A recent study has identified a substance in the form of a protein that is responsible for the regulation of the utilization of brown fat in the body cells and in the brain that may just be effective in weight loss.
Brown fat is a kind of adipose tissue, which is different from white fat in terms of its mechanism. Brown fat is used by the body to burn fats in order to generate energy and heat. Thermogenesis is the conversion of brown fat to heat and energy.
Who done the research?
The study was done by a group of scientists at the Institute of Metabolic Science at the University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories. The researchers have found that BMP8B protein acts on the metabolic process in the body, both in the body cells and in the brain, which is responsible for the utilization of brown fat.
How research was done?
The results of the study have led to the belief by the researchers that activation of brown fat may help people on their weight loss programs. The new protein found may be a specific target for weight loss treatments because it specifically acts on brown fat unlike other proteins that have a role to play in various body processes. Since BMP8B has a specific action in regulating the activity of brown fat in the production of heat and energy. Using BMP8B in new weight loss therapies may be effective in achieving the desired weight loss results.
The research involved the use of mice as experimental subjects. The researchers had observed that mice that lack the BMP8B protein tend to be more obese than mice that have the protein. In addition, mice that lack the protein also have difficulty maintaining their body temperature. Mice that lack the protein also became obese when they were fed a high fat diet as compared to mice that normally have the protein. Aside from this, mice that were given BMP8B lost weight significantly as opposed to those that did not receive the protein.
Several weight loss remedies that increase the metabolic rate also increase the need for food, which in turn causes failure of the weight loss treatment. However, in the use of BMP8B protein, the metabolic rate increases, but there is no resulting increase in appetite in mice meaning that this may be a potential weight loss remedy that may outlast the effects of early weight loss remedies. The BMP8B protein seems only to enhance the burning of fat rather than stimulating the mice to eat more.
The results of the study are only preliminary because there are obvious differences between humans and mice. Further research still needs to be conducted to study the efficacy of the BMP8B protein for human use in weight loss. Nevertheless, people who want to lose weight may still benefit from the results of the study. There are other weight loss remedies that focus on burning fat, so while waiting for the BMP8B protein to be evaluated further, people can use other fat burning remedies in the meantime.
Amarendra writes about weight loss. Visit this page to learn more about Medifast and Nutrisystem, two meal replacement programs that have been clinically studied and doctor-endorsed for over a decade. Being a doctor himself, Amarendra follows the current weight loss news and enjoys writing and discussing new approaches to fitness and health.
