To accelerate the fat burning for fat loss, it is helpful to understand how the fat is being metabolized or processed into energy.
By understanding the processes, we can learn what is nutrients are required and depending on the type of diet you are following, you can adjust in your diet or choose supplements that may help you.
Process of Fat Metabolism
Fat Catabolism
Complete fat metabolism comes in 3 phases. First is catabolism or breakdown of fat. Second is transporting to organelle called mitochondria. Then third mitochondria converting to ATP (adenosine triphosphate) or energy, carbon dioxide and water. When these 3 phases were met then the fat metabolism is successful.
Fat cell or triglyceride consists of two parts, glycerol, and 3 fatty acids. These two gets broken down or catabolized by enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase (HSL). This enzyme is signaled to be secreted by several hormones such as adrenaline, growth hormones(testosterone), and thyroid hormones to name the few.
This catabolic or breakdown signaling can be done by few methods. One method is exercise. This exercise can be weight training, walking, running, hiking, playing sports and so on. Another factor is through consumption of caffeine and capsaicin. Caffeine can find in coffee, tea, pre-workout, energy drinks and so on. Capsaicin is in chili or certain types of spices. One of the popular fat loss methods is fasted walking in the morning with coffee. If you were to practice this method, go easy on the walking pace and duration. This walking should be easy pace with no more than 30 minutes to not overstress the body, which will promote retaining of the fat rather than breakdown.
Fat Transport to Mitochondria
Transporting catabolized fat to mitochondria is done by amino acid called carnitine. Even when the body breaks down fat but not able to transport into mitochondria the fat metabolism cannot be successful. Our body does produce carnitine; however, amount of secretion seems to decrease as we age. You can get carnitine from animal protein or through supplementing.
Fat Convert to Energy
After transported into mitochondria, next step is converting fatty acid into energy or ATP. For this process to happen substances such as Co Enzyme Q10 and iron are required. Through this process fatty acid is converted into ATP (energy), CO2, and water. Our body does create Co-Enzyme Q10, however, like carnitine we tend to slow down the process of making it as we age. You can get Co-Enzyme Q 10 through food sources such as meat, fish, spinach, broccoli and so on. You may also supplement as need it.
Daily Habits to Promote Fat Metabolism
When the fat go through 3 step process and successfully produce ATP, CO2, and water then the fat metabolism is complete. Then the question comes how does these information translate into daily activities?
Physical Activity
As mentioned earlier, in order to breakdown fat we need stimulus to promote enzyme HSL. To do so we need to exercise, ideally weight training. Weight training help build muscle and during that process our resting metabolic rate increase. In a way, stronger we build the muscles we can breakdown fat easier. However, something to be mindful about. That is overstressing the body.
During the fat burning process we don't want insulin to be getting in the way of fat metabolism. Therefore, spending too much time lifting weight too frequently may not be the ideal strategy for fat loss. 2-3 hours of weight training per week is good enough. However, to keep the metabolic rate high everyday you may want to stay physically active by walking more, using a stairs, yard work, and so on will be helpful in producing enzyme HSL to break down the fat.
Eating Habit
Consuming proper nutrients will help take the fatty acids into mitochondria and have that fatty acids convert into energy. Key nutrients are carnitine and Co-Enzyme Q10. As mentioned earlier, both nutrients can be created by our body but as we age process does get sluggish and will need to get them from food or supplements.
Food sources that are rich in carnitine is animal proteins including beef, pork, chicken and fish, and avocado. Co-Enzyme Q10 is also rich in animal proteins but also in broccoli and spinach. Although both nutrients are easier to get with animal protein, however, you can utilize supplement to get adequate amount of carnitine and Co-Enzyme Q10 which will help with fat metabolism for those who are following vegan diet.
In a Nutshell
Here are summary of how body fat processing work in our body.
Exercise, caffeine, capsaicin helps breakdown fat
Carnitine transports fatty acids to mitochondria
Co-Enzyme Q10 helps convert fatty acid into energy
Carnitine and Co-Enzyme Q10 can be created in our body but slows down as we age
Kota Shimada
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