For those who still have brown fat
Succinic acid as a remedy against obesity
Maria Perepechaeva, "First-hand Science"
The so-called "white fat" is known to everyone: it is because of its deposits that we get fat if we consume more calories than we spend. When this fat is oxidized, a huge number of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules are formed in the mitochondria ("power stations" of the cell), a universal source of energy for all biochemical processes in the body. But there is also "brown fat", in the mitochondria of which the connection between lipid oxidation and the synthesis of ATP molecules is broken: in such cells, energy is not stored, but immediately turns into heat. Having learned to purposefully affect brown fat, you can get closer to solving the problem of excess weight and related diseases.
Brown adipose tissue in a sufficiently large amount is present in rodents, animals that hibernate, as well as newborn children. But brown fat is also found in adults, and ordinary white fat can turn into brown under certain conditions. Studies of the processes of transformation of adipose tissue and the mechanisms of activation of brown fat are promising for the search for physiological ways to combat obesity.
It is known that the mitochondria of brown fat are activated in the cold with muscle tremors characteristic of this condition – involuntary asynchronous muscle contractions, due to which heat production increases. Investigating the mechanisms of this process, scientists from the USA, Canada and the UK suggested that succinic acid or succinate, one of the most important intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, a key stage of cellular respiration, during which energy–rich ATP molecules are formed due to oxidative transformations of the breakdown products and synthesis of fats, proteins and carbohydrates..
Figure from the editorial commentary to the article by Mills et al. Accumulation of succinate controls activation of adipose tissue thermogenesis, published in Nature – VM.
Succinate, which activates brown fat cells, is released into the bloodstream by muscle cells during cold shivering.
The scientists added succinate to several cell lines and made sure that it really enhances the work of mouse and human brown fat cells. Then they conducted experiments on laboratory mice. All animals were fed for a month with a high fat content, while succinic acid was added to drinking water for mice from the experimental group. The control mice gained weight during this time, while the mice who drank water with succinate did not, although they did not suffer from a lack of appetite. In addition, it turned out that the succinate supplement also reduced the "hungry" blood glucose level and prevented the violation of glucose tolerance, which is formed in mice against the background of a long-term high-fat diet.
In another experiment, the test subjects were mice whose gene encoding the protein thermogenin was "turned off". Without this protein, brown fat loses its ability to convert fat into heat. Such mice on a high-energy diet successfully gained weight, despite the consumption of succinate. This confirmed the participation of succinate in the work of brown adipose tissue.
The results of this work indicate that in humans (at least in those of them who have "preserved" brown fat in adulthood), succinic acid can be used to combat obesity and related metabolic problems. This compound has been sold in pharmacies for a long time and is widely used as a dietary supplement. It is believed that in addition to the general improvement of metabolic processes and help in the fight against hangovers, it contributes to weight loss. Perhaps this is indeed the case.
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