Stress And Weight Loss: It May Influence Your Ability To Lose Weight

There's no doubt that stress influences a number of factors in our everyday life.

New findings published in the journal BBA Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids examine how stress affects our ability to lose weight.

Researchers at the University of Florida found that stress may actually reduce the body's ability to burn fat cells.

"Betatrophin reduces the body's ability to break down fat, underscoring a link between chronic stress and weight gain," said Dr. Li-Jun Yang, a professor at the University of Florida, in a news release. "Stress causes you to accumulate more fat, or at least slows down fat metabolism. This is yet another reason why it's best to resolve stressful situations and to pursue a balanced life."

During the study, researchers tested cells and mice--showing that chronic stress triggers production of a protein known as betatrophin that inhibits an enzyme involved in fat burning, according to Health Day.

Thought the study authors aren't quite clear yet how betatrophin affects fat metabolism in humans, the findings suggest that reducing chronic stress may help with weight loss.

"Stress causes you to accumulate more fat, or at least slows down fat metabolism. This is yet another reason why it's best to resolve stressful situations and to pursue a balanced life," Yang said.

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