Physicians discover switch for fat burning

Chemical switch influences the fat burning of the body
Scientists have found a switch in the brain that signals the body when fat burning begins after a meal. This rediscovery could be the breakthrough in the treatment of obesity.

Researchers at Monash University discovered in their study that there is a kind of chemical switch in the brain that initiates fat burning in the body. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Cell Metabolism".

More and more people in the world are suffering from overweight and obesity. Experts have now discovered that there is a chemical switch in the brain that affects energy consumption and weight loss. (Image: vladimirfloyd / fotolia.com)

Manipulation of the switch could lead to weight loss
The fundamental mechanism found in our study usually ensures that energy expenditure is consistent with energy intake, explains author Tony Tiganis of Monash University. If this switch is broken, sufferers gain more weight. Potentially, physicians could influence this mechanism to promote energy expenditure and weight loss in overweight people.

White fat is converted to brown fat
Researchers found that after a meal, the brain reacts to so-called circulating insulin. The insulin level rises as the blood sugar rises. This process occurs after eating food. Insulin causes the brain to send signals that cause the conversion of white fat to brown fat. This is how brown energy can be used to extract energy for the body, explain the experts.

Certain processes are supposed to help the body maintain a stable body weight
The brain signals after a meal that the fat-storing cells (adipocytes) turn back into white fat. This is how energy should be stored. Both processes prevent excessive weight gain as well as excessive weight loss and help the body to maintain a stable body weight.

Stored energy is consumed after meals
Researchers now found that the ability of the human brain to detect insulin and coordinate energy expenditure at mealtimes is controlled by a chemical switch. After a meal, the mechanism is switched off again, so the conversion can be promoted to consume stored energy.

In obese people, the chemical switch does not turn
When people are obese, the switch does not turn and so the body can not consume energy or burn fat, the scientists explain. In other words, in obesity, the switch stays in one position the whole time, the switch does not turn itself off at meals, explains Professor Tiganis. As a result, the conversion of white fat cells into brown fat cells remains off all the time. In addition, the energy consumption is lowered all the time. When eating meals so no reasonable increase in energy expenditure is noted, this promotes a gain in weight, the experts explain.

Physicians hope to inhibit the chemical switch
The scientists now hope to inhibit the found switch for therapeutic purposes, so as to promote the processing of excess fat. This could help fight the worldwide obesity epidemic. Obesity is an important and leading factor in many diseases worldwide. In addition, for the first time in modern history in the world, obesity has led to a decline in overall life expectancy, says Professor Tiganis. (As)