In a recent study led by University of Florida, researchers find that exercise can release a hormone (irisin) to help the body shed fat and prevent fat formation. The finding is published in American Journal of Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Researchers studied how the hormone irisin helped convert calorie-storing white fat into brown fat cells that burn energy.
Previous findings have shown that hormone irisin is released after moderate endurance aerobic activity. It has the ability to help maintain healthy body weight, improve cognition, and slow the aging process.
In the study, researchers collected fat cells from 28 patients who had breast reduction surgery. After exposing the samples to hormone irisin, they found a nearly fivefold increase in cells that contained a protein known as UCP1 that is crucial to fat burning.
In addition, hormone irisin suppresses fat-cell formation. Among the tested fat-tissue samples, irisin reduced the number of mature fat cells by 20% to 60% compared with those of a control group.
Researchers suggest that hormone irisin can reduce fat storage in the body by hindering the process that turns undifferentiated stem cells into fat cells. In addition, it promotes the stem cells’ differentiation into bone-forming cells.
This is important news for people who want to lose body weight and keep fit. If they take regular exercise, their body produce a small amount of fat-fighting irisin that helps them keep fit.
Instead of waiting for a miracle drug to lose weight, people should change their lifestyle. Exercise produces more hormone irisin, which has many beneficial effects including fat reduction, stronger bones and better cardiovascular health.
Citation: Zhang Y, et al. (2016). Irisin exerts dual effects on browning and adipogenesis of human white adipocytes. American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2016; 311 (2): E530. DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00094.2016.
Figure legend: This Knowridge.com image is for illustrative purposes only.