The Good Fat You Gain Through Exercise?

by Dr. Victor Marchione

We’re constantly being told to reduce our body fat content; that’s nothing new. But according to a study from the University of Texas at Galveston’s Medical Branch, there is one type of fat that you may not want to be completely shedding. In fact, it could be beneficial to your health. I’m not talking about the healthy fats you add to your diet, either; here, I’m talking about brown fat.

Brown fat is typically found in small deposits on the sides of the neck as well as along the spine. Typically, younger people tend to have higher levels of brown fat. Surprisingly, though, thin people also tend to have higher levels of brown fat.

This discovery of the benefits of brown fat is a boon for individuals looking to lose weight, as well as for patients with diabetes and those with a resistance to insulin. It turns out that individuals with high levels of brown fat tend to have a reduced risk for obesity and diabetes. In fact, people with higher levels of brown fat have increased sensitivity to insulin and better control over their blood sugar levels, and they can burn calories more efficiently.

The results of the study were published in the journal Diabetes. The researchers looked at a group of men who were exposed to both normal and slightly cold temperatures for five to eight hours. While they were being tested, the researchers monitored the subjects’ blood and sugar to note any changes in their blood sugar, hormone, and insulin levels. While the subjects were being tested, the researchers also looked at their bodies’ rates of oxygen consumption and how much carbon dioxide they were producing. The researchers compared the subjects’ energy expenditures while they were resting, how much blood sugar they were using, and their insulin sensitivity to a group of men with high or low levels of brown fat.

They found that the samples of brown fat showed higher levels of energy expenditure and calories when exposed to colder temperatures. Even being exposed to mild cold caused the subjects to burn more energy, increase the removal of blood sugar from circulation, and increase their sensitivity to insulin.

These are signs that brown fat may just serve as a sort of anti-obesity and anti-diabetic tissue in individuals with higher levels of it. It should be noted that while the study did show a correlation between high levels of brown fat and a decreased risk for diabetes and obesity, there is no evidence that brown fat is the cause or even that the two measure are closely related. More research will be needed to offer more insight into this seeming correlation.

One bonus though: while brown fat helps your body better burn calories, there is also evidence that exercising transforms white fat cells into brown fat cells to better burn calories needed for strenuous activities. So get exercising today!

Source for Today’s Article:

• Dallas, M.E., “Healthy ‘Brown Fat’ May Cut Odds for Obesity, Diabetes,” MedlinePlus web site, July 28, 2014; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_147538.html.
• Radcliffe, S., “Fat That Makes You Thin,” Men’s Fitness web site; http://www.mensfitness.com/styleandgrooming/fashion/fat-that-makes-you-thin, last accessed August 11, 2014.