What is brown fat and its function?

Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue, is a type of body fat that is actively involved in heat production through a process known as thermogenesis. Unlike white fat, which primarily serves as energy storage, brown fat is rich in mitochondria, giving it its characteristic brown color. These mitochondria enable the brown fat to burn calories and generate heat, making it a critical player in body temperature regulation.

Andrew Huberman explains that brown fat primarily resides between the shoulder blades and at the back of the neck. It can directly convert food energy into heat, bypassing some of the steps that typical fatty acids undergo, which involves being transported elsewhere and broken down in mitochondria. This makes brown fat an efficient tool for thermogenesis 1.

Moreover, brown fat activation is significantly influenced by cold exposure. When exposed to cold, the body activates brown fat to generate heat in response. Huberman mentions that this not only aids in maintaining body temperature but also increases the body's fat burning capability, assisting with fat loss 2.

This process of thermogenesis in brown fat is also important for managing health conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Increased brown fat activity has shown a correlation with a reduced prevalence of this condition 3.

Overall, brown fat plays a crucial role in maintaining our body's temperature through heat production and contributes to metabolic health by increasing caloric expenditure.