Where does the fat go during the weight loss regime?

Expert trainers and dieticians feel stumped when asked about the fat, which is lost during the weight loss process. The misconception amongst different experts is that this fat is converted into heat or energy. But, this theory is not quite true. A research study conducted by UNSW Science, Sydney revealed that around 84% of the fat is converted into carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is exhaled by our body in the breathing process. The other 16% is converted into the water form. This is driven out of the body in various modes like sweat, urine and tears. Ruben Meerman, who is the lead author British Medical Journal, said that the right answer to the question in regards to the fat in the weight loss regime is that, it is converted into carbon dioxide. Ruben who is a TV presenter as well as a physicist developed interest in the field of biochemistry of weight loss. He was surprised to receive no satisfactory answers to the question ‘where does the fat go during the weight loss?’ when he lost almost 15kg. This made him survey at least 150 related professionals like the personal trainers, doctors and dieticians. More than 50% of the answers were inclined to the answer that fat were being converted into energy or heat. Ruben, who was a physicist, realized that this theory did not satisfy the conservation of mass law.

Thus, he teamed up with Andrew Brown for the calculations and study of biomolecular reactions that take place during weight loss. Andrew Brown is the head of UNSW School focused on Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences. Excess carbohydrates and proteins lead to excess weight. These are converted into triglycerides that are basically components made of oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. They are then stored in the lipid droplets. These lipid droplets are present inside the fat cells. In order to lose weight, these triglycerides need to be broken to make carbon accessible.

The results showed that 29kg of oxygen had to be inhaled to break down 10kg of fat. This means burning of 94,000 calories. This results in 11kg of water and 28kg carbon dioxide. The team writes that the experiment or study shows that lungs are basically the primary excretory organ for the fat during weight loss. They could not however explain the happenings to the fat cells in the reaction. Brown had discovered a formula from the 1949 published paper. This research inferred that the oxygen atoms are mutually shared between hydrogen and carbon in the 2:1 ratio. This gave out the final conclusion of the study as 84% carbon dioxide and 16% water. This study however doesn’t mean that deep breathing could result in heavy weight loss. It is essential break down fat firstly to make carbon accessible. Deep breathing can however result in a limited weight loss as there is a limit to the maximum number of times, we breathe.

This theory also answers to the question in reference to climatic changes through the released carbon dioxide. The study also ends beliefs in reference to the fossilized organisms underground. It says that ancient carbon atoms from the fossilized organisms underground do not impact global warming. This is because the trapped carbon atoms are being released to the atmosphere and no other significant reaction is happening.

The image used in this article is for publication purpose (news reporting) only. The Image is licensed under CC BY 2.0 – Source: Mike Baird / Flickr.