What is AMPK
Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a protease possessed by all organisms, plays an important role in cellular energy homeostasis.
It helps to maintain the balance between energy production and consumption by detecting the ratio of AMP to ATP to produce more AMP to provide energy to the cell.
The ATP molecule is the source of intracellular energy and generates energy in the process of breaking down into AMP.
AMPK can be activated by beneficial "stressors" such as caloric restriction, fasting and vigorous exercise.
AMPK activity decreases significantly with age, which is one of the reasons for changes in appetite, weight, and energy levels as people reach middle age.
AMPK is stored in various tissues of the body, especially in the brain, liver, fat cells, and skeletal muscle.
AMPK is influenced by many factors, including genetics, age, diet, sleep patterns, stress levels and exercise habits, and the health benefits of activating AMPK are numerous.
Regulates the energy switch and turns on fat burning; helps with weight loss, especially belly fat; reduces inflammation; improves metabolic pathways and insulin sensitivity; may improve physical function
stimulates autophagy and fights aging; contributes to hormone production and improves fertility.
ampk reduces abdominal fat and inflammation
AMPK activators are the star pathway in the anti-aging field, and AMPK directly affects body fat and longevity.
Many studies have found that: increasing AMPK levels can reduce abdominal fat.
Not only does belly fat make the body look bad, but it is also dangerous, accelerating the aging process, and fat deep in the abdomen can become a "processing plant" for inflammation.
Inflammation can lead to organ dysfunction and is the basis for most tissue damage.
When inflammation is severe, it can even lead to degenerative diseases such as dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and potential bone and joint problems.
The more belly fat you have, the more inflammatory chemicals are produced, and these inflammatory substances can damage the body and produce more fat.
Once this vicious cycle begins, it can be difficult to stop without targeted intervention.
Hesperidin, a natural AMPK activator
Hesperidin, a flavonoid widely found in citrus fruits, reduces the inflammatory factors that drive fat production.
Scientists treated cells in culture with hesperidin (hesperidin is the form of hesperidin that is absorbed into the bloodstream after ingestion) and found that it promoted the activation of AMPK.
The researchers then conducted a randomized, controlled, double-blind study in patients with metabolic syndrome in which the test group took 500 mg of hesperidin and the subjects took a placebo once daily for 3 weeks.
The investigators monitored and measured, endothelial function, metabolic parameters and inflammatory markers at baseline and after treatment in subjects who continued their usual diet and physical activity patterns for the duration of the study.
The study showed a 33% reduction in C-reactive protein in the test group after treatment, compared to baseline. (C-reactive protein is an indicator of overall inflammation in the body)
The blood flow-mediated dilation test showed an associated improvement of approximately 29% in the treatment effect in the trial group compared to the control group.
In addition, cholesterol markers, which are associated with increased risk of heart disease, were significantly improved in the test group.
This suggests that AMPK-induced improvements in vascular function may counteract abdominal fat-induced degradation of arterial function.
This study is sufficient to suggest that the anti-inflammatory, vascular health-supporting properties of hesperidin are a perfect complement to the abdominal fat-reducing effects of gibberellin extract.
Previous studies have also suggested that hesperidin may directly reduce abdominal fat.
In another earlier clinical trial, obese subjects taking hesperidin showed a reduction in abdominal fat comparable to that seen with metformin. (Metformin is also an AMPK activator)
This suggests to us that hesperidin has the potential to directly reduce abdominal fat.