Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activities Are Associated with High Brown Adipose Tissue Density in Humans

Riki Tanaka, Sayuri Fuse, Miyuki Kuroiwa, Shiho Amagasa, Tasuki Endo, Akira Ando, Ryotaro Kime, Yuko Kurosawa and Takafumi Hamaoka
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Riki Tanaka: Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
Sayuri Fuse: Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
Miyuki Kuroiwa: Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
Shiho Amagasa: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
Tasuki Endo: Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
Akira Ando: Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, Tokyo 115-0056, Japan
Ryotaro Kime: Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
Yuko Kurosawa: Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
Takafumi Hamaoka: Department of Sports Medicine for Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-14

Abstract: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) plays a role in adaptive thermogenesis in response to cold environments and dietary intake via sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation. It is unclear whether physical activity increases BAT density (BAT-d). Two-hundred ninety-eight participants (age: 41.2 ± 12.1 (mean ± standard deviation), height: 163.6 ± 8.3 cm, weight: 60.2 ± 11.0 kg, body mass index (BMI): 22.4 ± 3.0 kg/m 2 , body fat percentage: 25.4 ± 7.5%) without smoking habits were categorized based on their physical activity levels (a group performing physical activities including walking and moderate physical activity (WM) and a group performing WM + vigorous-intensity physical activities (VWM)). We measured the total hemoglobin concentration ([Total-Hb]) in the supraclavicular region, an index of BAT-d, and anthropometric parameters. [Total-Hb] was significantly higher in VWM than WM for all participant groups presumably owing to SNS activation during vigorous-intensity physical activities, and unrelated to the amount of total physical activity levels. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis revealed that BAT-d was related to visceral fat area and VWM in men and related to body fat percentage in women. We conclude that vigorous-intensity physical activities are associated with high BAT-d in humans, especially in men.

Keywords: brown adipose tissue (BAT); vigorous-intensity physical activities (VPA); near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy (NIR TRS ); exercise; sympathetic nervous system (SNS) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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