Weight loss is a goal for many, and while researchers have warned us that junk food is fueling our mental health crisis and also found a method to convert white fat to calorie-burning beige fat, they have discovered fat cells of a new type that could transform the fight against obesity and along with it many metabolic diseases like diabetes.

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Sisyphus Mechanism

Our body has three types of fat cells: white, brown, and beige. White fat cells act as an energy reserve by storing fat, and brown fat cells, found mainly in infants, help generate heat to keep the body warm. Beige fat cells are scattered within white fat in adults and help burn energy. Before, it was believed that these cells, like brown and beige fat, relied on a protein called UCP1 to produce heat. This belief has recently been changed with new revelations.

A new study, conducted by ETH Zurich alongside global research partners, has uncovered that a new type of beige fat cells uses a distinctive “Sisyphus mechanism” to produce heat and burn off extra energy. This newly discovered type of fat cell functions without relying on UCP1, unlike other previously known fat cells. Anand Sharma, a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich and co-author of the study, explains:

“Fat cells of this new beige type play an important role in energy metabolism in the human body and have a positive effect on metabolic diseases and obesity.”

The researchers discovered that these cells participate in “futile cycles,” which are biochemical activities that seem of no use but actually use energy and produce heat. These cycles include quickly breaking down and reforming fats, along with repeatedly converting creatine molecules.

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Promising Medical Advancements

The team verified that these cells are present in human fat tissue. Although fewer than half of people have the traditional type of beige fat cells, nearly everyone has this new type. However, the quantity is different for every person.

The study indicates that people with more beige fat cells, of either the old or the new type, tend to be leaner and may have better metabolic health. This link suggests lower chances of developing obesity and metabolic issues such as diabetes.

The senior author of the study, Tongtong Wang, explains, “because beige fat cells convert energy into heat, they help to break down excess fat.”

This discovery opens up the way for promising and exciting medical advancements. Researchers are looking into the possibility of transplanting beige fat cells into people with metabolic disorders or creating medications to activate these cells. If successful, these cells and their unique “Sisyphus mechanism” could provide new hope for millions dealing with metabolic diseases or weight challenges.