is a thermogenic organ involved in energy expenditure, which makes it an attractive target against obesity and type 2 diabetes. and exercise training are the two stimuli most studied for switching it on. They are interesting together because their effects on it both converge and diverge.
For brown fat specifically, cold wins. Cold exposure reliably stimulates its activity and increases glucose and lipid uptake through , raising energy expenditure and insulin sensitivity. Studies of exercise conflict, and most work in rodents and humans shows reduced brown fat activity and reduced uptake and storage.
The rise in obesity over the last several decades has reached pandemic proportions. Brown adipose tissue is a thermogenic organ involved in energy expenditure, and it represents an attractive target to combat both obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Cold exposure and exercise training are the two stimuli investigated with respect to its activation and metabolism, and the contribution of the tissue to metabolic health. They are of interest together because they have both disparate and converging effects on it.
Cold is the consistent one. It is an effective mechanism to stimulate brown fat activity and to increase glucose and lipid uptake through mitochondrial uncoupling, with metabolic benefits including elevated energy expenditure and increased insulin sensitivity.
Exercise is not. It is a therapeutic tool with marked benefits on systemic metabolism, affecting several tissues including this one. Yet compared with cold exposure the studies display , and the majority in rodents and humans show reduced brown fat activity, with less glucose and lipid taken up and stored.
wat. Cold switches brown fat on; exercise mostly turns it down.
wat wat
Exercise is good for metabolism through other tissues, so this is a correction about mechanism rather than advice to stop training.
How do we know?
Peres Valgas da Silva and colleagues reviewed the rodent and human literature on both stimuli, setting the consistent cold findings against the conflicting exercise ones.
What is still unknown
A narrative review of conflicting studies, not a trial comparing cold against exercise in the same people.
Learn something?
Where to next
Does an ice bath right after strength training help a muscle grow?cold
Why does mint feel cold in your mouth?cold
Do Sherpas carry more oxygen, or just use it better?metabolism