Body fat isn’t always harmful. Its effects depend on type and location.
What Is Brown Fat?
Unlike white fat, which stores energy, brown fat burns calories to produce heat.
This process, called thermogenesis, helps regulate body temperature and burn excess sugar and fat.
Brown fat cells have many mitochondria — the cell’s energy factories — which allow them to generate heat efficiently.
It’s most active in infants and young children. In adults, levels drop with age and are often inactive.
Yet small amounts of active brown fat may still support metabolic and mental well-being.
Study Findings from 101,243 People
Researchers scanned medical records of 101,243 people using AI to detect brown fat.
Nearly 8,900 showed detectable levels of brown fat.
Those with brown fat were less likely to have type 2 diabetes or heart disease.
They also had lower rates of anxiety and depression.
Armpit fat showed the strongest link to active brown fat.
These patterns suggest a connection between brown fat and health — but don’t prove cause and effect.
Link to Blood Pressure Drugs
People on blood pressure medication were more likely to have detectable brown fat.
Losartan — a common blood pressure drug — stood out in the data.
The study found a link between losartan use and increased brown fat detection.
This connection came from real-world medical records, not lab tests.
Mouse Model Tests Show Activation
Mice given losartan showed more active brown fat.
They burned more energy and produced more heat.
The effect used a different pathway than the one that lowers blood pressure.
This separation opens the door for targeted therapies.
Nicolás Gómez-Banoy from Rockefeller University said: ‘We could potentially isolate these effects. That way, we could activate brown fat without affecting blood pressure.’
Why This Matters
The study shows strong links, but doesn’t prove that activating brown fat improves health.
Other factors — like lifestyle or genetics — may influence the results.
Limitations and Caveats
- The data came from cancer patients. This limits how widely the findings apply.
- Most evidence is from medical records, not direct brown fat measurements.
- AI detects indirect signs, not actual brown fat in all cases.
- Mice rely more on brown fat than humans. Results may not apply to people.
- There’s no proof yet that activating brown fat improves human health.
Expert Response
Griffin Rodgers of the NIH praised the study’s method.
He said: ‘This reverse translational approach gives strong reason to explore brown fat as a treatment target for many diseases.’
What to Watch Next
Future studies must include diverse groups: men, older adults, and people without pre-existing conditions.
Direct imaging of brown fat is needed to confirm the findings.
Clinical trials are essential to test whether activating brown fat improves health.
Scientists may also explore diet, exercise, or other drugs to stimulate brown fat.
The goal is safe, effective treatments that use this natural process to support long-term health.
The study has been published in Nature. For more, see the original source at sciencealert.com.
