A team of researchers in Japan has made an important discovery that may help explain why women tend to burn more calories from fat than men.
This discovery could pave the way for new treatments for obesity and other related diseases.
The study was published on July 14 in the journal Nature Communications, conducted by researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Science in collaboration with the University of Tokyo.
Research shows that men typically have a higher muscle mass and burn more total calories, but women tend to burn calories primarily from fat.
The research team focused on brown adipose tissue (BAT), a special type of fat in the body that burns energy to generate heat.
In previous studies, women with more active BAT were found to be at lower risk of type 2 diabetes or other metabolic disorders than men. However, the reason for this difference was not clear.
In a study on mice, the team discovered a protein called PGC-1alpha, which plays a key role in enhancing the ability to burn calories in female mice.
This protein strengthens mitochondria, the part of the cell that converts nutrients into energy and is often called the “powerhouse” of the cell, by promoting the production of special fats that support mitochondrial function. As a result, the body burns more energy as heat.
When scientists removed the PGC-1alpha protein in female mice, mitochondrial efficiency and calorie-burning ability were greatly reduced. Meanwhile, removing the protein in male mice had little effect. This suggests that PGC-1alpha works specifically in female mice to enhance fat metabolism.
The study also found that the female sex hormone estrogen binds to the protein PGC-1alpha to activate genes involved in fat processing. In female mice, this combination was more effective at activating key molecules that help BAT burn calories.
By analyzing these differences at the molecular level, the team showed that women may possess a natural advantage in energy expenditure, thanks to a combination of hormones and gene regulatory factors.
Although the current findings are based on animal models, the team says the results could help explain why women are less likely to suffer from weight-related diseases than men, potentially leading to the development of new therapies that target the body's calorie-burning mechanisms.
The findings from the study provide new insights into gender differences in energy metabolism, help clarify the mechanisms of obesity, and contribute to the development of new methods or drugs to treat obesity and related diseases./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/vi-sao-nu-gioi-co-xu-huong-dot-chay-nhieu-calo-tu-chat-beo-hon-nam-gioi-post1049968.vnp
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