Boosting body heat production: A new approach for treating obesity

[Northerner]

A receptor that helps conserve energy when food is scarce may be the key to a safer approach to treating diet-induced obesity, research led by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research has revealed.

In a study using experimental models and fat tissue biopsies from obese individuals, the team revealed that blocking a specific receptor of the molecule neuropeptide Y (NPY), which helps our body regulate its heat production, could increase fat metabolism and prevent weight gain.

"The Y1 receptor acts as a 'brake' for heat generation in the body. In our study, we found that blocking this receptor in fat tissues transformed the 'energy-storing' fat into 'energy-burning' fat, which switched on heat production and reduced weight gain," says Dr Yan-Chuan Shi, Leader of the Neuroendocrinology Group at Garvan and co-senior author of the paper published in Nature Communications.

Boosting body heat production: A new approach for treating obesity

Targeting a heat production 'brake' on fat tissues may be a safer way to treat obesity than current medication.

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[EllsBells]

Certain that I've read elsewhere that some people who overeat (and/or are obese) naturally generate heat as a way to burn excess calories and it is part of the body's way of coping with it. My experience reflects that - certainly not used to being cold all the time since stopping the overeating!

 

[trophywench]

When I was young (sooo last century, dahling!) they always used to say if you lost weight you felt the cold more, you know it was sort of a warning not to try and lose too much weight - but when you had eg cancer or any of the dire things still rife in the 1950s and you lost too much weight cos of that, it was summat that doctors & nurses would tell you to be careful with, not just your mother or grandma.

 

[EllsBells]

Ha! Was just reflecting that heat generation as a treatment would be awful in a hot summer like we had last year. I needed a bowl of cold water under the desk for about a month - that was horrendous.

 

[Drummer]

My body temperature is always about one degree cooler than the normal level - so I was often thought to be malingering when I said I felt unwell as my temperature was normal. It was not until someone tried to show me up and took my temperature when I was not ill that they saw I normally register at around 35 degrees. We were not supposed to go into the food preparation area when feeling unwell, but the manager took it upon himself to decide if that was true or not.