How Belly Fat Can Cause Serious Breathing Issues
Posted: April 27, 2015
Researchers analyzed information from more than 120,000 people and found that the larger a person’s waist size, the smaller his or her forced vital capacity — the maximum volume of air that a person can exhale after breathing in as much air as possible. In other words, excess belly fat is strongly associated with impaired lung function.
Excess belly fat affects breathing by pushing on the diaphragm and chest wall, making it harder for the lungs to fill with air. The American Heart Association considers a waist circumference of more than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men to be excessive and an indicator of health risks. A larger waist size and the accompanying belly fat often manifest itself during sleep, when sleep apnea (sleep disturbances due to interrupted breathing) occurs — another serious and sometimes life-threatening health risk.
Genetics, diet, and exercise are all contributors to a man’s ability to control his weight and abdominal fat. However, there is another, often overlooked, factor: testosterone. Sometime after age 30, a man’s testosterone level begins to decrease, at the rate of about 1 percent each year. Over time, this decrease manifests itself in several common side effects: fatigue, irritability, lack of motivation, poor sleep, inability to concentrate, and yes, the loss of lean muscle and accumulation of belly fat. Because men carry fat more predominantly around the midsection, this contributes to the explosion of health risks seen in our population today, including the onset of breathing issues and disorders.
If your checkup is overdue, contact Low T Center. By administering a simple blood test, we can determine if you are a candidate for low testosterone treatment, or other treatment services. Results are obtained quickly — within the first patient visit — so relief from breathing issues and any other medical conditions can become a reality sooner rather than later.
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Disclaimer: This article is made available for general, entertainment and educational purposes only. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Low T Center. You should always seek the advice of a licensed healthcare professional.