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Brown Adipose Tissue pp 349–357Cite as

Activation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT): Focus on Nutrition and Eating

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Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 251))

Abstract

Brown adipose tissue activation occurs most effectively by cold exposure. In the modern world, we do not spend long periods in cold environment, and eating and meals may be other activators of brown fat function. Short-term regulation of brown fat functional activity by eating involves most importantly insulin. Insulin is capable to increase glucose uptake in human brown adipose tissue fivefold to fasting conditions. Oxidative metabolism in brown fat is doubled both by cold and by a meal. Human brown adipose tissue is an insulin-sensitive tissue type, and insulin resistance impairs the function, as is found in obesity. Body weight reduction improves cold-induced activation of human brown adipose tissue.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Kirsi A. Virtanen

  2. Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Kuopio, Finland

    Kirsi A. Virtanen

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  1. Kirsi A. Virtanen
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Correspondence to Kirsi A. Virtanen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Alexander Pfeifer

  2. Institute of Molecular Nutritional Medicine, TU München, Freising, Bayern, Germany

    Martin Klingenspor

  3. Institute for Diabetes and Cancer IDC, Helmholtz Center München, Neuherberg, Germany

    Stephan Herzig

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Virtanen, K.A. (2018). Activation of Human Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT): Focus on Nutrition and Eating. In: Pfeifer, A., Klingenspor, M., Herzig, S. (eds) Brown Adipose Tissue. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 251. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/164_2018_136

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