Hormonal
Pharmacological activation of brown adipose tissue using natriuretic peptides (NPs) or beta-3 adrenergic agonists can increase energy expenditure and recruit brown-like (beige) fat in white adipose tissue.
Scientists are developing drugs that mimic the effects of cold exposure by targeting specific hormones (like natriuretic peptides) or receptors (beta-3). These drugs aim to turn your white fat into energy-burning 'beige' fat. While promising in mice, these treatments are still in clinical trials for humans and are not yet available for general use.
Beige cells can be induced by cold and a broad spectrum of hormones and drugs... that include peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists and β-adrenergic agonists as well as substances that increase cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP): natriuretic peptides (NPs)... and inhibitors of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5)
Why this rating
Evidence is strong in animal models; human clinical trials are ongoing or show mixed/limited results.
Source
Brown, Beige, and White: The New Color Code of Fat and Its Pharmacological Implications
Alexander Pfeifer et al. · The Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology · 2014
DOI 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010814-124346
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