In some areas, current scientific knowledge makes it possible to know many things about the body of human beings and how it works. If the brain or the stomach still have secrets to reveal to us, other elements are on the other hand quite documented. This is particularly the case of the various adipose tissues that can constitute the body. In recent years, we have indeed heard a lot about brown fat (among other things), and its role in the body. So what does this name hide, which may seem a little sketchy at first glance? Is it necessarily "bad"? And what is the role of this type of fat in the body?
Before we begin, let's clarify a few essentials. Under the somewhat familiar designation that the term fat may constitute, we actually mean adipose tissue. Just as there are several types of cholesterol, there are good and not so good fats in all mammals , which have a greater or lesser influence on health. There are therefore several types of fatty tissue. Note first white adipose tissue, then beige, but the best known are undoubtedly white and brown . In any case, they make it possible to store energy necessary for the human body.
Basically, white adipose tissue constitutes 15-25% of the human body depending on a person's gender or body size. White fat is mostly made up of white adipocytes :these are cells that are specialized in the storage of lipids. If it is found mainly in the abdomen and viscera, it will be more towards the buttocks and hips in women and in the region of the shoulders at men's. Its main role is to store lipids and calories , to better provide them to the body in case of distress of the organism. But at the same time, it does not eliminate them.
As with white fat, this is mainly made up of brown adipocytes . But unlike the first, brown fat is mainly found in infants and fetuses . In the animal kingdom, animals that hibernate are the ones who have the most. Because the cold activates brown fat:the latter helps warm the body and to produce life-saving heat for animals that live in the cold, and for babies who do not yet have the physical capacity to shiver .
But do adults own them? It was long believed that brown fat disappears after one year of life . A recent study from the University of Laval, however, invalidated this assertion by noting that each human being – adult – had approximately 200 grams of brown fat , located at the top of the abdomen and at the level of the neck.
We got it, the cold plays a key role in the activation of brown fat . Faced with its counterpart, white fat, it constitutes a avenue under study among scientists studying weight . Since we know that brown fat is present in less quantity than white fat in our body, is it possible to transform the latter (in brown fat, therefore) ?
Therefore, avenues were studied to see if the activation of brown fat could lead to a change in weight or the distribution of fat in the body. The first being its close link with the cold of course, since more than being a source of heat, brown adipose tissue could have a role in the elimination of calories and the regulation of sugar levels !
Now we know that the cold gives it the role of fat burner , unlike white grease which "simply" stores . But from there to spending the winter in short sleeves and voluntarily exposing yourself to the cold, there is still a margin not to exceed ! Choose cool showers and do not overheat certain rooms such as the bedroom (no more than 20°C for example) is a good start. But these gestures do not dispense with physical activity and appropriate nutrition.
And given the many fat burners are already accessible in the form of food supplements, we can only say that scientists have already been able to develop elaborate products which testify to the importance of brown fat. In fact, do not hesitate to compare fat burners to find your way more easily and possibly adapt your physical activity .
Especially since there are other ways to activate it, in particular so that it has a role in people who would like to reduce their excess weight . This is precisely what Mirko Trajkovski, professor at the Department of Cellular Physiology and Metabolism at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), is working on.
He and his team are currently looking into means other than cold to activate brown fat, in particular by focusing on the microbiota. According to the scientist, " the microbiota can regulate the positive effects of exposure to cold, by activating brown fat, browning white fat , […] and by decreasing general obesity in mice ”. A hypothesis that remains to be confirmed or not.
On the other hand, scientists are also looking to learn more about the possible role of appetite suppressant brown fat via experiments on mice. So it remains to be seen where these experiments will end up.
