Explanation on Phenotypes: What Makes an Endomorph an Endomorph?
The term phenotype is defined as “The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, as determined by both genetic makeup and environmental influences.” (dictionary.com). Ones body type/structure can be placed in three phenotypes:
• Ectomorph—Naturally skinny, narrow bone structure, has a hard time gaining weight.
• Mesomorph—Naturally built, broad shoulders, can gain or lose weight relatively equally.
• Endomorph—Naturally heavy, wide bone structure, gains weight easily.
There is a clear visible physical distinction between the three phenotypes, but what is not visible and often ignored is the biochemical and metabolic differences between the three phenotypes.
I’m sure everyone has a friend that seems to have the ability to eat endless amounts of junk food and never gain an ounce of fat. On the other hand, you may feel like you gain fat just from smelling cake or pizza. Why is your friend able to pig out and not add weight while you gain weight so easily? It all comes down to the biochemical make-up of your body.
One’s biochemical make-up refers to the cumulative sum of all of its metabolic processes. Examples of such processes in reference to gaining fat include:
• Lipolysis—The release of fat in the form of fatty acids from adipose tissue (fat cells).
• Lipogenesis—The storage of fatty acids and accumulation of fat in adipose tissue.
• De Novo Lipogenesis—The formation of fat from non-fat sources, specifically acetyl CoA (i.e. carbohydrates).
• Fat Oxidation—The burning of fatty acids to obtain energy.
These four processes are all involved in regulating fat loss and gaining fat and are controlled by a host of other processes, which all work together to maintain a balance of homeostasis.
In order to create a diet that allows an endomorph to gain lean mass while keeping fat gains to a minimum, one must understand the principle metabolic reasons that cause endomorphs to gain fat: insulin sensitivity and nutrient partitioning. This will be discussed in the next post.
• Ectomorph—Naturally skinny, narrow bone structure, has a hard time gaining weight.
• Mesomorph—Naturally built, broad shoulders, can gain or lose weight relatively equally.
• Endomorph—Naturally heavy, wide bone structure, gains weight easily.
There is a clear visible physical distinction between the three phenotypes, but what is not visible and often ignored is the biochemical and metabolic differences between the three phenotypes.
I’m sure everyone has a friend that seems to have the ability to eat endless amounts of junk food and never gain an ounce of fat. On the other hand, you may feel like you gain fat just from smelling cake or pizza. Why is your friend able to pig out and not add weight while you gain weight so easily? It all comes down to the biochemical make-up of your body.
One’s biochemical make-up refers to the cumulative sum of all of its metabolic processes. Examples of such processes in reference to gaining fat include:
• Lipolysis—The release of fat in the form of fatty acids from adipose tissue (fat cells).
• Lipogenesis—The storage of fatty acids and accumulation of fat in adipose tissue.
• De Novo Lipogenesis—The formation of fat from non-fat sources, specifically acetyl CoA (i.e. carbohydrates).
• Fat Oxidation—The burning of fatty acids to obtain energy.
These four processes are all involved in regulating fat loss and gaining fat and are controlled by a host of other processes, which all work together to maintain a balance of homeostasis.
In order to create a diet that allows an endomorph to gain lean mass while keeping fat gains to a minimum, one must understand the principle metabolic reasons that cause endomorphs to gain fat: insulin sensitivity and nutrient partitioning. This will be discussed in the next post.
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