An adaptation to a cold environment is a tendency to generate heat within our body. Some of
this heat comes from our fat tissue. Although most fat tissue is "white fat", there are
pockets deep within the body that are called "brown fat", which are specially adapted to
burning fat and making heat. The investigator believes that our white fat, just underneath
the surface of our skin, also has this property to burn fat and make heat, although not at
the high level of brown fat. This study is to examine this fat-burning property of the white
fat under the skin in response to seasons and to cold. Many such studies have been done in
mice, but little has been done in humans.
There are a number of factors, including age, weight, and medical history, that may make a
person eligible or ineligible to participate in this study. Certain medications could make a
person ineligible, but if these medications can be safely altered, the individual may become
eligible.
Phase:
Early Phase 1
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Philip Kern University of Kentucky
Collaborators:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) National Institutes of Health (NIH)