Can You Breathe Out Fats?

At times when we exercise our bodies burn fat as fuel as an alternative energy source to our bodies stores of Glycogen (Glucose). When this takes place do you know where all that fat actually goes?

If you don’t, you’re not alone. A recent survey conducted by researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia asked a group of 150 Doctors, Personal Trainers and Dieticians where the fat goes when a person loses weight. The results of that simple question regarding the metabolic process of exercise and fuel were amazing as over half of the qualified professionals got the answer wrong.

The answer is that the majority of the original mass of the fat is expelled from the body as Carbon Dioxide. It simply goes into thin air.

The most common incorrect answer among the Health Professionals surveyed was that the mass of the lost fat was a result of it being converted into heat or energy. A few of the health professionals even thought that fat metabolites were converted into muscle which is interesting in itself as this is a physiologically impossible process. These results are a little disconcerting when many practicing health professionals did not know the basics of weight loss when questioned!

Fat cells and muscle cells are made up of completely different components and have a vastly different molecular structure. Muscle can never turn into fat and fat can never turn into muscle.
According to Professor Andrew Brown, Head of the University of New South Wales’ School of Bio-technology and Bio-molecular Sciences, “There is surprising ignorance and confusion about the metabolic process of weight loss.” In their paper, the researchers demonstrate how for every 10 kilograms of fat mass lost 8.4 kilograms are exhaled as carbon dioxide. The remainder is converted to water.

As obesity in recent generations has surged to being a worldwide crisis we should all know the answer to the simple question of where the fat goes as a result of exercise. The lack of awareness around this question, even by professionals, is not one of ignorance but simply highlights an educational issue in this area.
Based on their results, the authors are recommending that basic metabolic concepts be included in bio-chemistry classes in universities, as well as in secondary schools.

Our Guest Blogger is Paul Barry. He is an Elite International High Performance Sports and Conditioning Coach from Brisbane, Australia. He is qualified in diverse fields including Strength and Conditioning, Advanced Nutrition, Sports Supplementation, Anatomy and Physiology, Massage and Coaching. His email address is pbelitecoach@gmail.com. His Website address is http://paulbarry.net.au/