Lipolysis
The breakdown of stored fat into usable fuel — the process every weight-loss method ultimately depends on.
Fat is stored as triglycerides in adipose cells; lipolysis is the unlocking — splitting them into fatty acids and glycerol that muscles and organs burn. Hormones gate the process: adrenaline and glucagon open it, insulin closes it, which is why chronically high insulin (insulin resistance) keeps stored fat frustratingly unavailable.
No pill "melts fat" directly in the infomercial sense; every legitimate method — caloric deficit, exercise, GLP-1 therapy — works by tilting the hormonal environment so lipolysis outpaces storage for months at a time. The exhaled truth of weight loss belongs here too: the carbon in burned fat leaves mostly through your lungs as CO2.
This glossary entry is general information, not medical advice, and is written to be consistent with FDA prescribing information and primary trial publications as of its last review. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider for personal medical decisions.
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