Will losing fat cause brain loss?

Question

The human brain is mostly fat. When you lose weight by exercising and working out, will your brain become smaller? Will losing body fat mean losing your brain (literally)?

Please no one-word "no"'s or "yes"'s.. Some slight backup info is appreciated.

Answer 1

Is this a fat head question? In the average human, the brain is not a place where fat accumulates. Fat gathers on and around muscles, so use them to reduce fat.

Answer 2

Actually, the human brain is mostly *water*. The breakdown is

Water 78%
Lipids 10%
Protein 8%
Misc other stuff ~4%

Body fat is a mechanism for storing energy, and the chemistry for storing fat and then burning it for energy have virtually nothing to do with the lipid chemistry in the brain, which relies on fatty acids to build the highly specialized cells in your brains that are the basis for human intelligence.

There is a decent article here:
http://www.fi.edu/brain/fats.htm#faintelligence

and some good general stats here:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/facts.html

Answer 3

I was having probs that started in mar-2009 due to jobs lossed and homelessness. No food intake-no energy for the 12 hours a week I used to spend in the gym, then the deppression, then I`m thinking about "checking out", this was around 10-2009, time to get help. I was experiencing " anorexia", the greek word for a pathological cessation of voluntary food intake. I thought the Dr.s and the psychologist and nurses were telling me I had "anorexia nervosa", that wasn`t the case. In 29 mos I lost 36 lbs muscle, 4 lbs. fat. I`m back into gym and I`m eating well, 3 ensure plus` a day,4 oz. beef liver one day, 6 oz. either buffalo or beef: ground. consult a dietician.

Answer 4

No, the brain is made up of phospholipids NOT so much triglycerides ("FAT"). Mylein surrounds axons of neurons to insulate and therefore hasten the delivery of action potentials which are basically electric currents. It has nothing to do with "fat" we lose in our diets. However, Losing fat, may increase blood flow to the brain as well as other parts of the body therefore loosing fat may help the brain function more efficiently!!!

Answer 5

How bout a haha?

Brain fats are a special group of fats created by the body to be permanently imbued in the brain until old age. Your body has tons of fats to burn. The breasts, thighs, arms etc... And after burning up the body fats, it will burn the muscular protein. After reducing your body to the limit, organs burn themselves for energy to strife that minute period of time. And later guess what, you die!

Noticed that in my explaination the brain never got involved in the fat burning process? Thats why you can exercise until you collapse but the forensic doctor can still hack your skull and still see your brain.

Answer 6

I once worked off 85 pounds of weight, and my mental capacities increased markedly (I have a master's degree now to prove it). So, yes, you may lose fatty substance in your brain, and it may get lighter, but it won't mean you're losing any marbles - rather the opposite.

Answer 7

i don't think u can have brain loss because if fat people loose weight and they have brain loss they won't have a brain left!!


i think u are thinking bout memory loss!!!

Answer 8

i don't think so. if that was the case we all would def. hear alot of talk and news about it in all the weight loss books and etc...