Is Coffee the Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Obesity?

A groundbreaking study published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports found that drinking a cup of coffee can stimulate 'brown fat,' which is the body's mechanism for fighting obesity. This is the first study conducted on humans aiming to identify components that have a direct effect on the function of brown fat, a key part of the human body that influences how quickly we burn calories as energy.

The research team started with a study on stem cells to determine if caffeine could stimulate brown fat. They found the right dose of caffeine that could prompt brown fat into action and then continued the research with humans to see if the results in humans would match those achieved in the lab. The researchers used thermal imaging technology, which they developed, to locate brown fat reserves in the body (as brown fat generates more energy and can thus be demonstrated by detecting hotter areas). The non-invasive technology helped the team locate concentrations of brown fat and assess their heat-generating capability.

Prof. Michael Symonds from the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine, who led the study, said: "This is the first study in humans that has shown that drinking a cup of coffee has a direct impact on the function of brown fat in our body. Brown fat works differently from other fats in the body and generates heat by burning sugars and fats, often in response to cold. Therefore, stimulating its activity improves blood sugar levels and lipid levels, and the increased calorie burning also aids in weight reduction. However, until now, no accessible method to stimulate brown fat activity in humans has been found."

The potential implications of these study findings are quite significant, as obesity is a serious health issue, and diabetes rates are rising and considered epidemic. Brown fat might be part of the solution in the fight against obesity and diabetes.

Dr. Mariana Yaron is an expert in internal medicine and endocrinology at the DMC Center for Diabetes and Obesity Treatment and the Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Hypertension Institute at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center