The fight against Obesity: New findings on the effects of “brown fat”

Why helps brown fat while losing weight? This question is studied in the science for years, and an Austrian research team has now found that a short-term, moderate cold intake can help people with brown fat tissue to burn significantly more calories than people who do not have this fat tissue.

In various scientific studies has shown that brown fat cells play an important role in losing weight and Diabetes and obesity can be prevented. Researchers from Austria have now gained new insights into the effect of brown fat in humans.

Promising target in the fight against obesity

As the Medical University (MedUni) writes of Vienna, in a recent communication, can help a short-term, moderate cold feed people with brown fat tissue to burn 15 percent more calories than people who do not have this fat tissue.

This is the Central result of a study in the journal “Clinical Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism“ was published.

In contrast to white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue burns calories through fatty acid oxidation and heat production and is therefore regarded as a promising target in the fight against the encompassing, obesity (obesity) – by cooling this process can be activated.

“These data enhance our understanding of how brown fat in humans acts”, according to the head of the study, Florian W. Kiefer, Department of endocrinology & Metabolism, University clinic for Internal medicine III at the MedUni Vienna.

The body can tap into fat stores

In humans and mammals, a distinction is generally made between at least two different fat depot types, the white and the brown adipose tissue. White fat tissue is according to the MedUni in the human body much more common, stores fat, and is preferably located in the well-known “pads” on the belly, buttocks and thighs.

In case of increased energy needs of the human body can draw on these deposits. Brown fat burns energy and release heat. However, the number of these cells decreases with age, and Overweight is steadily increasing.

It is also in people with Diabetes are less active, explaining the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in an older message.

Adults have about brown fat, the vast majority of body fat is white fat. The brown fat is in the case of adult persons in deep neck/neck areas, as well as in the chest. Brown fat is considered “power plant” of the human body. Babies are well cushioned in order. You need it to not cool.

Healthier Fatty Acid Blood Profile

The researchers identified with the help of PET Scans for two groups – those with or those without active brown adipose tissue.

The scientists analyzed the function and the energy consumption of brown adipose tissue in these individuals before and after short-term cold exposure, and found that the group with active brown adipose tissue is not only much more calories burned, but also a healthier fatty acid blood profile showed.

“We found that people with active brown adipose tissue 20kcal burned more than those who do not have brown fat,” explains pine.

“Individuals with active brown adipose tissue also had higher concentrations of anti-inflammatory fatty acids, while some of the harmful fatty acids that contribute to the known disease moderation to Diabetes or heart, were lower,” explains the MedUni Vienna researcher.

“This shows us that we need to study human brown fat in more detail, to see whether we can protect the activation of this body before metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.” (ad)