Scientists suggest more brown fat could help fight obesity
- 6 years ago
UNITED KINGDOM — Scientists are studying a molecule that might help us burn 'bad' fat.
Humans have two types of fat, white and brown. White fat stores energy and acts as a thermal insulator. However, excessive amounts could lead to diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Brown fat, on the other hand, burns calories to generate heat.
Scientists from the University of Cambridge detected a molecule in mice called BMP8b. This protein controls the activation of brown fat in the brain and body tissue of mice.
According to their study published in the journal Nature, they analyzed mice that had been bred to produce higher levels of the molecule in fat tissue.
Researchers discovered that increased levels of the protein caused white fat to become beige — or turn brown —burning more calories and generating more energy as a result.
They concluded that it could be possible to create a drug that alters fat function in humans just as the BMP8b protein does in mice.
But until that happens, you better hop on that treadmill and start working those brown fat cells yourselves.
Humans have two types of fat, white and brown. White fat stores energy and acts as a thermal insulator. However, excessive amounts could lead to diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Brown fat, on the other hand, burns calories to generate heat.
Scientists from the University of Cambridge detected a molecule in mice called BMP8b. This protein controls the activation of brown fat in the brain and body tissue of mice.
According to their study published in the journal Nature, they analyzed mice that had been bred to produce higher levels of the molecule in fat tissue.
Researchers discovered that increased levels of the protein caused white fat to become beige — or turn brown —burning more calories and generating more energy as a result.
They concluded that it could be possible to create a drug that alters fat function in humans just as the BMP8b protein does in mice.
But until that happens, you better hop on that treadmill and start working those brown fat cells yourselves.