Could your belly fat actually be linked to better brain health? As we get older, many people around the globe deal with cognitive decline. While scientists usually look at the brain itself to understand these changes, recent research suggests that belly fat might have a part to play.

A team from Toho University in Japan published their findings in the journal GeroScience, revealing that visceral fat—the deep fat that wraps around your organs—could impact your brain health. Here’s what they discovered:

The connection between brain health and belly fat

The researchers looked at male mice that were 5, 10, and 18 months old, which is similar to young adults, middle-aged folks, and seniors in humans. They discovered a link between BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which is like fertilizer for the brain, and CX3CL1, a protein produced by visceral fat. Higher levels of BDNF are associated with better brain performance, but unfortunately, BDNF levels drop as you get older. On the bright side, CX3CL1 plays a role in keeping BDNF levels healthy in the body.

The study revealed some interesting findings

BDNF is great for helping brain cells grow, survive, and make new connections, while CX3CL1 plays a key role in keeping brain function sharp. Researchers discovered that younger mice with belly fat produced a lot of CX3CL1, which helped maintain their brain function. But as these mice got older, the levels of this protein started to decline.

When scientists injected older mice with extra CX3CL1, they noticed an improvement in brain function. On the flip side, when they reduced CX3CL1 in younger mice, BDNF levels also went down. This suggests that having healthy visceral fat early on helps produce molecules that are good for brain health.

Interestingly, both 5 and 10-month-old mice had similar BDNF levels, but by 18 months, those levels dropped. This trend aligns with the usual pattern of cognitive aging, where noticeable decline tends to kick in later in life. The production of CX3CL1 from visceral fat showed a similar decline, hinting at a connection between these two proteins.

In the end, the relationship between belly fat and brain health highlights how connected our bodies really are. But don’t think you should just gain belly fat to boost your brain; the study suggests that a healthy amount can really make a difference.

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