Lipoedema between genetics and nutrition
Interview of Prof. Karen L. Herbst
Thursday, 23rd June 2022, at Press Room of the Chamber of Deputies, Rome
On June 23rd, 2022, the telematic conference to present the new spin-off, Magisnat, will be held at the Press Room of the Chamber of Deputies in Rome.
At this conference, very important issues will be discussed, such as the promotion of the Mediterranean diet, scientific research of natural molecules, the creation of food supplements to help people who cannot follow a healthy Mediterranean diet, and for the export of typical products of Italian culinary culture.
Many researchers and professors, from the USA and Italy will be present and, among these figures, will be Professor Karen L. Herbst, Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. She will speak on a very relevant topic that has been the subject of numerous studies, such as “Lipoedema between genetics and nutrition.”
In detail, this professor is working on diseases, such as lymphedema, that are the concomitant of unbalanced nutrition and genetics.
Lipedema is an often underdiagnosed chronic disorder that affects subcutaneous adipose tissue almost exclusively in women, which leads to disproportionate fat accumulation in the lower and upper body extremities. Common comorbidities include anxiety, depression, and pain. The correlation between mood disorder and subcutaneous fat deposition suggests the involvement of steroids metabolism and neurohormones signaling, however no clear association has been established so far.
Together with Professor Michelini, Professor Herbst discovered that the AKR1C1 gene is one of the genes responsible for the occurrence of lymphedema, thus demonstrating a genetic predisposition to fat deposition in certain body districts.
This discovery represents a very important step forward in understanding lipedema.
In addition, you in your studies have investigated the positive correlation between a healthy diet and the occurrence of this condition.
Ensuring glycemic and insulinemic stability thus avoiding glycemic and insulinemic spikes, it is therefore essential to balance, during meals, macronutrients (proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) for a better control of the hormonal response, which in turn results in a significant reduction of the chronic cellular inflammatory state.
Thus, to combat this disease, in addition to genetic diagnosis, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, in which the Mediterranean diet and moderate physical activity should be the basis.
At this conference, very important issues will be discussed, such as the promotion of the Mediterranean diet, scientific research of natural molecules, the creation of food supplements to help people who cannot follow a healthy Mediterranean diet, and for the export of typical products of Italian culinary culture.
Many researchers and professors, from the USA and Italy will be present and, among these figures, will be Professor Karen L. Herbst, Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. She will speak on a very relevant topic that has been the subject of numerous studies, such as “Lipoedema between genetics and nutrition.”
In detail, this professor is working on diseases, such as lymphedema, that are the concomitant of unbalanced nutrition and genetics.
Lipedema is an often underdiagnosed chronic disorder that affects subcutaneous adipose tissue almost exclusively in women, which leads to disproportionate fat accumulation in the lower and upper body extremities. Common comorbidities include anxiety, depression, and pain. The correlation between mood disorder and subcutaneous fat deposition suggests the involvement of steroids metabolism and neurohormones signaling, however no clear association has been established so far.
Together with Professor Michelini, Professor Herbst discovered that the AKR1C1 gene is one of the genes responsible for the occurrence of lymphedema, thus demonstrating a genetic predisposition to fat deposition in certain body districts.
This discovery represents a very important step forward in understanding lipedema.
In addition, you in your studies have investigated the positive correlation between a healthy diet and the occurrence of this condition.
Ensuring glycemic and insulinemic stability thus avoiding glycemic and insulinemic spikes, it is therefore essential to balance, during meals, macronutrients (proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) for a better control of the hormonal response, which in turn results in a significant reduction of the chronic cellular inflammatory state.
Thus, to combat this disease, in addition to genetic diagnosis, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, in which the Mediterranean diet and moderate physical activity should be the basis.