Statins are a group of medicines used to lower cholesterol. Recently it turned out that they have an adverse effect on adipose tissue. According to a scientific publication, statins contribute to the destruction of brown adipose tissue, which leads to type 2 diabetes.
What function does brown adipose tissue perform?
Brown adipose tissue, in contrast to white, is not a storage organ. Cells are able to convert sugars and fats into heat. This can be vital for newborns who have a larger surface area compared to body volume.
Studies have suggested that adults no longer have brown adipose tissue. However, today it can be detected using positron emission tomography.
In some people, brown fat is more active than in others, or more common. According to preliminary studies, women also have more active brown fat than men. Even thin and young people benefit from a larger share of such fat. On the other hand, in elderly people it is available in very small quantities.
In about 5% of patients, active brown fat is much more common than in the general population.
If the hypothesis is confirmed, then scientists will be able to explain why some people gain weight faster than others. Diabetics can also increase the activity of brown adipose tissue with medication.
What is the relationship scientists have found between statins and brown fat?
A research team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology noted that people who are treated with statins are less likely to have brown adipose tissue. When analyzing 8500 PET images, it was found in 1% of statin users.
A small study of 16 people showed that fluvastatin reduces the concentration of brown adipose tissue involved in heat production.
Researchers have now discovered physiological connections. Cell culture experiments have shown that starting material (mevalonate) for cholesterol biosynthesis is important for adipose tissue.
Statins, which block the formation of mevalonate, lead to the fact that more brown adipose tissue turns into white. High glucose intake explains why new cases of type 2 diabetes have increased in clinical studies with statins.
Patients in whom brown adipose tissue is destroyed by statins require additional medications.
Reducing the need for glucose in adipose tissue leads to an increase in blood sugar. Therefore, some patients develop type 2 diabetes.
Scientists emphasize that this side effect does not question the use of statins. The benefits of cholesterol-lowering drugs are significantly higher than risks.
Can a diet stimulate brown adipose tissue?
Dutch studies have shown that people who sat in a cold chamber had brown fat activity increasing. It was also shown that heat in brown adipose tissue is activated by both food intake and cold exposure.
In a study of 16 healthy people, some of whom were overweight, were examined twice. They were studied 1 time after exposure to cold, and 2 times after eating a meal rich in carbohydrates. A control group of 9 healthy people also took part.
Before and after, important markers of brown fat “activation” were measured. Indirect calorimetry was used in combination with positron emission tomography and computed tomography.
10% of the energy consumed per day is lost due to the thermal effects of food. The increase in heat production after eating is based not only on intestinal muscle activity, secretion, and digestion. Scientists note that there is an additional factor that stimulates the activity of brown adipose tissue.
Researchers now know that activation of brown adipose tissue may be associated with satiety. Further research is aimed at finding funds that affect this fat. They will be able to help primarily patients taking statins.
