Activating brown fat with exercise and controlled exposure to cold could be helpful in losing weight and preventing disease. We teach you how to do it.
Last update: November 13, 2024
Also known as brown adipose tissue, brown fat is found in the body of mammals. Although it does not perform exactly the same function in humans as it does in animals, it is essential in newborns and could help the metabolism of adults.
It differs from white fat primarily in the purpose it fulfills within the body. While white is how we store energy, the brown one generates heat to respond to the cold and maintain the internal temperature.
The location is also different. White fat is found under the skin and around some organs, while brown fat is found at the entrance to the veins and arteries to the kidneys, around the carotid arteries, in the thyroid, under the armpits, and between the shoulder blades.
Why do we have brown fat and what is it for?
fat is called that because it appears that color under a microscope. It has a large number of small arteries and veins inside it, and its cells are filled with structures called mitochondria. It is thanks to these characteristics that it can generate heat.
Its most notable function is precisely that of producing an increase in temperature, through metabolism, to counteract the external cold. The process is called thermogenesis.
It is a crucial mechanism for the survival of newborns. In them the amount of brown fat is high compared to adults. For this reason they are able to regulate their internal temperature compared to the hostile environment created when they leave the mother’s womb. Otherwise the change would be very abrupt and dangerous.
But as we get older, this proportion is small. While it never goes away completely, the older you get, the less brown fat remains in your body.
Why would this be important for medicine?
This fat began to gain notoriety among experts and scientists because It has been found to have the potential to improve our health. Therefore, various investigations have found features in it that continue to be explored, such as the following:
- Activation of this tissue increases calorie expenditure. That is, your metabolism contributes to burning calories and, therefore, would support weight loss processes. In fact, the transformation of white fat into brown is a phenomenon that would allow the former to be reduced and the latter to be increased, through the appearance of fat. beige.
- I could improve insulin sensitivity. That is, the body’s ability to respond to this hormone and regulate blood sugar levels. This is essential to prevent diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.
- It would have positive effects on cardiovascular health. People with a higher percentage of this fat tend to have lower blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol levels.
How to activate brown fat?
Considering yours <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34176254/" target="_blank" style="color:#d4649a;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-It would be logical to implement strategies to have more brown fat and less white fat. The good news is that there are activities, habits and foods that can help us achieve this goal. Look what they are.
Expose yourself to the cold
Exposure to low temperatures is one of the most effective methods for activation. The stimulus causes us, through metabolism, to try to generate heat.
- Showers with cold water. It is advisable to lower the temperature towards the end of the bath, before finishing it.
- Reduce heating consumption indoors. You don’t have to wear short sleeves indoors.
- Go outdoors when it’s cold. Don’t expose yourself too much and don’t neglect to dress warmly. Just don’t stay indoors all day in the fall or winter. Of course, if you have respiratory symptoms, don’t do it.
Exercise
With a regular routine of physical activity you will reduce body weightat the expense of reducing white fat. But, at the same time, your brown fat will be activated and “browning” will occur. This is the name given to the conversion of white adipose tissue to brown.
Any form of physical activity will serve the purpose. You can choose aerobic, high intensity or strength training.
Eat foods that activate brown fat
There is no conclusive evidence as to which ingredients are capable of activating this tissue. However, it is speculated that some might contribute to its function indirectly, such as the following:
- Spicy. For example, pepper. The substance responsible would be capsaicin, which is thermogenic and forces the body to generate heat, therefore burning calories.
- Fruits like apples and pears. Both are rich in ursolic acid, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory associated with increased muscle mass and brown fat.
- Drinks such as tea and coffee. Active components, such as caffeine, increase metabolism. In fact, these are infusions that have demonstrated beneficial effects in overweight and obese people, when combined with physical exercise.
Have good sleep hygiene
Adequate rest also plays an important role. Melatonin, produced at night and enhanced during sleep, is related to the activation of brown fat.
In fact, there is research to determine the role of melatonin supplements in obesity. They found each other positive results in animal tests who reduced their weight by consuming them.
What diseases affect him?
Just as it is possible to activate brown fat with exercise, exposure to cold, certain foods and good rest, it could also be damaged by certain diseases that reduce its metabolism, such as the following:
- Anorexia nervosa: With such a large food restriction, you lose a lot of weight and malnutrition changes the way your hormones work. Not only will it decrease white fat, but also brown fat. A common symptom among patients with anorexia is constant colds, due to the inability to regulate internal temperature.
- Congenital leptin deficiency: Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissue. It has an impact on the regulation of the sensation of hunger. If we are born with a problem in the production of this hormone, it is very likely that we will have less satiety and a greater tendency towards obesity, which will increase white fat compared to brown fat.
- Lipomas: They are benign tumors composed of fat. Small ones are usually found under the skin and do not affect metabolism, but if there are many or some very large ones, there is a possibility that they change the balance of hormones that regulate the amount of adipose tissue and its distribution.
- Lipodystrophy: It is a rare disease. Fat is distributed abnormally throughout the body and areas with excess tissue
What should you remember about brown fat?
Brown fat is in our body to regulate temperature and help with metabolism. It is able to burn calories, helping us balance blood sugar and reducing inflammation.
We know more and more about it because it seems to be important in disease prevention. Especially type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
While we don’t know everything yet, we do know that there are strategies that could trigger it. Exercising, eating certain foods, sleeping well and exposing yourself to the cold in controlled doses are ways to increase its presence in the body and reduce white fat, associated with overweight and obesity.
It is very likely that new research on brown fat will appear in the near future and we understand its functions better. For now what we can do is within reach and they are habits that will improve our health in many ways.
Skin, while larger ones can develop in deeper tissues. Although lipomas are generally not harmful, they can affect the body’s ability to store and utilize fat properly, potentially disrupting the balance between white and brown fat.
Maintaining a healthy balance of brown fat is essential for metabolic health, and it can be influenced by lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and sleep, as well as medical conditions that may impair its function.