December 30, 2024, 3:09 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

Visceral fat is the fatty tissue that accumulates in the abdomen and coats the digestive organs. Too much of it can cause considerable damage to health. Hormones play a major role in this. This is because visceral fat produces many hormones – and, therefore, alters hormone production. This leads to chronic inflammatory processes in the body.

Visceral Fat Acts as an Endocrine Organ

It is already known that large amounts of visceral fat are associated with increased signs of inflammation and consequently with a higher tendency to metabolic disorders, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

As the focus of attention when talking about fatty tissue is usually on the visible features, the hormonal effect of this fatty tissue is often underestimated. However, visceral fat actually acts as an endocrine organ (an organ that releases hormones directly into the blood)^.1 This means that an excessive amount of visceral fat releases hormones and pro-inflammatory substances. And these can lead to serious illnesses in the long term. Read on to find out exactly which hormones these are.

Leptin Tells the Brain When You Are Full

Visceral fat produces the hormone leptin. This actually signals to the brain when we are full – in other words, it sends it a kind of satiety message^.2 However, if too much visceral fat accumulates in the stomach, this can lead to what is known as leptin resistance. This means that the brain no longer perceives the satiety signals. This can lead to hunger pangs and typical overeating, which in turn not only promotes weight gain but can also lead to metabolic disorders^.3

Cytokines That Promote Inflammation

Visceral fat also releases pro-inflammatory substances such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Don’t worry: you don’t need to know the terms for these substances. However, it is important to know that these cytokines contribute to chronic inflammatory processes in the body. Chronic inflammation is, in turn, also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. At the same time, these substances also influence fat metabolism and can stimulate the formation of more visceral fat. This creates a vicious circle. But that’s not all: studies also show that increased cytokine production can contribute to the development of depression^.4

Furthermore, there is a difference between obese people and people with a high proportion of visceral fat. Researchers from the IFB, the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Leipzig University Hospital, LMU Munich, and the Australian University of Tasmania determined the cytokine levels in the blood of 200 obese and normal-weight study participants. The results showed that the levels of cytokines such as interleukin-5 and interleukin-13 were lower in normal-weight subjects than in obese people. However, the levels of some cytokines were highest in people with abdominal obesity – i.e., with a high proportion of visceral fat^.5

Adiponectin (Actually) Also Takes Care of the Feeling of Hunger

Adiponectin also regulates the feeling of hunger and food intake in the body. First and foremost, this hormone regulates sugar and fat metabolism and has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body^.6 It sounds like a health benefit at first. So when the body consumes food, the insulin level rises, and adiponectin is increasingly released by the fat cells. However, this hormone is not produced by fat. Studies have shown that the production of adiponectin decreases when the visceral fat percentage increases, which in turn makes the body more susceptible to metabolic disorders^.7

Cortisol – the Stress Booster

Studies also show that visceral fat also influences the release of cortisol – the stress hormone par excellence^.8 And elevated cortisol levels can not only lead to increased fat deposition in the abdomen (this happens because cortisol reduces insulin sensitivity and promotes fat formation, making it easier for the body to store fat, especially in times of stress), but can also disrupt other hormonal axes, including thyroid function. Cortisol affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, which is responsible for regulating thyroid hormones. The sex hormone balance can also become unbalanced if too much cortisol is released.

The Influence on Sex Hormones

Visceral fat affects sex hormones, producing estrogen through enzymes like aromatase, potentially leading to testosterone deficiency in men. This can affect libido, muscle mass, and energy levels. In women, an excess of estrogen can promote hormonal imbalances such as PCOS. The cortisol-disrupted hormonal axis (HPG axis) can cause irregular menstrual cycles, lower progesterone levels (crucial for fertility), or PMS symptoms.

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When Hormones Are out of Balance

The hormonal changes triggered by visceral fat are not only problematic in the short term. They can also have long-term consequences. The pro-inflammatory substances from visceral fat can contribute to the hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). This increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Additionally, diseases like type 2 diabetes can arise from the combination of insulin resistance and chronic inflammation^.9 Hormone-related cancers also appear to be affected: For example, an increased risk of breast and colon cancer has been linked to visceral fat^.10