Scientists Melt 'Love Handles' By Activating Brown Fat

Scientists may have discovered a cure for "love handles." You heard right!

Researchers at the Institute of Phamacoology and Toxicology at the University Hospital Bonn in Germany have discovered that adenosine produced by the body can help combat excess body weight by "browning" white fat. As brown fat boosts metabolism and energy throughout the day, the findings are crucially important.

"Not all fat is equal," said researcher Prof. Alexander Pfeifer from the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the University Hospital Bonn in Germany, in a news release.

According to Pfeifer, white fat stores energy throughout the body while brown fat burns it. In fact, scientists explain that brown fat cells could be compared to a heater by actually converting excess energy into heat.

Through the study, researchers discovered that adenosine, which is typically released during times of high stress, can work to activate brown fat cells. Furthermore, they discovered that the adenosine receptor A2A is essential for triggering the bond between adenosine and brown fat.

"If adenosine binds to this receptor in brown fat cells, fat burning is significantly stimulated," said co-researcher Dr. Thorsten Gnad.

To discover this, scientists examined how brown fat cells that were removed from humans affected different rodents. They discovered that brown fat in mice reacts similarly in humans.

"Through the administration of adenosine-like substances, the mice actually lost weight," Pfeifer concluded.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Nature.