Scientists at Monash University’s Biomedicine Discovery Institute have found a mechanism by which the brain coordinates feeding with energy expenditure, solving a puzzle that has previously eluded researchers and offering a potential novel target for the treatment of obesity. Obesity — a major risk factor for many diseases including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, liver … Read more
Animal study discovers new molecular player in burning sugar and fat to boost metabolism As we bask in the summer heat, it is easy to take for granted that humans are also prepared for the cold of winter, with overcoats in the closet and home heating systems ready to be fired up as an added … Read more
Fat-like molecules induced by cold help to turn-on calorie-burning fat and improve metabolism Activated by cold, the small amounts of brown fat scattered around your body can burn calories to warm you up. They also can help to lower insulin resistance and other conditions implicated in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Since the discovery in … Read more
A study of 3,000 PET-scans yields new data on the proportion of brown fat Compared to white fat, brown body fat burns through energy at an extraordinary rate. However, until now the proportion of brown fat in humans was thought to be quite small. Now a study conducted by researchers at the Technical University of … Read more
Anti-cancer drug prevented weight gain and caused mice to burn more calories thanks to higher levels of metabolism-boosting brown fat Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes identified an FDA-approved drug that can create the elusive and beneficial brown fat. Mice treated with the drug had more brown fat, faster metabolisms, and lower body weight gain, even … Read more
Brown adipose tissue — main organ generating heat in the body- is also an endocrine organ that secretes signaling factors that activate the fat and carbohydrates metabolism. Key Points The activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) is associated with protection against obesity and associated metabolic alterations such as insulin resistance Experimental evidence indicates that BAT … Read more
Findings show potential for obesity treatment Investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in collaboration with scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have identified a natural molecular pathway that enables cells to burn off calories as heat rather than store them as fat. This raises the possibility of a new approach to treating and preventing obesity, … Read more
Is brown fat ready for therapeutic prime time? Nearly 500 million adults worldwide are obese—close to 10 percent of men and 14 percent of women, an incidence twice as high as in 1980, according to the World Health Organization. Obesity, defined as a body mass index of 30 or greater, has been linked with higher … Read more