title: Role of Exercise in the Activation of Brown Adipose Tissue.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The energy-burning capacity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) makes it an attractive target for use in anti-obesity therapies. Moreover, due to its ability to oxidize glucose and lipids, BAT activation has been considered a potential therapy to combat type 2 diabetes and atherogenesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BAT is mainly regulated by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS); yet, recent findings have shown a group of novel activators that act independently of the stimulation of the SNS such as cardiac natriuretic peptides, irisin, interleukin-6, β-aminoisobutyric acid and fibroblast growth factor 21 that could influence BAT metabolism. Several strategies are being examined to activate and recruit BAT with no side effects. In this review, we postulate that exercise might activate and recruit human BAT through the activation of SNS, heart and skeletal muscle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidemiological and well-designed exercise-based randomized controlled studies are needed to clarify if exercise is able to activate BAT in humans.
authors.affiliation: PROFITH 'PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity' Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Delgado
authors.forename: Borja
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martinez-Tellez
authors.forename: Josune
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olza
authors.forename: Concepcion M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Aguilera
authors.forename: Ángel
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Jonatan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ruiz
mesh_terms: D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000378:metabolism*; D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids; C577593:FNDC5 protein, human; D005353:Fibronectins; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides; C414620:fibroblast growth factor 21; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; C033435:3-aminoisobutyric acid