Having a meal activates the functioning of human brown fat

(University of Turku) The importance of the human brown adipose tissue (BAT) has become clearer during the past ten years. Using positron emission tomography, PET, it was shown that adult humans have functional BAT. Coldness is an effective activator of the BAT metabolic function but, in rodents, eating has the same effect. Now, the researchers at Turku PET Centre in Finland have proven that having a meal increases oxygen consumption in human BAT as much as coldness.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news