Is fasting more effective for weight loss than regular dieting and calorie counting? Dr. Cate reviews the most important studies and wraps with her recommendations based on 20 years of experience.
How to Lose Visceral Fat (And Why Most Advice Gets It Wrong)
Table of Contents
Take a look in the mirror. Somehow, you’ve wound up with a gut. We don’t like it. I call it “the tire of shame.” Whatever a six pack is, this ain’t it. And we know that it’s not healthy.
It’s not. This belly fat—visceral fat—does not speak well of our metabolic health. It’s not from a lack of doing crunches two hours a day. This has to do with a metabolic imbalance.
When doctors talk about how visceral fat is associated with things like diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, and even certain cancers, they’re right on the mark. It is.
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I would like to thank you for literally saving my life. Back in February, I had to be hospitalized while on vacation in Phoenix with an A1C of 11% and had to start taking 2 types of insulin and 2 other meds. I read the Fatburn Fix in April, and followed the program to a tee, and I’m down by 15 pounds, 6.8 A1C, and only one once weekly diabetes medicine.
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But here’s where the story goes sideways: visceral fat isn’t what causes all these problems. Visceral fat is the result of a metabolic breakdown that leads to all kinds of problems, including fat around the gut. In other words, visceral fat isn’t the cause; it’s a symptom.
Visceral Fat Isn’t the Real Problem
It’s a symptom of a deep-seated metabolic problem. In other words, before you develop obvious visceral fat, your metabolism is already under stress. That’s why you develop it. It’s not driven that much by genetics. And while diabetes is often pegged as a contributing cause, diabetes itself is also a manifestation of the same, deeper metabolic issue.
In my work studying metabolic disease and modern diets, I’ve found that the metabolic driver of visceral fat is almost universally overlooked. So much so that many authorities assume that visceral fat causes metabolic disease—which is exactly backwards. This matters because it places way too much importance on the fat itself, which makes people think weight loss is a solution. Also, suggesting that the fat itself is the problem opens the door for opportunists selling quick-fix wellness products that waste your money and do nothing to address your metabolic dysfunction.
Since I get so many questions about supposed fat-burning supplements, I’ll dive right into that first.
Supplements Marketed as “Visceral Fat Burners”
Many products claim to “target belly fat” or “burn visceral fat,” but none address the underlying metabolic problem that leads to visceral fat accumulation. In my view, any supplement that actually works but does not supply the body with a missing nutrient is going to be functioning as a pharmaceutical, while being marketed as natural.
Green tea extract
Green tea extract is one of the most common ingredients in fat-burning supplements. It contains compounds called catechins that may slightly increase metabolism, especially when combined with caffeine. However, studies generally show only small changes in body weight, and there is little evidence that it specifically reduces visceral fat.
Berberine
Berberine has recently become popular as a so-called natural alternative to diabetes medications. Some studies suggest it can improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity, but most of these are published in journals that are essentially marketing tools for the wellness industry. I say this becuase I’ve read many of them and found glaring biases, errors, and leaps of logic. And even this questionable research has not shown consistent reductions in visceral fat.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, has long been marketed as a fat-loss supplement that targets belly fat. Research results are mixed, with some studies showing small changes in body fat and others showing none. In some cases, reductions in body fat appear to occur mainly in subcutaneous fat rather than visceral fat, which undermines the claim that it specifically targets abdominal fat around organs.
L-Carintine
L-carnitine is often promoted as a supplement that helps the body “burn fat for energy.” While carnitine plays a role in transporting fatty acids into mitochondria, supplementing with it has produced only modest weight loss in most studies, and there is little evidence that it selectively reduces visceral fat.
Dietary Sources of Carnitine
Besides, your body can make carnitine from scratch when you are well-nourished. For most healthy people, normal diets already provide adequate carnitine, which is why supplementation is usually unnecessary unless there is a specific medical reason. The richest carnitine sources are:
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red meat
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lamb
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pork
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dairy
Plant foods generally contain much smaller amounts.
Probioics
Probiotics have also been marketed as a way to reduce belly fat by improving gut health. Some small studies using specific bacterial strains have reported modest reductions in waist circumference or abdominal fat. However, results are inconsistent, and most commercial probiotic products do not contain the exact strains used in these studies.
I think this research is mostly bogus as it represents yet another example of reverse causality. The foods that disrupt metabolism—what I call the big three ingredients that put the junk in junk food (see image)—also promote unhealthy shifts in gut bacteria. When people stop eating those foods and switch to a diet built around real foods, both metabolism and gut flora often improve naturally. In that situation, changes in gut bacteria are more likely a consequence of a better diet and metabolic health rather than the original cause of fat loss.
Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules
Apple cider vinegar capsules are another popular remedy promoted for belly fat reduction. Although vinegar may slightly affect blood sugar responses after meals, this is also from mostly dubious research. And even this low-quality research has not shown meaningful reductions in visceral fat. Most of the benefits claimed for these products rely on very limited evidence.
That said, apple cider vinegar and ALL vinegars are best consumed in real food. For example, salad dressing. Acids like these can help stimulate digestive enzyme release from the pancreas, thus soothing some people’s dyspepsia.
Fiber Supplements
Fiber supplements (such as glucomannan, and inulin) are often advertised as appetite suppressants that help people lose weight.
Taking fiber supplements may slightly increase feelings of fullness and may support weight loss IF combined with healthy eating habits. It’s not clear to me that fiber supplements support satiety because most of the research linking fiber to satiety is done on food, like whole veggies, fruits, and beans, not supplements. Even if supplements did support satiety, this does not specifically target visceral fat or correct the metabolic disturbances that lead to it, but this huge limitation is rarely revealed in marketing materials.
Taken together, these products illustrate a common pattern. Most supplements marketed for visceral fat are bogus. Besides, if you focus only on losing visceral fat, you will miss the deeper issue that caused it in the first place. And you won’t necessarily be reducing your health risks very much.
Understanding this relationship changes how you should think about losing visceral fat.
Here’s another way to think about visceral fat and the likelihood that supplements can melt it away:
Visceral fat isn’t just extra weight. It’s a change in where the body stores energy. When your metabolism is working well, excess calories tend to be stored under the skin in subcutaneous fat. But when your metabolism is not working right (when you have insulin resistance), the body begins storing more energy deep inside the abdomen around organs and in the liver.
So visceral fat is less about a bulging belly and more about how your metabolism is functioning.
Visceral Fat Is a Warning Sign
One helpful way to think about visceral fat is to imagine the warning light on a car’s dashboard. When the light turns on, it tells you something deeper in the engine is not working properly. You could smash the light so it stops flashing, but that would not fix the engine.
Visceral fat works in a similar way. It is often treated as the problem itself, but in reality, it usually signals that the body’s metabolism—especially insulin signaling and energy regulation—has become disrupted. This condition is commonly known as insulin resistance.
When insulin resistance develops, the body begins storing more energy in the abdomen and liver. Over time, visceral fat begins to accumulate. This means the real issue is not simply the fat itself, but the metabolic state that caused it.
What Causes Visceral Fat?
Visceral fat is sometimes blamed on genetics or aging, but the strongest driver appears to be modern processed diets. Foods that commonly promote metabolic disruption include refined sugars, refined flours, industrial seed oils, ultra-processed snack foods, and protein isolates or powders.
These foods place unusual stress on the body’s metabolic systems. Over time, they can contribute to insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and disrupted energy regulation. As these changes develop, the body begins shifting where it stores energy.
Instead of storing most fat under the skin, more energy begins to accumulate deep in the abdomen around organs. This is visceral fat. In other words, visceral fat is less about how much fat the body stores and more about how metabolism is functioning.
You may have noticed that many normal-weight people have unusual bulging bellies or apple-shaped bodies. That’s most often visceral fat. (Other possibilities include advanced liver disease or skeletal abnormalities that shorten the lumbar spine.)
Why Weight Loss Alone May Not Solve the Problem.
Many weight-loss programs focus primarily on shrinking fat mass. And it is true that losing weight often reduces visceral fat. However, most weight-loss programs can not correct the metabolic disturbance that causes visceral fat to develop in the first place.
People can lose weight through severe calorie restriction, appetite-suppressing medications, or crash diets. These approaches may shrink fat stores temporarily but may not fully restore healthy metabolism. If insulin resistance and metabolic stress remain, the body may still be at higher risk for conditions linked to type 2 diabetes, including fatty liver disease, blood clots, high blood pressure, stroke, neuropathic pain, and certain cancers.
For this reason, the real goal should not simply be losing visceral fat. The more important goal is restoring healthy metabolism.
The Real Way to Reduce Visceral Fat
When metabolism improves, visceral fat often decreases naturally. The most effective way to improve metabolic health is to remove the foods that disrupt it.
Start by reducing or eliminating the biggest metabolic stressors in the modern diet, including refined sugars, refined flour products, industrial seed oils, highly processed packaged foods, and protein powders or isolates. These foods tend to drive unstable blood sugar and insulin signaling.
Instead, eat real foods. My first book, Deep Nutrition, reveals how our ancestors used real food to build incredibly resilient bodies. Our nutritional needs have not changed, and in spite of the fact that we now demonize red meat and animal fats, those foods are some of the best for our bodies. Whole proteins, such as eggs, meat, fish, and poultry, along with animal fats and virgin plant oils, as well as nuts, legumes, vegetables, and small amounts of fruit, can all play a role in healing metabolic dysfunction.
When meals are built around real foods rather than processed ingredients, the body’s energy systems begin functioning more normally. Insulin sensitivity improves, inflammation decreases, and fat distribution often begins to normalize.
Over time, this process commonly leads to a gradual reduction in visceral fat.
The Bottom Line
Visceral fat is often described as dangerous fat that special protocols will fix. But it is better understood as a symptom of a deeper problem. It tells us that the body’s metabolism has become stressed, often after years of eating foods that disrupt normal energy regulation. And the good news is that the same diet that fixes visceral fat will also make your whole body healthy. This is yet another example of the principle I’ve been touting for years: Nature Makes it Simple!
In other words, following the kind of human diet that helps you feel your best will also help you look your best.
Understanding Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
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I’ve been following the GAPS protocol for almost 6 months now and stopped eating processed food long before that but continue to slowly gain weight around my belly. I walk 10k steps every day, practice yoga daily etc and sauna 3 times a week. Yet still exhibit signs of metabolic disease…
Hi Dr Kate, you mention that protein powders or isolates should be eliminated from your diet. Can you expand on that please? I was of the impression that protein isolates and concentrates from grass feed cattle were beneficial, especially in the provision of quality amino acids.
Thanks ?
Will do an article on this later this year.
Is the CB Collagen supplement that has your face on it a protein powder? Because I’ve been using it for years since I read Fatburn Fix.
Collagen powder is the exception, which is why it’s the only such supplement I can actually endorse.
I have long wondered why at a very young age (<30) I was prescribed beta blockers because I had hypertension. Was I born with a tendency to development high blood pressure? I later developed Type 2 diabetes, hemochromatosis, chronic gout in feet and ankles and very large bags under my eyes….not a great look!
Around 2 years ago I started reducing those dietary elements you mention and finally cut out all sweet sugary drinks and alcohol. I started noticing gradual weight loss but have more to go. My recent move away from all things wheat has had more impact. As you know wheat was genetically modified in Australia in mid 1940s and not until recently has there been an understanding of the lost value from the original strain. I was surprised to learn that the anti-inflammatory value of some components in the original strain has reduced by around 800%. So, while the wheat in itself doesn't cause toxicity it also doesn't do the same job it did for our ancestors in protecting our metabolism. Bread is known as the staff of life because of its ubiquitous consumption worldwide so it follows that any impact on its metabolic value will have an impact on many especially those with marginal metabolic resilience. Could my early hypertension be associated with what was done to wheat because I used to consume lots of bread and still did up until a few months ago?
Visceral fat is NOT what you think. The enterocytes in the liver have been overwhelmed by excess intake of deuterium. That fat laden deuterium is stored in adipocytes. For a skilled clinician you can see the deuterium shadows on a T1 MRI.
The problems with excess deuterium is everything slows to crawl as deuterium (D) is twice as heavy as protium (hydrogen+). The collection of deuterium in storage anywhere in the body is a serious issue for optimal health. Deuterium is normally floating around in the blood stream and can be depleted by UV/IR/NiR exposure from direct sunlight. Yes, sunlight exposure is good for you & optimal health.
Belly fat is subcutaneous fat, NOT visceral fat. Again, UV/IR/NiR sunlight exposure to your uncovered torso will lessen belly fat.
With visceral fat & subcutaneous fat there are many studies and observations of people’s across the world that provide evidence to these descriptions above.
Hi,
I have removed seed oil from my diet and it has helped. My blood work shows good results now.
After I read this article I have a question.
Why would you include protein powder as something that promotes visceral fat? I’m going to gym regularly and take protein powder. Should I be concerned?
Ghalib
As a biological dentist and licensed nutritionist in New York State and who has, for the past 30 plus years, integrated nutrition, homeopathy and herbal medicine into both of my practices, I highly recommend all of Dr. Cate’s books. She is making a major contribution to the field of diet and nutrition. Please join her email list for up to date medical/nutritional information that will change your life and push your body in the direction of health and wellness. It is never too late to change eating habits! Stanley E. Kacherski, DDS, MS, CN