A recent scientific study revealed an unexpected potential effect of Losartan, a widely used high blood pressure medication. Results indicate its ability to activate brown fat, a type of adipose tissue that burns energy to produce heat, paving the way for new therapeutic uses related to heart and metabolic health.
The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, showed that medications known as angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), to which Losartan belongs, were associated with a higher probability of detecting brown fat in patients. However, these findings are still in the research phase and do not prove that using the drug to activate brown fat will yield confirmed health benefits in humans.
How did researchers discover the link between Losartan and brown fat activation?
Researchers reached these conclusions after analyzing medical records and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans of over 100,000 patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the United States.
The research team noted that patients taking ARBs were more likely to show brown fat on their imaging scans, prompting scientists to conduct laboratory experiments to understand the mechanisms that might explain this relationship.
The study was conducted by researchers from Rockefeller University, in collaboration with researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering, relying on a research approach that begins with clinical observations in patients and then moves to laboratory experiments to verify potential explanations.
Losartan's effect on energy burning differs from lowering blood pressure
Experiments conducted on cultured brown fat cells in the laboratory showed that Losartan directly enhanced their metabolic activity through molecular interactions distinct from those responsible for lowering blood pressure.
Researchers believe this difference could be important in developing future treatments targeting brown fat activation without necessarily affecting blood pressure. This could allow for studying the potential benefits of this mechanism in people who do not suffer from high blood pressure.
Furthermore, experiments on healthy mice treated with the drug showed an increase in energy and oxygen consumption, and carbon dioxide production, while maintaining stable body weight. However, these results alone are not sufficient to prove that the drug will achieve the same effects or similar health benefits in humans.
Brown fat is linked to better heart and metabolic health indicators
The study did not only examine the effect of medications but also addressed the relationship between brown fat and a wide range of health indicators.
Researchers found that the presence of brown fat was associated with better blood sugar regulation, improved blood lipid levels, better heart function indicators according to echocardiograms, and lower inflammation markers.
These findings align with previous research conducted by a Rockefeller University team in 2021, which included about 50,000 patients and indicated that higher levels of brown fat were associated with lower probabilities of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.
New findings link brown fat to lower rates of anxiety and depression
A notable finding in the study was the observation of a link between brown fat and lower rates of anxiety and depression, an observation that expands the scope of research into the potential relationship between metabolism and mental health.
Researchers pointed out that people with better metabolic health may be less prone to certain psychiatric disorders, but the nature of the relationship between brown fat and mental health remains unclear, and it cannot be definitively stated that brown fat itself is the cause of these lower rates.
Conversely, the analysis detected an association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants and decreased brown fat activity, which calls for further studies to understand the relationship between these findings.
Brown fat location may affect its association with diseases
Researchers also studied whether the relationship between brown fat and health status varies depending on its location in the body by analyzing its activity in six anatomical regions, including the neck, armpits, and areas around the heart and kidneys.
The results revealed that health associations differ depending on the region where brown fat is located; its activity in the armpit area was associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure compared to other areas.
However, the study also observed an association between the presence of brown fat and higher rates of osteoporosis and certain skin diseases, indicating that the relationship between this tissue and human health is more complex than previously thought, and its potential benefits require comprehensive evaluation.
Does the discovery pave the way for new uses of blood pressure drugs?
The study's findings open the door to further research on the role of brown fat in regulating energy consumption, its relationship to heart, metabolic, and mental health, as well as the possibility of developing treatments targeting its activation in the future.
Nevertheless, the scope of the available results emphasizes the need for additional studies to determine the mechanisms responsible for these associations and to verify the potential benefits and risks before adopting any new therapeutic use.
The study does not recommend taking Losartan for the purpose of activating brown fat or improving energy burning in people who do not need it to treat high blood pressure. The use of the medication should not be changed or stopped without consulting a doctor.
