Brown fat

Medical

Converting white fat to brown reduces high blood pressure in mice

Researchers have converted white fat to brown fat to reduce high blood pressure in mice. They say their findings pave the way for targeted treatments for high blood pressure and other metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Researchers are hoping this is the first step in finding novel ways to burn excess fat, which can increases the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes

Science

New weapon found in fight to combat obesity, diabetes

Bad news, there's no magic pill for weight loss just yet. The good news? Scientists have uncovered the workings of a protein that triggers calorie burning in brown fat, and they believe it gets us one step closer to being able to 'switch on' fat loss.

Unhealthy white fat cells like these are gobbled up by brown fat cells, offering scientists a research target for treating diabetes, obesity and heart disease

Health & Wellbeing

Asthma drug activates healthy fat, no cold plunges needed

All it takes is a spin through Instagram to see how keen people are to activate their brown fat cells by sitting in freezing bodies of water. Now, researchers have found a way to do the same thing using a common asthma drug.

Scientists have discovered a naturally occurring metabolite that turns white fat into brown

Science

Study of asthma drug uncovers metabolite that switches bad fat to good

Our deepening understanding of the different types of fat continues to present new ways to potentially manipulate metabolic processes for better health outcomes, and new research on an existing asthma drug has opened up a promising new pathway.

Scientists have made an important discovery around how brown fat can hamper tumor growth through glucose metabolism

Medical

Cold-activated brown fat soaks up glucose to starve tumors of fuel

Scientists investigating the way a certain type of fat behaves in response to cold have made a discovery that could have ramifications for cancer treatment, showing how tumor cells can be starved of a vital fuel source they need to thrive.

A new study has shed new light on the way fat behaves when subjected to cold temperatures

Medical

Cold temperatures induce anti-inflammatory molecule that counters obesity

Researchers continue to unravel the complex role inflammation plays in obesity, now demonstrating how cold temperatures can stimulate the release of a molecule that reverses this type of inflammation and reduces body weight in mice.

Scientists have developed an injectable hydrogel that converts white fat into a more favorable brown, inducing weight loss in obese mice

Medical

Hydrogel injected into fat stores fights obesity from within

Next-generation therapies that fight obesity could come in many forms, but one example from Nanyang Technological University that uses a unique combination of light and metabolic function to break down fat has some unique advantages.

A new discovery around how fat cells process glycogen could lead to new therapies for weight loss

Medical

Obesity breakthrough reveals how cell "uncoupling" promotes fat burning

A new study has revealed a novel signaling pathway through which bad fats are converted into healthier forms, opening up a new possibilities around weight loss and the improvement of metabolic health.

A new study is the first to detect the pesticide chlorpyrifos inhibiting metabolic processes in brown fat cells

Science

Common pesticide may slow calorie-burning and contribute to obesity

Research has found a common pesticide may promote obesity by slowing the calorie-burning ability of certain fat cells. The animal study indicates chlorpyrifos, to be banned in the US, promotes food intake and suppresses thermogenesis in brown fat.

Scientists have identified a new metabolic process that they believe could be targeted for more effective fat-burning in humans

Medical

Protein that "hacks" energy pipeline offers target for fat-burning drugs

Scientists in the US investigating the biological mechanisms behind fat burning have identified a protein that plays a key role in regulating metabolism, and demonstrated how blocking its activity can boost the process in mice.

Scientists have found that boosting a certain protein in one type of fat cell can lead to healthy changes in another, which could lower the risk of diabetes in vulnerable individuals

Medical

Protein found to boost fat-burning, lower risk of diabetes

Researchers have uncovered interesting new details around the function of fat cells, finding that increasing levels of a certain protein could offer protection against diabetes in at-risk individuals, by altering the behavior of white fat cells.

Targeting certain components of fat cells could drive rapid weight loss, new research suggests

Health & Wellbeing

Anti-obesity discovery directly targets energy metabolism in fat cells

Researchers have discovered a new method to treat obesity by blocking a receptor in fat cells and speeding up energy expenditure. An experimental drug has been developed targeting this receptor and it has been effective at preventing obesity in mice.