2018_06_06_FAR_workshop

Contrary to a widespread perception, not all body fats are bad and not all of them are the same. Several national and international experts will talk about the differences between white, brown or brown fat and beige fat in a scientific meeting on this subject that will take place at the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Navarre next Friday, June 8.

Under degree scroll "Frontiers in brown and beige adipose tissues: Physiological role and therapeutic potential", a dozen experts will discuss the latest findings in the field of Physiology of the different types of adipose tissue, and their role in obesity and associated diseases.

As explained by one of the organizers, Professor María Jesús Moreno Aliaga, "despite the fact that the population may think that body fat is harmful and should be reduced as much as possible, in reality adipose tissue is involved in the regulation of many physiological and metabolic functions, so it is essential to maintain an adequate percentage of body fat".

What is certain, according to the expert, is that both excess and deficiency of fatty tissue in our body is associated with a greater probability of suffering insulin resistance, diabetes subject 2, fatty liver and cardiovascular complications. "At the same time, we know that white fat is not only the main reservation of energy in the body, but also acts as a real organ that produces hormones involved in metabolic regulation, among other functions. In this sense, what should be controlled is the distribution of this white fat, since its location in the abdominal area implies a greater risk of developing metabolic complications". Likewise, María Jesús Moreno - Professor of Physiology - explains that a second subject of fat - called brown fat, which is much less abundant than white fat - plays a very important role due to its capacity to dissipate energy in the form of heat: "In addition, some recent programs of study indicate that brown fat also plays a role in controlling the metabolism of sugars and fats. Recently, a third subject adipocyte or fat cell, called beige, has been discovered. These beige adipocytes are found in the white depots, but have a thermogenic potential more similar to the brown ones".

All this, as will be addressed by the experts at this international Workshop at the University of Navarra, will give an idea of the role of the different types of fat in our body: "In this sense, it is of interest to identify new pharmacological and nutritional agents that promote the activation of brown fat and/or the browning of white fat, as possible effective therapeutic strategies to improve obesity and disorders associated with it, such as diabetes subject 2", says the expert, co-organizer of the meeting together with Dr. Pilar Lostao, also Professor of Physiology at the University of Navarra, and both editors of the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry and researchers at the Center for Research in Nutrition at the University of Navarra. Pilar Lostao, also Professor of Physiology at the University of Navarra, and both editors of the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry and researchers at the University's Nutrition Research Center and the high school of research Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA).