Here is a brief overview of lipedema. (Note: lipedema, not to be confused with lymphodema.)
Because this type of fat is resistant to exercise and caloric deficit, as seen in the extreme here, I’m curious if there are any fasting mechanisms through which lipedema tissue could be broken down.
As far as I can find (at least on this side of the paywall), there hasn’t been much research into the effects of prolonged fasting on lipedema tissue.
Stress-management is one of the current recommended therapies for helping to prevent the progression of lipedema (the only “cure” is surgical removal of the diseased tissue). Thus, at first glance, it seems counter-intuitive to treat lipedema by fasting, which puts the body under stress.
However, periods of prolonged fast-mimicking diets (<500 cals) high in anti-inflammatory fats (such as MCT oil) would seem to be a potential alternative. The body would be spared the stress of a water-only fast, and the consumed anti-inflammatory calories would promote a reduction of swelling in lipedema tissue. As MCT oil itself is suggested to promote autophagy, the fasting processes could continue even while imbibing calories.
My theory, then, is this: By deactivating fat storage mechanisms through an extremely low calorie diet of MCT oil, while sparing the body from the stress of fasting, cells in the lipedema tissue will eventually be purged through autophagic processes – but only once they’ve been inactivated through an extreme calorie deficit. This is key, as any fat storage will activate and continue to “feed” lipedema tissue.
This is all back-of-the-napkin science, of course, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts.
(Edited for specificity & clarity)
Most of us who have this have been in some form of “extreme” calorie deprivation for long periods of time to no effect, thats one of the clinical diagnostic criteria. The diseased fat is not metabolically accessible, it is caused by microleakages of the lymphatic system.
I don’t know the answer to your question and I’m only guessing here. But have you looked into peptides?
There are specific peptides that target fat, like Frag 176-191 and some that target tissue repair like BPC-157 and TB-500.
You can get peptides from random places on the Internet, some more sketchy than others. You can also get them in the US from a doctor that prescribes them and orders them from a compounding pharmacy.
More at r/peptides.
Ben Greenfield has a lot of articles/experiments on peptides. He’s a good resource to get the basics.
I’m a woman and some of the insane athleticism doesn’t appeal to me. But I’ve learned a lot and it helped me make good decisions when talking to my functional medicine doctor.
BTW, your primary care won’t be into peptides. It will be a functional medicine or naturopath doctor.
