Spot Reduction?

Greg Everett · 11-10-2006, 08:27 AM

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab (September 19, 2006).
doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00215.2006

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

Bente Stallknecht1, Flemming Dela1, and Jorn Wulff Helge
University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

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 minutes followed by exercise at 55% Wmax for 120 minutes with the other leg and finally exercised at 85% Wmax for 30 minutes with the first leg.

Subjects rested for 30 minutes between exercise periods. Femoral SCAT blood
flow was estimated from washout of 133Xe and lipolysis was calculated from
femoral SCAT interstitial and arterial glycerol concentrations and blood flow.

In general, blood flow as well as lipolysis was higher in femoral SCAT adjacent to contracting than adjacent to resting muscle (time 15-30 min: blood flow: 25% Wmax: 6.6 ± 1.0 vs. 3.9 ± 0.8 ml 100 g-1 min-1, P < 0.05; 55% Wmax: 7.3 ± 0.6 vs. 5.0 ± 0.6, P < 0.05; 85% Wmax: 6.6 ± 1.3 vs. 5.9 ± 0.7, P > 0.05; lipolysis: 25% Wmax: 102 ± 19 vs. 55 ± 14 nmol 100 g-1 min-1, P = 0.06; 55% Wmax: 86 ± 11 vs. 50 ± 20, P > 0.05; 85% Wmax: 88 ± 31 vs. -9 ± 25, P < 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 "spot lipolysis" in adipose tissue.

Robb Wolf · 11-10-2006, 12:06 PM

Nein-scheisse! Interesting.

Greg Everett · 11-10-2006, 01:07 PM

indeed. but i do wonder what the results would be with other locations... i.e., is there generally greater lypolisis in the leg area regardless of exercise? less in the abdominal area? etc. i don't see this as proof, but it does beg further research.

Jeremy Jones · 11-10-2006, 04:10 PM

Does this mean that those ab machines really do give you "SIX PACK ABS"?

I don't believe it.

Neal Winkler · 11-15-2006, 04:07 PM

Fascinating, I'll definately be taking a closer look at that study later.

Steve Shafley · 11-15-2006, 05:55 PM

If it's the same on Alwyn Cosgrove was talking about, then the miniscule amounts of spot reduction that occur are, uh, well miniscule.

Ido Portal · 11-26-2006, 07:44 AM

Poliquin's Biosignature work talks about fat distribution in the human body as a picture of your hormonal profile. Spot reduction, from personal experience is highly possible, only not through the same mechanism we've thought of in the past. Modulating and effecting various hormones through direct or indirect means can have a specific effect on fat tissue in certain areas.
Here is just one interesting piece:

Greenway FL, Bray GA.
Department of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine.

Beta-adrenergic stimulation and alpha 2-adrenergic inhibition increase lipolysis from fat cells. Twenty-eight obese women were placed on a calorie-restricted diet and one of five treatments was applied to one thigh three to five times per week for four weeks: (1) isoproterenol injections; (2) cream containing colforsin (forskolin), aminophylline, and yohimbine; (3) yohimbine cream; (4) colforsin cream; or (5) aminophylline cream. The opposite thigh was treated with a placebo (injection or cream). The treated thighs lost significantly more girth after treatment, both by injection and by cream. No adverse reactions were attributable to either the cream or the injections. It is concluded that local fat reduction from the thigh can be safely accomplished.

PMID: 2894247 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]