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October 17, 2026
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Fat cells, or adipocytes, store lipids as energy reserves. Their size can fluctuate with weight changes, but the total number remains stable in adulthood. While fat cells can increase in certain body regions over time, they cannot be eliminated under normal conditions. Though they die and are replaced at about 10% per year, this regenerative ability declines with age.
Research suggests that low-carbohydrate/high-fat diets may promote weight loss more effectively than low-fat diets. Some believe that consuming low-glycemic-index foods can "retrain" fat cells, leading to lower insulin levels and reduced energy storage, aiding weight loss.
Fat cells can be retrained, according to research [1].
Fat cells, or adipocytes, are used by our bodies to store lipids.
Lipids are the body’s energy reserve.
When we consume excess calories, they are stored as lipids in fat cells.
When we lose weight, lipids are burned to fuel the body.
In practice, the total number of fat cells remains relatively constant even when our weight fluctuates.
Adipocyte size can increase or decrease by up to 50-fold depending on our energy balance.
Our fat cells do not increase as we grow older - fact or fiction?
Researchers once believed that the number of fat cells increased mainly during childhood and stabilised in adulthood [2].
However, recent data indicate that adipocytes may behave differently in different body regions [3].
For instance, in susceptible individuals, the number of fat cells in the lower body could increase with time.
How do we get rid of fat cells?
Fat cells expand when we gain weight and shrink when we slim down [4].
The total number of fat cells remains approximately unchanged when our weight fluctuates.
Under normal conditions, we cannot eliminate fat cells.
Only medically proven treatments, such as liposuction, can remove unwanted fat cells and tissues from our bodies.
Like all cells, adipocytes do die.
They are replaced at a rate of 10% per year. However, this regenerative ability will gradually be lost as we age.
So, can we retrain our fat cells?
Studies show that low-carbohydrate/high-fat diets are more effective than low-fat diets for weight loss [5].
Data have also shown that low-carbohydrate/high-fat foods almost always lead to lower athletic performance due to inefficiency in fat metabolism [6].
Our body weight is determined by our genes and can be influenced by diet.
Some people believe that fat cells can be ‘retrained’ by changing the types of food that we ingest.
By ingesting foods with a low glycemic index, the postprandial insulin surge will be diminished [7].
Lower insulin levels will reduce glucose uptake by cells and energy storage [8].
This will, therefore, lead to weight loss.
