Blood Flow through Human Adipose Tissue during Lipolysis

Abstract

Nielsen, S. L., Bitsch, V., Larsen, O. A., Lassen, N. A. & Quaade, F. Blood flow through human adipose tissue during lipolysis. Scand. J. clin. Lab. Invest. 22, 124-130, 1968. The influence of lipolysis on the adipose tissue blood flow measured with the ¹³³Xe clearance technique has been examined. In seven subjects norepinephrine was infused intravenously during 30-40 minutes in a dose of 5-10 μg/min. The adipose tissue blood flow (FBF) increased in all patients, from an average of 1.7 ml/100 mg·min before to a maximum average value of 4.5 ml/100 g·min during the infusion. In eleven subjects 5 mg glucagon was injected intravenously during the measurement. In nine of these cases an increase in flow was seen: the average value for the whole group was 2.3 ml/100 g·min before and 3.4 ml/100 g·min after the glucagon injection. Four very obese females were treated with total fasting for 96 hours. In this period the patients had an average weight loss of 6.3 kg and the average prefasting and fasting FBF values were 1.3 and 2.4 ml/100 g·min, respectively.

The three conditions examined, norepinephrine and glucagon supply and total fasting, have a pronounced lipolytic effect on the human organism. It appears that lipolysis is accompanied by an increase in the fatty tissue blood flow.

Key Words:

• Adipose tissue blood flow
• fasting
• total
• glucagon
• lipolysis
• norepinephrine
• ¹³³Xenon clearance technique