A research team funded by the European Union has found that blood vessels and muscles in the heart could help to regulate the uptake of fatty acids from our diet . The experts have even identified the process, the results of which will be published in the journal Nature . The study could help to create new forms of treatment for fat accumulatio, which in itself increases the risks of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease .
The study looked at fatty acids, and how we absorb them into our body through foods including meat, fish and milk. Some fatty acids can reduce risks of stroke and cardiovascular disease. However, a too high build-up of fatty acids could contribute to insulin resistance development and even type 2 diabetes .
Associate Professor Ulf Eriksso, speaking from the Karolinska Instituet in Sweden reportedly commented: ‘Mice that lacked either the VEGF-B protein or its receptors in the walls of the blood vessels had a lower intake of fat to the muscles and the heart, and less accumulation of fat in the different tissues. Instead, we found that the residual fat accumulated in the white adipose tissue, causing a slight weight increase in the mice.’

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