Hormonal
Activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) via beta-3 adrenergic receptor stimulation reduces plasma cholesterol and protects against atherosclerosis, but only in individuals with a functional hepatic apoE-LDL receptor clearance pathway.
Activating brown fat through cold exposure or specific medications can lower cholesterol and protect heart health, but only if your liver is healthy enough to clear the resulting cholesterol particles. If you have genetic conditions affecting your LDL receptors, this mechanism may not work for you.
BAT activation increases energy expenditure and decreases plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that BAT activation enhances the selective uptake of fatty acids from triglyceride-rich lipoproteins into BAT, subsequently accelerating the hepatic clearance of the cholesterol-enriched remnants. These effects depend on a functional hepatic apoE-LDLR clearance pathway as BAT activation in Apoe (-/-) and Ldlr (-/-) mice does not attenuate hypercholesterolaemia and atherosclerosis.
Why this rating
High-quality mechanistic evidence using a well-established, human-relevant mouse model (APOE*3-Leiden.CETP) with clear molecular pathways demonstrated.
Source
Brown fat activation reduces hypercholesterolaemia and protects from atherosclerosis development
Jimmy F.P. Berbée et al. · Nature Communications · 2015
DOI 10.1038/ncomms7356
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