better get started!

I now know how large a grain of salt really is (its about the same amount of fat that gets burnt in a specific area after 30 minutes of intense exercise) and that Muscle &amp; Fitness should definitely be taken with such.

 

[Morgoth the Dark Enemy]

No ammount of studies will change the fact that spot reduction is impossible, unless those studies somehow magically alter human physiology.

 

[quadancer]

<div>
(Aaron_F @ Feb. 18 2007,18:56)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">To describe the study simply, its the best way to show statistical significance vs clinical significance.

Just because somebody can measure a statistical significance between two things does not actually make it useful for anyone,.</div>
Aaron, you just put into words what I've thought all along. Just like using rats in a study; it's not viable to ME until you put several groups of HUMANS throught it.

What, in your estimation, are the parameters for the difference between a statistical situation vs. a clinical one?

 

[javacody]

I never believed it until I read this article and started wondering. I'm glad I asked the question. Muscle &amp; Fitness presents it and gives an example workout!

 

[Totentanz]

Well how else are they going to keep people buying their magazines?

 

[Aaron_F]

<div>
(quadancer @ Feb. 20 2007,02:24)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">What, in your estimation, are the parameters for the difference between a statistical situation vs. a clinical one?</div>
It very much depends on the situation.

For this example, even a gram per hour will not be useful.

maybe 10grams? per 100g of fat per hour could make a difference in long enough time, but still it will take a fair while to make a real visible difference.

 

[Fausto]

Excellent guys...

Dan and Aaron, thanks for both posting the article and dissecting it, this is one of the reasons this forum is so great!

Plain old science and the truth (unbiased)