Many Toxins Elevate in the Blood During Rapid Weight Loss

April 8, 2011 Wellness Resources

BACKGROUND: Body weight loss occurring after a hypoenergetic diet or a gastroplasty could be followed by an increase in blood concentration of potentially toxic pollutants that can interfere with the hormonal system (endocrine disrupters).

DESIGN: Thirty obese individuals recruited for gastroplasty were compared before and after treatment with 45 normal-weight people.

MEASUREMENTS: Blood samples were analyzed for DDT, DDE, HCB and PCBs no. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

RESULTS: The results indicate clearly that body weight loss occurring after gastroplasty increases plasma concentration of lipophilic pollutants.

CONCLUSION: Gastroplasty increases plasma concentration of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs, which could be a risk factor of endocrine disruption. Future longitudinal research will have to determine if the advantages of body weight loss are reduced by this potentially harmful effect.

Study Information

Charlier C, Desaive C, Plomteux G.
Human exposure to endocrine disrupters: consequences of gastroplasty on plasma concentration of toxic pollutants.
nt J Obes Relat Metab Disord.
2002 November
Clinical Toxicology Laboratory, University Hospital, Liege, Belgium.