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Brown Fat Fights Fat?

Posted by Caley on May 4th, 2009 at 08:01am

Brown adipose tissue or “brown fat” has interested researchers for years, as a metabolically active kind of fat. Working as a kind of internal heater, brown fat keeps bodies warm by burning calories. While such fat is found extensively in rodents, scientists did not believe that humans possessed significant amounts of brown fat…until now. Three studies published in New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that adult humans do have brown fat involved in temperature regulation and that the presence of this brown fat plays a role in whether the person is lean or overweight.

The authors of these studies believe that new obesity drugs can be developed which stimulate brown fat, which in turn burns calories. Having the ability to burn more calories without exercise or changed eating habits is definitely problematic and likely unhealthy in the long run, but perhaps a supplemental resource for those in need of serious weight loss. The published studies showed that lower temperatures, for example 2 hours at 61 degrees F rather than the standard 72 degrees, stimulates brown fat to burn more calories (and thus warm the body). Lowering the thermostat in the house a few degrees is not only better for the environment, but might help fight weight gain.

While not correlated to the studies, some evidence suggests that green tea may boost metabolism by stimulating brown fat. Give it a try.