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Review
. 2025 Jan 27;17(1):e78050.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.78050. eCollection 2025 Jan.

The Interplay Between Adipokines and Body Composition in Obesity and Metabolic Diseases

Umesh Zadgaonkar  1
Affiliations
Review

The Interplay Between Adipokines and Body Composition in Obesity and Metabolic Diseases

Umesh Zadgaonkar. Cureus. .

Abstract

The worldwide health system faces challenges from obesity and related metabolic disorders because they exhibit both rising rates of occurrence and intricate pathophysiological mechanisms. This work examines how adipokines interact with body composition during obesity to control important metabolic functions. Bioactive molecules produced by adipose tissue function as adipokines which regulate essential biological pathways that control inflammation response and insulin sensitivity alongside energy balance management and immune system operation. The disruption of adipokine secretion and function leads directly to metabolic disorders which include insulin resistance and persistent inflammation characteristic of obesity-related conditions. This article investigates the therapeutic possibilities of adipokine pathway manipulation through new pharmacological approaches and lifestyle changes alongside personalized medicine developments. Researchers analyze adipokines as important biomarkers for patient disease classification and their application in creating individualized treatment plans. The review highlights existing research deficiencies and obstacles that stand in the way of applying adipokine discoveries to clinical settings. This article integrates existing research to show how adipokine regulation helps prevent obesity-related metabolic issues and suggests directions for future studies to enhance treatment results.

Keywords: adipokines; insulin resistance; leptin; metabolic diseases; obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Impact of adipokine dysregulation on metabolic diseases
Image credit: Author
Figure 2
Figure 2. Hormonal interactions mediated by adipokines in metabolic regulation
Image credit: Author ANS: Autonomic nervous system
Figure 3
Figure 3. Effects of lifestyle interventions on adipokine profiles
Image credit: Author
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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