Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue
The recent identification of brown adipose tissue in adult humans offers a new strategy to increase energy expenditure to treat obesity and associated metabolic disease. While white adipose tissue (WAT) is primarily for energy storage, brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic organ that increases...
Main Authors: | , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
|
Series: | Nutrients |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1748 |
_version_ | 1797533201178034176 |
---|---|
author | Karla J. Suchacki Roland H. Stimson |
author_facet | Karla J. Suchacki Roland H. Stimson |
author_sort | Karla J. Suchacki |
collection | DOAJ |
description | The recent identification of brown adipose tissue in adult humans offers a new strategy to increase energy expenditure to treat obesity and associated metabolic disease. While white adipose tissue (WAT) is primarily for energy storage, brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic organ that increases energy expenditure to generate heat. BAT is activated upon cold exposure and improves insulin sensitivity and lipid clearance, highlighting its beneficial role in metabolic health in humans. This review provides an overview of BAT physiology in conditions of overnutrition (obesity and associated metabolic disease), undernutrition and in conditions of altered fat distribution such as lipodystrophy. We review the impact of exercise, dietary macronutrients and bioactive compounds on BAT activity. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of dietary manipulations or supplementation to increase energy expenditure and BAT thermogenesis. We conclude that chronic nutritional interventions may represent a useful nonpharmacological means to enhance BAT mass and activity to aid weight loss and/or improve metabolic health. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:12:07Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-4c165c632b45449e904cb9abff04175f |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2072-6643 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:12:07Z |
publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Nutrients |
spelling | doaj.art-4c165c632b45449e904cb9abff04175f2023-11-21T20:43:24ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-05-01136174810.3390/nu13061748Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose TissueKarla J. Suchacki0Roland H. Stimson1University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UKUniversity/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UKThe recent identification of brown adipose tissue in adult humans offers a new strategy to increase energy expenditure to treat obesity and associated metabolic disease. While white adipose tissue (WAT) is primarily for energy storage, brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic organ that increases energy expenditure to generate heat. BAT is activated upon cold exposure and improves insulin sensitivity and lipid clearance, highlighting its beneficial role in metabolic health in humans. This review provides an overview of BAT physiology in conditions of overnutrition (obesity and associated metabolic disease), undernutrition and in conditions of altered fat distribution such as lipodystrophy. We review the impact of exercise, dietary macronutrients and bioactive compounds on BAT activity. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of dietary manipulations or supplementation to increase energy expenditure and BAT thermogenesis. We conclude that chronic nutritional interventions may represent a useful nonpharmacological means to enhance BAT mass and activity to aid weight loss and/or improve metabolic health.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1748brown adipose tissueobesitytype 2 diabetesdietary (calorie) restrictionnutritionenergy expenditure |
spellingShingle | Karla J. Suchacki Roland H. Stimson Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue Nutrients brown adipose tissue obesity type 2 diabetes dietary (calorie) restriction nutrition energy expenditure |
title | Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue |
title_full | Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue |
title_fullStr | Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue |
title_full_unstemmed | Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue |
title_short | Nutritional Regulation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue |
title_sort | nutritional regulation of human brown adipose tissue |
topic | brown adipose tissue obesity type 2 diabetes dietary (calorie) restriction nutrition energy expenditure |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1748 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT karlajsuchacki nutritionalregulationofhumanbrownadiposetissue AT rolandhstimson nutritionalregulationofhumanbrownadiposetissue |