Brown adipose tissue is responsible for the energy balance, thermogenesis and increasing the body's energy expenditure. As a result, it prevents the body from cooling down and helps counteract obesity. They lead to the activation of brown adipose tissue, among others. omega-3 fatty acids.
Brown adipose tissue(also called brown adipose tissue) can be activated by cold and pharmacological agents.
The latest research published incl. in "The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry" and in "Nature Communications" show that the activity of brown fat cells can be stimulated by a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
EPA and brown adipose tissue
Brown fat is found mainly in the neck and supraclavicular area.
Scientific interest in brown adipose tissue (BAT) has increased when it has been shown that brown fat can increase in adulthood, and a high brown fat cell content is associated with a lower risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
Until now, it was believed that the greatest number of BAT is found in the organisms of newborns, and its level decreases with age and the increase in the amount of white reserve adipose tissue. It turns out that numerous pro-he alth effects of omega-3 fatty acids (especially EPA) are associated with influencing the activity of white and brown fat cells.
In an experiment carried out on two groups of mice, one of which was fed a high-fat diet rich in omega-3 acids and the other - a low-fat diet, it was shown that a diet enriched with EPA caused weight loss, a decrease in the number of inflammatory markers in the body, increasing glucose tolerance and increasing insulin sensitivity of cells.
These effects are associated with a reduction in inflammatory processes in fat cells, a decrease in lipogenesis (the formation of stored fat) and a decrease in fat oxidation.
What does brown adipose tissue affect?
The amount of adipose tissue is greater in women and physically active people.
Based on the latest reports, it has been found that omega-3 fatty acids activate receptors responsible for stimulating activitybrown adipose tissue, and also contribute to the process of browning white fat cells, i.e. transforming brown cells into active, stimulating energy consumption.
However, as a result of previous experience, it was found that increasing the amount of brown adipose tissue in the body may be effective in the fight against obesity and prevent metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. Moreover, it was indicated that BAT is an endocrine active tissue, i.e. it secretes hormones that activate fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
Based on the observations, it was found that the strongest effect of activating brown adipose tissue is achieved through supplementation with the diet of EPA acid belonging to the omega-3 family, and not a mixture of these acids. Similar conclusions were drawn from the in vitro analysis of adipose tissue browning.
The authors of the study published in "Nature Communications" suggest that the results of their experiment and the identification of the molecular mechanisms of activation of brown adipose tissue by omega-3 fatty acids explain the importance of these fats for he alth. In addition, this data could be used to develop new therapies for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases.
1. Pahlavani M. et al., Eicosapentaenoic acid regulates brown adipose tissue metabolism in high-fat-fed mice and in clonal brown adipocytes, The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2022, 1 (39), 101-109, doi: http: // dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2016.08.012
2. Quesanda-Lopez T. et al., The lipid sensor GPR120 promotes brown fat activation and FGF21 release from adipocytes, Nature Communications, 2016, 7: 13479, doi: 10.1038 / ncomms13479