Many women with age discover that they begin to gain weight faster than men, and a new study may explain why this is so.
After menopause, an enzyme called Aldh1a1, which is involved in the production of fats, increases, researchers at Ohio State University say.
This enzyme was detected not only in humans, but also in mice, with the help of which the study was conducted. In female mice that ate high-fat foods, a greater accumulation of visceral fat (internal fat) was observed against the background of greater activity of the Aldh1a1 enzyme than in males on the same diet.
But female mice, with a genetically determined deficiency of this enzyme, remained thin, despite a fatty diet.
It turns out that the female hormone estrogen inhibits the activity of Aldh1a1. This may mean that younger women who have high levels of estrogen are protected from the unwanted effects of the enzyme. But since estrogen levels decrease after menopause, the Aldh1a1 enzyme activates and makes women vulnerable to being overweight.
Knowing this property of the Aldh1a1 enzyme, scientists can develop a method for treating obesity specifically for women. However, such treatment is unlikely to appear in the near future. First, the study was conducted in mice, and scientists must first make sure that the findings apply to humans. In addition, Aldh1a1 performs other important functions in the body, therefore treatment based on the complete suppression of the enzyme is unacceptable.
It remains to rely on time-tested methods - a reasonable diet and physical activity.
