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...

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Main Authors: Karla J. Suchacki, Roland H. Stimson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1748
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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.
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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
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