Does the color of your body fat really matter? As absurd as this question may seem, the reality remains, that yes the color does matter. The color of your body fat does play a role in your overall health and how fast your body ages. Multiple studies have demonstrated that unequivocally we should all be concerned about the color of our fat, and in fact, should be seeking a variety of methods to convert as much white fat into brown fat as possible.
Until recently, it was believed that the conversion of white fat to beige, or brown fat could most effectively be done using cold immersion therapy, and not heat. After the release of recent data from clinical trials it is believed to be possible to use targeted heat to induce positive fat conversion.
Some individuals are born with more white fat than brown fat. For example, babies who are born prematurely are often born with more white fat than would be ideal for their survival. As an individual ages, lifestyle factors may play a role in the coloration of fat, and a more athletic approach to life will likely leave individuals with significantly more brown fat. So, even if you are not a competitive long distance runner with significantly more brown fat than white fat it still may be possible to exact a steadily positive change in your fat conversion.
If the thought of jumping into an icebath sends chills down your spine, there is now scientifically based evidence that delineates exactly how you can convert white fat to brown fat using heat.
Find out what health benefits are associated with having more white fat than brown fat, what the evidence from studies demonstrates about effectively converting fat coloration using heat, and finally how you can do this using a sauna from the comfort of your own home.
Why Does Having More Brown Fat than White Fat Matter?
- Treatment For Obesity
- Increase Mitochondrial Presence in Fat Tissue
- Increase energy conversion
The interest in the study of fat has increased significantly over the past decades as obesity has increased to epic proportions in both developed and developing countries, and is now considered a global crisis. (1) Adipose tissue, and its color has come to the forefront of this conversation because of the nature of different types of functions that fat tissue plays in the body.
Please note that ‘adipose tissue’ is the scientific term for fat, and it will become clear why humans should strive to have more brown or beige adipose tissues than white fat. (1)
The authors of the National Library of Medicine’s publication ‘Mitochondria in White, Brown, and Beige Adipocytes’ write this about the pressing need for the scientific community to pay attention to the color of fat.
“Over the past few decades, the number of studies in the field of adipose tissue biology has increased exponentially since obesity and associated diseases are occurring at epidemic rates not only in developed countries, but also in developing countries.” (1)
There are three primary types of fat in the human body, White (WAT), Beige, and Brown (BAT). Beige fat has characteristics of both white and brown fat and is often expressed during the conversion process in either direction. (3)
The initial concern with white fat is simply that there is markedly more present in an obese individual versus someone of a healthy weight. White fat is the body’s store house of fat and is not actively involved in very many biological occurrences. (2)
The National Institute of Health published a paper entitled: “How brown fat improves metabolism” (2) where its authors discuss the importance of increasing the conversion rate of white fat to brown fat to improve metabolism. The authors discuss the fact that high levels of white fat can lead to type 2 diabetes, or insulin resistance, as well as other metabolic disorders. Scientists also found that brown fat was actively involved in many essential biological processes.
“Brown fat breaks down blood sugar (glucose) and fat molecules to create heat and help maintain body temperature.” (1)
Furthermore, scientists have found that white and brown fat are antagonistic within human physiology. The authors of the National Library of Medicine’s publication entitled ‘Brown adipose tissue, beta 3-adrenergic receptors, and obesity’ (4) write this about the difference between the two types of fat.
“Two major types of adipose tissue exist in mammals, brown and white fat that have essentially antagonistic functions, brown fat expending energy and white fat storing it.” (4)
The most remarkable characteristic of brown or beige fat is that it has a much higher concentration of mitochondria. Mitochondria are the energy conversion centers of each cell and where energy conversion occurs efficiently in the body many diseases are naturally regulated. So, by increasing the number of mitochondria present in fat tissue remarkable health changes occur. (2) The ratio of mitochondria in brown fat versus white fat is on average 5:1.
In fact, the reason why brown or beige fat has this coloration to it is because of the high number of mitochondria present. According to the authors of the article ‘Mitochondria in White, Brown, and Beige Adipocytes’ (1).
“Metabolic differences between mitochondria of WAT and BAT are associated with specific morphological characteristics of mitochondria in the brown adipocytes. These mitochondria are apparently more numerous and bigger in size and contain more cristae than mitochondria in white adipocytes. In addition, content of the heme cofactors in the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome oxidase gives the tissue the brown macroscopic colour.” (1)
As fat increases in mitochondria its color changes from white, to beige, and eventually brown fat.
Mitochondria increase ATP production, and also lessen oxidative stress in the body to diminish the expression or development of a plethora of diseases. (1)
Seeking to increase the presence of brown fat in the body moves beyond the concern for the obese into the realm of health increase even among the already healthy population. Meaning, if you are interested in improving strength, stamina, glow of the skin, or simply living a longer, happier life, then converting more white fat to brown fat should be high on the agenda.
Fortunately, fat is very malleable and is easily subject to conversion and positive change.
“Adipose tissue is an extremely plastic organ capable of massive expansion, reduction, or transformation according to appropriate stimulation.” (1)
Take a look at the visual depiction of the three different types of fat from the study mentioned above:
(Blue: nucleus, green: mitochondria, and yellow: lipid droplets) (1)
(1)
How is it Possible to Convert White Fat to Brown Fat?
For many years it has been known that thermoregulation was an integral portion of the conversion process of white to brown fat. For years this conversion process was associated with cold exposure, and it was believed that this was a crucial difference in the effects of a cold plunge versus the use of a sauna.
While it remains true that exposure to specific dosage of cold does effectively convert white fat to brown fat, and in so doing increase the availability of mitochondria, it is now evidenced in more recent research that exposure to dose appropriate heat also increases the presence of mitochondria in the fat.
In fact, in this publication of 2021 by the National Library of Medicine entitled ‘Altered brown fat thermoregulation and enhanced cold-induced thermogenesis in young, healthy, winter-swimming men’ (5) the authors find that the ratio of mitochondria present in brown fat versus white fat was 5:1. Furthermore, the authors believed that deliberate cold exposure was, at the time, the most effective means of converting white fat to brown fat.
More recently, research published in 2022 runs counter to this information as it demonstrates that deliberate heat exposure may also effectively convert brown to white fat. This research can be found in this paper ‘Local hyperthermia therapy induces browning of white fat and treats obesity’ (6) published in a variety of journals including: the National Library of Medicine, Research Gate, as well as Cell. The full version can be found for non-researchers in full only in the publication ‘Cell’.
The authors of this publication state that they sought to find effective means of converting beige fat into brown fat.
“Beige fat plays key roles in the regulation of systemic energy homeostasis; however, detailed mechanisms and safe strategies for its activation remain elusive. In this study, we discovered that local hyperthermia therapy (LHT) targeting beige fat promoted its activation in humans and mice.” (6)
This study used both human as well as mice subjects to find out if heat could effectively convert white fat to brown fat. The results in both mice and human subjects were surprising, but very positive. The study used a near infrared light bulb to induce temperature change.The heat setting was very low compared to most thermal therapies and was set to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit). (6)
The authors discovered that the induction of the first named heat shock protein, HSF1 was potentially the root cause of the increase in mitochondria in the beige fat, turning into brown fat with heat stress. Here is what the authors write.
“An interesting observation of this study is that hyperthermia induces thermogenesis by activating beige fat. This seemingly contradictory phenomenon could be explained by a role of HSF1 in mitohormesis… In this sense, heat stress has been shown to induce mito-chondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.” (6)
Before this publication it was not originally known that heat shock proteins induced from heat stress could in fact spur mitochondrial biogenesis until now.
“Of note, PGC1a, a strong inducer of mitochondrial biogenesis, has been shown to induce a potent antioxidant stress resistance program, i.e., in brain and heart, thus promote mitochondrial ROS balance…Thus, it is possible that hyperthermia induces the mito-hormesis response through HSF1 activation to restore mitochondrial ROS balance through its regulation of Pgc1a andUcp1, which in turn enhances thermogenesis as their innate functions. Consistent with this notion, it has been demonstrated that mitochondrial ROS induces UCP1 Cys253 sulfenylation and UCP1 activation, which also point to a potential link between hyperthermia and thermogenesis via mitochondria ROS levels.” (6)
While all of the specific reasons are not fully understood why near infrared light exposure induces mitochondrial biogenesis, and thereby converts white fat to brown fat, it is quantifiably known that it does happen. For both mice and humans, exposure to near infrared heat increases mitochondrial availability in fat which signals an increase of the presence of mitochondria by at least 500%. (6)
By increasing the availability of mitochondria within the body it may be possible to increase healthspan, limit obesity (and associated health conditions), improve cardiovascular health as well as brain function.
If you would like to convert white fat to brown fat you may not have to engage in deliberate cold exposure, but rather find a way to access a full spectrum infrared sauna that includes the frequency of near infrared light.
How to Increase White Fat to Brown Fat Conversion at Home Near Infrared Light Exposure in Healthy Doses
For anyone who is cold adverse, this exciting news heralds an entirely new protocol for increasing the presence of brown fat in the body. Exposure to low heat near infrared light induces mitochondrial biogenesis to convert white fat to brown fat.
This new finding does not negate the very real fact that deliberate cold exposure does effectively convert white fat to brown, but it does mean that it is no longer the only way to do it from home.
If you do choose to take matters of your fat coloration into your own hands, the use of near infrared light as your heat source is the only proven way to do so. Although, this could change as more research is done in the area of white to brown fat conversion. If you are using a sauna for this purpose be sure that ceramic near infrared light bulbs are included in your protocol and methodology. You will not need to set the temperature too high for this biological process to occur.
If you are urgently looking to increase the rate at which this process occurs you may want to consider contrast therapy and move between the near infrared sauna and cold exposure.
While increasing the availability of mitochondria in the body by changing the kind of fat that you have is widely beneficial, heat stress or cold stress is not for everyone. Before beginning any new health care regime be sure to consult with your primary care physician.
If you know that your body can tolerate exposure to near infrared light in appropriate doses, and you have been avoiding the cold plunge, then this new research presented here heralds excellent news. You can convert white fat to brown fat using heat alone!
For more in-depth reading please see the sources cited below. Good luck on your path of increasing the presence of mitochondria in your body and lessening the strain of white fat by converting it to brown fat with the use of near infrared light!
Sources Cited:
- https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-brown-fat-improves-metabolism
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4814709/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3402601/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9046964/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8561167/
- https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(22)00144-1.pdf
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8561167/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35247329
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361523069_Local_hyperthermia_therapy_A_novel_strategy_turning_white_fat_brown