Story by Flora
While we were searching for a perfect professional to do justice to the issue of pot belly and pregnant men among men on earth, our part crossed with a man who is impeccable with his Words. A man who speaks with integrity. An in-depth professional who speaks with much perspicacious capacity. It is for breeds like this that Zig Ziglar said, “the foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty. The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. We are proud to introduce to you, -Pharmacist Olewuezi 
Alloy Ohaegbulem who has 28 years of pharmaceutical experience. The widely traveled Professional has B.Pharm and masters in Business Admin. He is married to Oluwakemi Comfort Olewuezi and the marriage is blessed with three responsible children. In our exclusive chat with him, he took us round the clock about what we call beer belly, apple belly, beer gut, pot belly, spare tyre, bread box or pregnant men to mention but a few. Enjoy the excerpt:
What is pot/beer belly?
Pot belly is a condition where you have a protrusion of the tummy, and it is as a result of deposition of fats in the visceral organs. By that I mean the accumulation of fats in the internal organs and their surroundings. For the purpose of clarity Visceral organs refers to internal organs of the body specifically those within the chest (as the heart or lungs) or abdomen (as the liver, pancreas or intestine).
Being an unhealthy symptom, what do you think could be the cause?
The main thing that can lead to this as you asked is anything that can lead to the decomposition of fats in the ventral cavity for instance, Drinking too much alcohol like “BEER”, eating very late at night, not exercising regularly, consuming too much fatty food and Unhealthy lifestyle. There are other factors but these are the main ones.
Is there any kind of diseases that is connected to this?
A beer belly can double the risk of heart disease of any form. A 2014 study published in the journal Cardiovascular Imaging found out that adults with deep belly fat were significantly more likely to have greater heart risks than their non-belly fat counterparts, regardless of their BMI. Visceral fat, concentrated fat found between your organs in the belly region, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance. The rise of BMI, especially belly fat, is associated with a high risk of coronary heart disease, causing plaque build-up in the arteries. This debilitates the heart’s ability to receive blood and oxygen.
Belly fat is considered the most dangerous type of fat, known as visceral fat, which is associated with a high risk of disease, especially heart disease. Visceral fat can go unnoticed since it’s found around the organs such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines. A 2011 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found central obesity was directly associated with mortality in those with coronary artery disease. Normal and high BMI was not found responsible for this increased risk. This suggests belly fat is actually worse than being overweight.
Dr vincent Pedre , an internist at his own private practice Pedre Integrative Health and the author of the upcoming book Happy Gut, says the intra-abdominal fat (around the organ) is inflammatory. “This type of inflammation leads to the most dangerous chronic diseases: diabetes and cardiovascular disease”.
A growing belly can actually shrink your brain. The protein that metabolizes fat in the liver is the same protein found in the brain that is responsible for memory and learning, according to a 2013 study published in the journal Cell Reports. Belly fat actually depletes this protein both in the liver and brain. There is speculation that people with beer bellies could face a higher risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s due to lifestyle habits.
Excess belly fat can affect sexual function by interfering with the body’s ability to supply blood to the penis, and therefore leads testosterone production to plummet. This is because the same belly fat also produces an enzyme called aromatase. This enzyme converts testosterone to estrogen in a one-way pathway and hence, reduces the male’s testosterone levels, which can lead to gynecomastia (breast formation) and erectile dysfunction. Belly fat can increase breast cancer risk for both men and women.
Some of these pregnant men do brag with it: what is your take?
Anyway, there is freedom of expression and don’t forget there is self-esteem. It could be a cover up strategy and that is not to nullify the fact that there are issues around it. There is equal the social and traditional factor because in time past it used to be an index for the rich and opulence in the society.
Why is it called beer belly?
It is not only called beer belly some call it apple belly, beer gut, pot belly, spare tyre, bread box or pregnant men to mention but a few. The days of chugging beers, doing keg stands, and playing beer pong may all be in the past, but its effects are just beginning to catch up with people and it ain’t pretty. Beer doesn’t necessarily lead to belly fat but making it a habit is where the issue is. The consumption of too many calories; a single beer contains about 150 calories is what turns your trim waistline into a belly that hangs over your pants. The liver prioritizes burning alcohol before metabolizing fat, according to Columbia Health, which leads to more fat stored in the body through the process of fat sparing.
What advice do you have for the younger ones in view of the subject under discussion?
It is very important to exercise regularly. Do some walkout, jogging and then mind what they eat. Especially they should avoid drinking heavy alcohol. Alcohol consumption should be socially not habitually.
