Did You Know? Some people put on more weight with fat-rich foods than others! Here's Why.
What Is Brown Fat?
Brown fat, or brown adipose tissue, is a type of body fat that regulates body temperature in cold conditions.
It’s activated when the cold makes you shiver.
Brown fat keeps you warm by storing energy and burning calories.
Since brown fat keeps the body warm, it is abundant in babies and hibernating mammals.
Adults have lesser brown fat, usually found near the neck, shoulder blades, and kidneys.
Since brown fat is known to burn more calories, researchers are studying its role in fighting obesity.
Brown Fat vs. White Fat
The body has a smaller percentage of brown fat than white fat.
According to studies, brown fat has more mitochondria than white fat, meaning it’s more metabolically active.
The body has three different types of fat:
- White fat: Most common fat in the body. It cushions your organs and stores energy across your body, but excess white fat can lead to obesity.
- Brown fat: Stores energy and burns calories to regulate body temperature. Brown fat also regulates glucose and fat metabolism.
- Beige fat: Combination of both fats that can convert white fat cells into brown fat. It can also burn calories to stabilize body temperature.
Here’s the difference between white and brown fat:
| White Fat | Brown Fat |
| Stores energy in larger fat droplets | Has smaller fat droplets |
| Fewer mitochondria | Plenty of mitochondria |
| Mitochondria contain less iron | Mitochondria are rich in iron, imparting a brownish color |
Does Brown Fat Have Any Health Benefits?
Brown fat has several health benefits beyond just regulating body temperature.
Helps With Weight Loss
Activated brown fat can absorb branched-chain amino acids.
These are compounds found in the bodies of people with obesity and type II diabetes.
Preliminary studies have studied this claim and suggest that brown fat may have some connection to weight loss.
Helps Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
A recent study has found a correlation between brown fat and metabolic conditions like diabetes.
Since brown fat burns glucose for fuel, it can affect blood sugar levels.
Thus, a high level of brown fat activation could signal the early stages of diabetes.
More research is needed to confirm this link.
Helps Protect The Heart
Studies have investigated the link between brown fat and heart disease.
In one study, people underwent PET scans to study their heart health.
Interestingly, those with more brown fat cells were at a lower risk for:
- Abnormal cholesterol levels
- Coronary heart diseases
- Hypertension
- Congestive heart failure
May Help Fight Cancer
Cancerous cells rely on the energy from glucose breakdown to grow and spread.
A recent study exposed tumor-bearing mice to cold conditions to study its effect on cancer.
They found that tumor growth slowed considerably since brown fat activation used up much of the available glucose.
While this is still an early study, further research into the anti-tumor properties of brown fat is ongoing.
Can You Turn White Fat Into Brown Fat?
Yes, you can convert white fat to brown fat by:
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet
- Exercising regularly
- Sleeping well
- Exposure to cold temperature
- Taking nutritional supplements with a doctor's recommendation
Supplements To Increase Brown Fat
Supplements usually contain a host of nutrients and antioxidants that nourish the body and help meet certain nutritional requirements.
When seeking supplements to increase brown fat, look out for the following nutrients and antioxidants:
- Curcumin (found in turmeric)
- Resveratrol (found in red grapes)
- EGCG (found in green tea)
- Capsaicin (found in chillis)
- Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish oil)
- Retinoic acid (a form of vitamin A)
- Ginseng
- Quercetin (a plant flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables)
- Oleuropein (found in green olives)
- Kudzu flower oil
Expert Opinion On Supplements To Increase Brown Fat
Brown fat has several health benefits.
It helps regulate body temperature while also stimulating better metabolism.
Supplements to increase brown fat contain beneficial compounds like capsaicin, poly-unsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and others.
Several studies have validated their role in activating brown fat cells, which has led to marked health benefits.
However, modifying your diet to include supplements can be complicated, depending on your nutritional status and existing health conditions.
It’s best to consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor before beginning any supplement regimen.
They can guide you toward an optimal dosage and frequency of supplements to increase brown fat.
How To Increase Brown Fat Naturally
Apart from supplements, if you’re wondering how to increase brown fat cells, you could try:
A Healthy Diet
You can get brown fat from the foods you eat.
A few foods that help increase brown fat are:
- Avocados
- Nuts and seeds like cashews, flax, and chia seeds
- Fish
- Yogurt
- Green tea
- Red chili peppers
- Berberine
- Red grapes
Combining good fats with vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy creates a well-balanced diet to increase brown fat.
Adding iron to your diet through meats and seafood, leafy greens, and beans helps increase the brown fat in your body.
Lowering The Temperature
Brown fat is activated just before you start shivering. So, taking a cold shower, an ice bath, or turning down the thermostat can activate brown fat and stimulate your body to produce more heat.
Exercising Regularly
Getting your daily dose of physical exercise is good for your health in many ways.
Studies have noted that exercise activates irisin, a hormone in the blood that instructs the white fat in your body to burn like brown fat. This process creates beige fat.
Sleeping Well
Getting a good night’s sleep increases the amount of melatonin your body produces. This helps activate brown fat, keeping diseases like diabetes at bay.
Maintaining a cooler room temperature while sleeping can also help burn brown fat passively.
FAQs About Brown Fat
How Can I Measure Brown Fat Levels?
PET scans, CT scans, MRI scans, thermal imaging, and blood panels all help measure the amount of brown fat in your body.
Does Coffee Increase Brown Fat?
Yes, coffee stimulates brown fat cells, improving your metabolism and stimulating proper thermal regulation. The catechins in green tea also have a similar effect.
Does Fasting Turn White Fat Into Brown Fat?
Scientists have observed the effect of intermittent fasting on mice and noted that it leads to the browning of white fat, a beneficial outcome. While scientists have yet to replicate this study in humans, it is promising.
Summary: Supplements To Increase Brown Fat
- Brown adipose tissue (brown fat) is a type of body fat that regulates metabolism, body temperature, and glucose levels.
- Brown fat is activated just before the body begins to shiver, thereby promoting thermogenesis.
- Brown fat helps in weight loss, regulates blood sugar levels, keeps it in check, and lowers the risk of heart conditions.
- White fat can be converted into brown fat by eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, a good night’s sleep, and nutritional supplements.
- Supplements to increase brown fat are most effective if they contain compounds like retinoic acid, ginseng, capsaicin, omega-3 fatty acids, etc.
- Eating a healthy diet containing nuts and seeds, green tea, and other fiber-rich foods can also help increase brown fat in the body.
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References
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/brown-fat-guide/
- https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/drug-activates-brown-fat-improves-glucose-metabolism-healthy-women
- https://www.healthline.com/health/brown-fat
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652204833X
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05030-3
- https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/4/1530
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303720720301726
