Turn down the thermostat to burn more fat

When it comes to the battle against body fat, it turns out the answer may be as simple as turning down the heat.

In a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, scientists revealed they are rethinking the way they understand weight loss in relation to a different kind of fat tissue, which they refer to as "brown fat." Typically found in pea-sized deposits on the upper back, brown fat is activated when your body registers cold temperatures, and works to burn calories to produce extra heat when your body is cold. Interestingly, it is found in higher proportions in lean people.

To reap the fat-burning benefits of this new find, the studies suggest that lowering your room temperature by a few degrees can activate these brown fat cells and make your body more efficient at burning fat.

“With the knowledge we have so far, I would recommend to just lower the temperature one to two degrees,” the lead author of one study, Dr. Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt, tells the Globe and Mail.

He warns though that turning down the thermostat too much could trigger hunger and cause you to consume more calories than you save, so opt for a sweet spot that is comfortable for you and your family.

Lichtenbelt's study exposed volunteers to room temperatures of 15 C or 16 C for six hours a day over the span of 10 days. During this period, the participants showed elevated levels of brown fat activity.

In the second study, volunteers were exposed to a 17 C room temperature for two hours a day over six weeks. Their brown fat activity increased by almost 60 per cent and body fat decreased by more than five per cent during the course of the study. In a control group that wasn't exposed to cold temperatures, brown fat activity and body fat remained unchanged.

In the early 1990s, scientists discovered that the activation of brown fat starts with sensory neurons throughout the body informing the brain of a drop in temperature. The brain then sends out the chemical norepinephrine, activating the sympathetic nervous system, working to warm up the body.

Have you noticed a connection between temperature and your ability to burn fat? Tell us your experience in the comments below.