2_Stress and Weight Gain Flashcards
Chronic exposure to stress hormones induces numerous adverse health effects which may include weight gain. In this unit you will read a news article summarizing a recent discovery about the effects of stress hormones on fat cell physiology.
What is the term used to describe a cell that is an intermediate between a stem cell and a differentiated one?
Precursor or Progenitor cells.
These cells turn into fat cells and lead to weight gain.
What class of hormones triggers differentiation of precursor cells into fat cells in humans?
Glucocorticoids
What is a glococorticoid?
A natural steroid hormone produced to alleviate inflammation. The levels of these hormones naturally rise and fall according to our circadian rhythm.
Describe how time of day affects levels of this class of hormone.
Glucocorticoid secretion is highest in the morning and when we exercise or go from a warm building out into the cold
What are some conditions/scenarios that disrupt the normal regulation of this hormone?
- chronic stress
- jet lag, and
- sleep disruption in shift workers
Describe how progenitor cells respond to a long sustained pulse of glucocorticoids versus shorter pulses.
Researchers found one 48-hour long pulse of the hormones cause MOST cells to turn into fat cells; shorter pulses led to minimal cell differentiation
Describe the ways in which boosting glucocorticoid levels in mice for 21 days affects their fat cells.
The mice doubled their body weight due to production of new fat cells and growth of existing fat cells.
Describe how chronic stress or stress at night affects the normal rhythm of hormone release
If you experience chronic, continuous stress or take glucocorticoids at night, the resulting loss of normal circadian glucocorticoid oscillations will result in significant weight gain.
Describe why common treatments for arthritis or asthma commonly cause weight gain.
These conditions are treated with glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids rise and fall naturally throughout the day in a cycle regulated by our circadian rhythms.Chronic stress and treatment with glucocorticoids at night interfere with normal circadian glucocorticoid oscillations Research shows that if you limit treatment of arthritis or asthma to only the daytime, you will not gain weight.
