The Autonomic, Hormonal, and Immunological Contributions to the Metabolism and Control of Adipose Tissue as an Organ

Historically, white adipose tissue (WAT) has typically been regarded as a passive storage deposit of excess lipid as an energy reserve. However, recent research suggests that WAT behaves like an organ system that interacts with the autonomic nervous, endocrine, and immunological systems. Therefore, it is possible that WAT can function as a regulatory organ that assists in maintaining the body in homeostasis. This cross-sectional study uses physiological data from 30 patients at the Pinewood Natural Health Centre in Toronto, Canada to derive a description of the role of WAT in the mediation of homeostasis. Statistical methods derive a formula describing the dynamic congruence that contributes to a systems medicine (SM) understanding of the organism. Multiple variables including body parameters, body composition, parameters of metabolism, heart rate variability and the immune, autonomous, neural, and endocrine systems were measured and correlated via multiple regression analysis. The null hypothesis was that no variables would correlate; the alternative hypothesis was that at least two variables that would correlate with each other to demonstrate congruence and order. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to determine if multiple measures of endocrine, metabolic, anthropometrics, and immune functions correlated with evidence to support the WAT as a contributor to homeostasis. The results of this study found strong correlations with parameters of the immune system and metabolism but few correlations with the autonomous nervous system. This suggests that despite the body’s complexity, not all systems may contribute equally strongly to overall homeostasis but that the WAT mass is a significant participant in maintaining homeostasis.