Burn 20% of your basal metabolic rate! 3 Secrets to "Brown Fat"

 Burn 20% of your basal metabolic rate! 3 Secrets to "Brown Fat"

My favorite trousers are getting tighter, how could this be? As the weather gets cooler and food intake increases, most of the body fat in women accumulates in the buttocks and thighs, which is called subcutaneous fat; in men, it usually accumulates in the abdominal cavity, which is commonly known as visceral fat. It is the fat that makes people silently hang clothes back on the hangers.

Currently, there are two types of adipose tissue. Subcutaneous and visceral fat are white fat, and there is a rare type of brown fat. Not only are the distribution locations of the two very different, but their functions are also "very different."

White fat is responsible for storing energy, like a row of continuously expanding warehouses; brown fat is like a boiler, burning fat quickly to generate heat to maintain body temperature. More and more people at home and abroad are discussing brown fat, because it is likely to be a coup for future weight loss.

In the past, brown fat was thought to only appear in infancy. It was not until the late 1990s that scientists discovered that there might be a little brown adipose tissue remaining in adults. It was not until 2009 that the academic community found definite evidence to quell the controversy, confirming two things: The first is that adults do have brown fat, and the second is that the amount of this particular adipose tissue is roughly estimated.

A study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" showed that the average weight of the brown adipose tissue above the collarbone of adults tested was 63 grams. If it can be fully activated, it can burn calories equivalent to 4.1 kilograms of fat a year; June 2014 The article in the journal "Nature" also pointed out that there are about 50-80 grams of brown fat in the adult body. In other words, although brown fat only accounts for about 0.1% of adult body weight, it can burn 10-20% of the daily basal metabolic rate of heat energy under the best conditions, which is a very efficient energy conversion method.

White adipocytes are special cells with fat droplets suspended in the cytoplasm, and the appearance of the tissue is light yellow or white. When blood sugar rises after a meal, insulin can open channels on the surface of fat cells, and glucose molecules enter the cells and are converted into tiny fat droplets for storage. Both subcutaneous and visceral fat are built up from this white cell buildup.

If you observe brown fat cells with a microscope, you will find that the number of mitochondria in the cytoplasm is far more than that in white cells. Mitochondria are the "engines" for cells to oxidize various nutrients (such as sugars) to generate energy. Mitochondria contain cytochromes, so the appearance of cells is dark brown.

Brown cells also have a secret weapon: an abundance of type 1 uncoupling protein 1, or UCP1 for short. Wang Zongdao, an attending physician in the Department of Cardiology at National Taiwan University Hospital, pointed out that UCP1 can accelerate the rate at which cells decompose fatty acids and generate heat. Compared with white adipocytes, the amount of UCP1 is very small, which is one of the reasons why white fat cells are responsible for storage rather than consumption.

Scientists have uncovered part of the heat-producing mechanism of brown cells, but another more direct and mysterious question has not yet been settled, that is, where is the brown tissue? Due to the limitations of non-invasive detection technology, this seemingly simple problem has not been completely solved for decades.

Brown fat hiding in the nape of the neck and collarbone

Since 2009, scientists have been trying to find out the exact location of brown fat by using positronography, computerized tomography and other new technologies, including finding new molecular markers (UCP1 is one of them).

Xiao Dunren, vice-chairman of the Obesity Research Society of the Republic of China, pointed out that most of the brown fat in young children gathers in the area from the nape of the neck to the upper back. There is a saying in Southern Hokkien that "children (children) have three fights of fire" , vividly described the high temperature of the baby's back, as if there were three fires burning, which is the phenomenon of rapid heat production in the brown tissues of young children.

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In adults, as of now, the deep back of the neck, close to the spine, and the top of the left and right collarbones are the places where brown adipose tissue is definitely embedded.

There also appears to be brown fat on the sides of the heart, on both sides of the thoracic spine, and around the adrenal glands above the kidneys on both sides, but this is inconclusive. Wang Zongdao explained that some scientists currently believe that these three places may not be brown tissues, but a special type of white fat cells called "beige fat cells". These cells can produce a large amount of UCP1, which is higher than normal white fat cells. heat generating capacity.

In nature, animals that hibernate, such as bears, can maintain their body temperature in severe cold because of the high proportion of brown adipose tissue in their bodies. After sleeping all winter, I lost more than half of my weight.

It sounds very beautiful. Doesn't this mean that you can lose weight while lying down?

But please wait, all wonderful imaginations must first pass the test of objective facts before they can come true.

3 Brown Fat Secrets You Should Know

1. How to activate brown fat?

The activity of brown adipose tissue is controlled by sympathetic nerves. The endings of sympathetic nerves extend into the brown tissue and secrete norepinephrine (formerly known as "norepinephrine"), which stimulates cells to break down fat and convert it into heat. The sympathetic nerve is a part of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating the viscera and muscles in response to changes in the internal and external environment, such as hot and cold. Research reports published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" and "Journal of Clinical Research" in recent years have shown that when the temperature drops, the activity of brown adipose tissue will increase.

Studies have pointed out that staying in a room at 17 degrees Celsius for 2 hours a day for six consecutive weeks, or staying in a low temperature environment of 15-16 degrees Celsius for 6 hours a day for 10 consecutive days, will significantly increase the activity of brown cells. However, these studies only show that brown tissue activity is related to low temperature, and it is not yet possible to clarify the cause-and-effect relationship.

From food, chemicals that are mildly stimulant to the sympathetic nerves, such as catechins and caffeine, may also increase brown tissue activity.

Exercise is also a good way. During exercise, the human body will secrete hormones such as norepinephrine and irisin, which can activate brown fat cells. Exercise is also divided into parts, for example, there are different movements that specifically exercise the upper arms, legs or chest, but so far, no relevant research has pointed out whether any kind of exercise can specifically stimulate brown fat.

As for taking a cold shower, can it also stimulate cell activity? Both Xiao Dunren and Wang Zongdao said that exposure to low temperature must take a long time to be effective, and there is no evidence that taking a cold bath for a short time is effective.

2. How to increase brown fat cells?

Brown fat and white fat seem to compete with each other, with more subcutaneous and visceral fat, less brown fat and less activity. The total amount of brown fat is also related to age, the older you are, the less the amount.

A 2013 study in the "Journal of Clinical Investigation" pointed out that in addition to stimulating the activity of brown fat under prolonged exposure to low temperature, brown adipose tissue volume will also increase. In addition, some researchers believe that exercise, catechin, caffeine, etc. may also have the effect of promoting brown cell proliferation.

3. Can white fat cells be directly transformed into brown cells?

As brown fat has been discussed more and more at home and abroad, incorrect statements have gradually emerged. One of them is to claim that there is a way to directly turn white cells into brown cells and increase the amount of brown fat.

White adipocytes are homologous to fibroblasts, and brown cells are homologous to skeletal muscle cells, that is, the two are differentiated from completely different precursor cells, so in healthy adults, white cells will not become brown cells. At present, there is no method (such as taking medicine or nutrients) that can directly reverse white fat cells into brown cells.

Weight loss is based on not taking shortcuts

Brown fat may indeed be a shortcut to losing weight, but human physiology is very complex, and there is currently no method that can precisely manipulate brown adipose tissue without affecting other physiological functions.

For example, in the cold, Xiao Dunren observed that from the end of December to the end of February of the following year, the two coldest months in Taiwan are also the most likely to gain weight. Because the appetite will be stronger in cold weather, the weight will still increase after offsetting it. It can be seen that brown fat alone is not enough to lose weight.

Another example is green tea, coffee and other beverages or foods rich in ingredients that can stimulate brown tissue. If consumed in excess, it is easy to cause other problems, such as insomnia. Poor sleep for a long time will disrupt the balance of hormones in the body, and it will make you fat.

Xiao Dunren further stated that there is still a long way to go in clinical practice to use brown adipose tissue for weight loss. In the clinical treatment of obesity, "(now) the most useful three steps: control appetite, reduce absorption, promote metabolism, not brown fat."

In fact, the most effective way to lose weight without side effects is the most traditional method: eat less and move more. In the hot summer, the appetite is poor, and the weight will gradually and naturally drop. Therefore, autumn and winter are the best seasons to lose weight, because if this period of time is properly controlled, there will be less problem of regaining weight when the weather returns to the next year.

The season is entering autumn, and the temperature is gradually dropping. If you can control your desire for food and exercise in moderation, maybe the power of nature can help you and me who are troubled by belly fat!