Ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) first identified obesity as an epidemic of mass

proportions in the 1990s, scientists have done a great deal of research on the health risks
associated with being overweight. The United States Center for Disease Control estimates that
300,000 Americans die annually from obesity-related illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes,
high blood pressure, stroke and some types of cancer. And the weight of the world is growing
globally according to the WHO, waistlines have expanded well beyond industrialized countries,
with 300 million adults suffering from obesity worldwide and more than 115 million of those from
developing countries. However, recent studies show that weight distributed more locally could
have even greater health implications than general obesity alone.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota traced 30,000 women for 12
years and discovered that those who carried excess weight around their middles were more likely
to die or develop heart disease than generally overweight women. The study was reviewed in
2000 by Tufts University Nutrition Commentator, which noted that the findings supported existing
views that it is not just total fatness, but where the fat sits on the body that makes being
overweight such a health hazard. In addition to raising health risks, localized fat deposits pose
another problem for those trying to lose weight they are typically difficult to target. Fortunately,
there is growing evidence to suggest that this may be about to change. According to strength
coach Charles Poliquin in Tempe, Arizona, a personalized combination of diet, supplements, and
exercise is an effective way to reduce specific fat storage sites on the body.
Biosignature Modulation
For more than a decade Poliquin has trained professional and Olympic athletes using
Biosignature Modulation, a system he devised to improve the overall condition of the body while
specifically targeting areas where people have a tendency to store fat. Poliquin has a B.Sc. in
Kinesiology and a M.Sc. in Exercise Physiology and has been researching site specific storage
sine 1986, when he first came across an early study outlining the health risks for people who
carried weight in the abdominal region. After I read that study, I started paying attention,
Poliquin says. Ever since then Ive been accumulating date on [fat storage] and going through
about eight hours of research a week. When I come across something specific, I use it to
improve the system. He describes the system as an individualized exercise and
dietary/supplement regimen based on the biosignature of a person to optimize their body
composition and health according to their goals. Poliquin uses bloodwork, urine and saliva tests
to determine an athletes biological blueprint in order to customize their program.

Fitness competitor Chrissy May is one of the systems success stories. She ventured into
Poliquins gym in January after hearing good things about the program from fellow competitor
Sarah Orbanic. Following her assessment, Poliquin told her to cut prolonged cardio out of her
training because her body was no longer responding to it. Instead, he focused her workouts
around interval training and also gave her a series of supplements and topical creams to help
target her trouble spots. To help lean out her lower body, which was her main problem area,
Poliquin told her to do six reps of 45 seconds of intense cycling on an exercise bike with three
minutes rest in between as her interval training. [Interval training alternating periods of hard
work with easy work increases lean muscle tissue, boosts anaerobic or lactic acid thresholds,
and burns more calories post-workout than standard aerobic exercise.] May was skeptical at
first. She told Poliquin she didnt believe in topical treatments and didnt see how interval training
could impact her body more than the spinning workouts she was doing. She looked at me as if
to say Hey, I can do those reps standing on my head, Poliquin recalls. But she couldnt even
make it through all six at first its not as easy as it sounds. Despite her initial misgivings, May
was happy with the results. I was completely blown away, she says, Ive never seen my body
change like that, especially as fast as it did. And the best part is I also learned how to change my
lifestyle so I can do it on my own.
Site Specific Fat Storage
Where people store fat can be attributed to everything from genetics to hormonal imbalances. In
an article entitled Obesity Begets Obesity the U.S. Bariatrics Director of Research, Cynthia
Buffington, Ph.D., writes: Various studies, including our own, have shown changes in the
production [or clearance] of certain hormones in association with increasing body mass and
regional fat distribution. Such hormonal changes may promote further weight gain and influence
where the fat is distributed on the body. Some of these hormonal imbalances include high levels
of blood insulin, increased cortisol, low growth hormone levels and high testosterone for women
or low testosterone for men. In his Biosignature Modulation program, Poliquin explains what fat
deposits reveal about a persons overall health and prescribes treatment relative to the
characteristics of each site. He has identified 10 different fat storage sites on the body, which
include the subscapular, or shoulder blade area, the triceps, the umbilical, or abdominal region,
the front of the thighs, the gluteal fold and the mid-axillary and
supra-iliac areas, located on the sides of the waist. In addition to exercise and diet, he
recommends a variety of supplements to target each of the following obesity trouble spots.
Thigh Skinfolds
According to a clinical study conducted by researchers at the UCLA School of Medicine in 1995,
thigh fat is harder for people to lose than abdominal fat, but there is some evidence to suggest it
may be successfully targeted with topical treatments. Poliquin prescribes a topical cream
containing yohumbine, a substance extracted from the bark of yohimbe trees, which are small
evergreens native to Africa. Some studies found that yohimbine, applied topically, can block
alpha-2 receptors to reduce fat accumulation. The cream is wonderful it works really well,
Poliquin says. Put it this way, I sell one bottle to people the first time and then a case of 12 the
next week. When she began training with Poliquins program, May had caliper measurements of
23.8mm for her quads and 33.2 for her hamstrings. Less than a month later she measured 13.4
and 13.8 respectively.
Gluteal Fold
Because the butt region has the same fat receptors as the thighs, Poliquin treats the area the
same way with interval training and yohimbine cream. Other options for the lower body that he
prescribes include indole-3-carbinol, a chemical found in vegetables of the broccoli family to help
women detoxify estrogens, and glutamine to boost growth hormone naturally.
Umbilical

Stress has long been identified as one of the many culprits that cause obesity. When people are
stressed they secrete cortisol, which activates fat-storage enzymes in cells. Researchers at
Sahlgrens Hospital in Sweden have discovered a direct link between cortisol levels and
midsection obesity, while a study at Yales Department of Psychology in 2000 found that stress
could even cause non-overweight women to gain excess abdominal fat. One of the best ways to
combat the problem is to reduce stress and other factors that increase cortisol, such as caffeine
and sugar. Studies at the University of Naples found that phosphatidylserine can dramatically
decrease stress-related spikes in cortisol levels. In addition to phosphatidylserine, Poliquin
prescribes licorice root to help regulate cortisol production, as well as fish oil, which he says
works for everything and happens to be the best central obesity fighter in his supplement arsenal.
Subscapular
In the early stages of his program, Poliquin used carbohydrate restriction as the primary means of
targeting fat deposits around the shoulder blades. then he read about corosolic acid, an extract
from the leaf of the Banaba plant which grows in India, Southeast Asia and the Philippines and is
believed to stimulate glucose transport into cells to help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels.
Ive not found any strong evidence in research for corosolic acid, says Poliquin. But the
evidence weve got is based on the bloodwork of our athletes. At our center we see people drop
their subscapular skinfold by 10mm within a month of using corosolic acid supplements.
Triceps
Lean triceps are a function of higher androgen levels in the bloodstream, Poliquin says. Stress
levels tend to lower androgen levels by stealing pregnenolone to make cortisol instead of making
the androgen DHEA. Herbal preparations, called adaptogens, help the body handle stress better
and thus reduce cortisol levels. In a report on nutritional stress management, Dr. Richard L.
Shames from Florida Atlantic University writes that adaptogens provide the benefit of balancing
and normalizing the physiology, Shames says. Stress relieving adaptogens include schisandra
berries, rhodiola rosea, ginseng and licorice root. Its not uncommon for an executive-type
woman with a 15mm triceps reading to go down to a 10mm reading within three weeks of starting
a stress reduction program that includes the use of adaptogens, says Poliquin.
Mid-Axillary
The mid-axillary skinfold reflects the health of the thyroid gland, Poliquin says. Herbal extracts
of guggul, bladder-wrack and coleus root have been shown to enhance the thyroid. Guggul is a
gummy resin from small trees native to India and Pakistan, while Bladderwrack is an algae found
on submerged rocks along the coasts of North America and Europe and is a natural source of
iodine, which supports thyroid hormone synthesis. It also contains potassium, magnesium,
calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals. Some research has revealed that coleus root, a member
of the mint family that grows wild on the mountain slopes of Nepal, India and Thailand, may help
regulate thyroid activity and metabolize fats.
Supra-iliac
Poliquin attributes fat deposits in the supra-iliac region as a reflection of circulating insulin levels.
He recommends glycemic controlled meals and not skipping meals altogether as two of the best
strategies for targeting this area of the waist. He also advocates using fenugreek and flax seeds
to modulate insulin. Fenugreek seeds in particular are high in dietary fiber, which has been
shown in clinical studies to help control blood sugar and insulin levels.
Fine Tuning
Poliquins Biosignature Modulation program is in a constant state of flux as new research
increasingly validates and improves the methods he employs. The basic premise in science is
that knowledge doubles every 18 months, he says. If you dont read a lot of research, you fall
behind. Until three months ago, he recommended that his clients take ginseng after their meals
to stabilize blood sugar, until he came across a recent study that found its more effective if taken
45 minutes before a meal. Its a classic example of how the system is constantly updated,
Poliquin says. The amount of knowledge thats out there just keeps on getting better and better.