When the word “fat” is brought up, there are usually a handful of reactions. For some, the word conjures a sense of shame. For others, a sense of disgust. For still others, a clinical understanding of what fat is, without an emotion tied to the concept. Regardless of your personal reaction to fat, one fact remains: fat, itself, is not the enemy, and is not something to work against.

What Is Fat?

For a long time, fat was regarded as a static thing. It was regarded as a simple store of energy, without any back-and-forth within the body. In essence, fat was seen as something to be used, or consumed, rather than a vital, viable energetic source within the human body, capable of communicating with the cells around it. Those ideas have begun to change.

As it turns out, fat is not a static thing to be consumed, but is an endocrine organ, with the ability to “communicate” with the cells around it. Fat and fat stores are not problematic and are not the source of the horror often assigned to them. Instead, researchers have found that the problem lies in “silent” fat cells or fat that has lost the ability to interact with the body.

In the study, researchers found that mice whose fat cells had lost the ability to speak exhibited symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, including higher blood sugar.

Making Fat Work for You

This same study implanted the fat cells in mice with a biometric implant—essentially a small sponge inserted into the fat tissue. The mice whose cells were implanted with the material demonstrated a marked decrease in high blood sugar levels, and showed greater immunity, as well. Getting fat to speak again, then, is another piece of the overall puzzle of both treating and preventing Type 2 diabetes.

Although this research is fascinating and important, the technology used is not yet available for use as a treatment in humans. That being said, it does provide a tremendous amount of insight into the human body and how Type 2 diabetes affects all of the body’s symptoms.

Rather than being a condition focused largely on your body’s digestive and filtering systems, Type 2 is a result of a larger, more intricate breakdown of your body’s overall systems, and may be targeted by a large number of angles to prevent, treat, and—someday—reverse the condition.