What exactly is a lipoma?

A lipoma is a benign tumor consisting of fat cells (adipocytes) that have clumped together into a soft, movable “fatty lump” just under the skin. They usually grow slowly, are mostly painless, and are considered harmless in classical medical terms.

Why do lipomas form – and what does it have to do with detoxification?

Classical literature mentions genetics, overweight, insulin resistance, trauma to the tissue, and certain medications as risk factors. In the clinic, we also see a clear connection to how the body handles stress from diet, environment, and hormones over time.

When the body’s main waste routes – liver, bile, intestines, kidneys, and lymph – cannot keep up, the body must find other ways to protect vital organs. One of these strategies is to:

• encapsulate fat-soluble toxins, oxidized fat, and waste products in fat tissue
• deposit this in subcutaneous fat and connective tissue in “quiet” areas
• stabilize it all with a connective tissue capsule – which we call a lipoma

Disrupted detoxification – the first key

Toxins can escape normal elimination at several levels: through kidneys, bile, or intestines. When kidney filtration and bile flow do not function optimally, the body must store more in tissue – often in fat.

Typical mechanisms we see:

• Reduced kidney function / filtration: chronic stress, dehydration, lack of electrolytes, heavy metals, and inflammation can weaken the kidneys’ ability to filter water-soluble waste.
• Insufficient or disturbed bile secretion: the liver produces too little bile, the bile is too thick, or the bile duct outlet functions poorly.
• Overloaded liver: fatty liver, chronic exposure to environmental toxins, alcohol, medications, and hormone metabolites.
• Low mitochondrial function: the body lacks energy (ATP) to drive detoxification reactions effectively.

Then the body does the safest thing it can: it encapsulates the burden and stores it in fat tissue – often in the form of lipomas.

Slow, thick, or insufficient bile – when the “drain” stops up

Bile is one of our most important detoxification routes. It binds fat-soluble toxins and hormone metabolites and carries them out via stool. When bile secretion is insufficient or disturbed, more burden returns to the body.

Typical causes we see today:

• reduced stomach acid and disturbed digestion in the stomach
• overloaded and fatty liver
• parasites that can irritate or block bile ducts
• too little movement and lots of sitting still
• hormonal imbalances, especially estrogen dominance
• previous gallstones and/or removed gallbladder

Many today have bile stasis without knowing it: the bile is thick, stagnant, there is a lot of “sludge” and small stones in the liver and bile ducts, and in a large proportion the gallbladder is completely removed. This fundamentally weakens detoxification via bile.

Common symptoms of bile problems:

• nausea – especially after fatty food
• discomfort, pressure, or pain under the right rib cage
• heaviness and bloating after meals
• reflux and acid regurgitation
• constipation or alternating bowel movements
• light, fatty, or loose stools that are hard to flush

When bile does not flow, it becomes much harder for the body to get rid of fat-soluble toxins – and the risk increases that these end up in fat tissue, including lipomas.

What does the location of the lipomas indicate?

Location alone is not a diagnosis, but combined with symptoms it often provides useful information about which systems are most burdened.

• multiple new lipomas appearing within a short time
• lipomas combined with typical detox symptoms (heaviness, headache, skin issues, strong reaction to small amounts of alcohol or perfume)
• lipomas in people with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, or fatty liver
• family history of “many fatty lumps” along with overweight, high blood pressure, and cholesterol

Do lipomas have anything to do with cancer?

It is important to be precise here: Common lipomas are considered benign and very rarely develop into cancer (liposarcoma). Most studies show no direct, simple link between “common” lipomas and later cancer.

But: The environment in the body that causes many lipomas to form – chronic inflammation, hormonal imbalance, fatty liver, heavy metal burden, and weak detoxification – is often the same environment that increases the risk of other chronic diseases.

In short: A lipoma itself does not mean you “have cancer.” But the environment in the body that causes you to form many lipomas over time is a signal that you should strengthen detoxification, hormones, and energy.

How can you investigate detoxification and burden in the body?

When we meet patients with multiple lipomas, we look beyond the fatty lump itself. We ask: How is the liver? Bile? Intestines? Kidneys and electrolytes? Hormones? Metabolism? Mitochondria?

Typical tests we recommend in the clinic in Oslo:

In people with high levels of heavy metals, clear deficiencies in minerals and vitamins, and obvious liver/bile findings, we often also see a tendency toward lipomas. This confirms that detoxification is weakened and the body compensates by storing.

What causes lipomas to accumulate over time?

It is rarely a single cause. Usually, it is the sum of lifestyle, diet, environmental toxins, and genetic vulnerability over many years.

Some typical drivers:

• ultra-processed food, lots of sugar and refined vegetable oils
• chronic low-grade inflammation in gut and connective tissue
• slow bile and weak fat digestion – the liver “drowns,” bile does not flow
• too few minerals and electrolytes to drive enzymes and detoxification
• low mitochondrial function – the body lacks energy to detoxify
• little movement and stagnation in the lymphatic system
• estrogen dominance, especially in women in menopause and perimenopause

Anti-inflammatory diet – foundation before supplements

Before considering supplements, we must give the body food it can work with. An anti-inflammatory, relatively low-carb diet with clean ingredients supports liver, gut, hormones, and fat tissue.

How targeted support can help: digestion, electrolytes, mitochondria, and hormones

When the foundation of the diet is in place, targeted supplements can help the body shift from “storage mode” to “clean-up mode.” At PureNordic, we work especially with five areas in patients who have lipomas:

Concrete first steps if you have lipomas

• 1 Get a medical evaluation to confirm that they are actually lipomas – especially with rapid growth, pain, or deep lumps.
• 2 See the lipomas as a signal, not just an aesthetic problem. Ask: What does this say about liver, bile, hormones, and metabolism?
• 3 Start with a stable, anti-inflammatory diet with naturally gluten-free sources, lots of vegetables, and good fat sources.
• 4 Support digestion and bile flow with the right digestion formula – especially with bloating and fat intolerance.
• 5 Use electrolytes daily with lots of stress, sweating, coffee, or low energy.
• 6 Work on mitochondria over time – mitochondria formula, daylight, sleep, and moderate movement.
• 7 Add B-Complex to support liver, methylation, and hormone metabolism.
• 8 With clear estrogen dominance, especially in women with lipomas on hips and thighs: consider Hormonal Balance with a professional.
• 9 Evaluate with a therapist after 3–6 months: energy, skin, digestion, hormones – and whether new lipomas appear.

Summary

Lipomas are not a coincidence. They are small, soft “post-it notes” from the body: “Here we have parked something we didn’t manage to clear out.” You can choose to ignore them – or use them as a clear signal that the time has come to support liver, bile, gut, hormones, and energy systems.

The way forward is not about panic or perfection, but about clear, achievable steps: better food, better digestion, more movement, calmer nervous system, and smart, clinically based use of supplements. Then you work not only toward fewer fatty lumps – but toward a body that feels lighter, clearer, and more alive from within.