Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that losing healthy fat tissue, not just gaining excess fat, can contribute to diabetes and other metabolic diseases. The study found that damaged fat cells become inflamed, lose their ability to store lipids, and eventually disappear, disrupting the body’s normal metabolism. Using patient samples and a mouse model of lipodystrophy, scientists showed that unhealthy fat cells also develop mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic inflammation, creating conditions that lead to the loss of functional fat tissue. Without healthy fat cells, the body struggles to regulate blood sugar and properly store fats, increasing the risk of diabetes and fatty liver disease. The findings highlight the essential role of healthy adipose tissue in metabolic health and could lead to new therapies aimed at protecting fat cells before they deteriorate, offering new strategies for preventing diabetes and related metabolic disorders.
