Medical Weight Loss
Lipotropic Injections
What Does Lipotropic Mean?
Lipotropic compounds are substances that help stimulate the breakdown of lipid (fat) during metabolism and, in this way, reduce the accumulation of excess fat in the liver and other tissues. Injections of carefully calibrated doses of natural lipotropic nutrients can optimize your ability to shed fat.
Lipotropic Injections Supports Weight Loss
Many substances have lipotropic properties. The most effective lipotropic agents for weight loss purposes are choline and methionine. Through their involvement in lipid (fat) metabolism, lipotropic agents help maintain a healthy liver. The liver plays a major role in human metabolism including aiding in the digestion, storage, and distribution of nutrients and the detoxification of metabolic poisons and waste products. The liver produces and stores glycogen from excess carbohydrates and later releases it when blood sugar levels fall too low. The liver synthesizes plasma proteins that carry oxygen and nutrients to the body tissues and plasma proteins that carry waste products back to the liver for detoxification. The liver also produces bile, a compound that emulsifies fat so that it can be broken down by digestive enzymes. A lipotropic nutrient is one that promotes or encourages the export of fat from the liver. Lipotropics are necessary for the maintenance of a healthy liver as well as burning the exported fat for additional energy. Without lipotropics such as choline, fats and bile can become trapped in the liver, causing severe problems such as cirrhosis and blocking fat metabolism. Choline is essential for fat metabolism. Choline functions as a methyl donor and is required for proper liver function. Methionine, an essential amino acid, is the major lipotropic compound in humans. When estrogen levels are high, the body requires more methionine. Estrogens reduce bile flow through the liver and increase bile cholesterol levels. Methionine helps deactivate estrogens.
Vitamin B12
This vitamin is important to keep the brain and nervous system functioning normally and for the formation of red blood cells. By synthesizing and regulating DNA, B12 is involved in cellular metabolism. It also plays a vital role in fatty acid synthesis and energy production. Many medications, certain medical conditions, and the normal aging process can lead to a B12 deficiency.
Choline
These chemicals are co-enzymes that are required for the proper metabolism of fats and have the ability to remove fat from the liver. Since brain and nerve cells have a protective covering made of fatty acids, choline is necessary for normal nerve and brain function. Choline is a key agent in bile production, and bile emulsifies fats in foods you eat so they can be digested. Without choline, fats can become trapped in the liver, where they can block normal metabolic functions. Choline also helps to emulsify cholesterol so that it mixes with the blood and does not settle on the walls of the arteries. Choline works to metabolize fats and cholesterol. The body can produce choline, with the help of vitamin B12, folic acid (vitamin B9) and the amino acid known as methionine. However, the rate your body produces choline may not be adequate to meet daily metabolic needs, particularly during weight loss when a lot of body fat must be broken down. Studies show that diets deficient in choline often result in undesirable changes to liver, kidney and brain functions. For this reason, we often recommend choline injections to our weight loss patients.
Methionine
This chemical is an essential amino acid that participates in fat and protein metabolism. It has lipotropic properties similar to those produced by choline. Methionine is an essential amino acid because your body cannot produce it. It must be supplied by your diet. Your body uses methionine to make proteins and many other important substances. For example, your body requires an adequate supply of methionine to synthesize two other important amino acids, cysteine and taurine. Methionine is also one of the nutrients required for the body to produce choline. Therefore, a deficiency of this amino acid will adversely affect fat metabolism by limiting choline production. Methionine levels also affect the amount of sulfur-containing compounds, such as glutathione, in the liver. Glutathione and other sulfur-containing peptides (small proteins) play a critical role in defending against toxic compounds. When higher levels of toxic compounds are present, more methionine is needed.