Trying to reach a weight loss goal? Winter may become your new favorite season because according to a new study, cold temperatures and more vitamin A “encourage” fat burning. The research from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria looks at the effects of cold and vitamin A on converting “bad” white fat into “good” brown fat, which stimulates fat burning and generates heat.
Most people have both white and brown fat and the white fat is where excess calories are stored. The study finds more than 90% of the human body’s fat is white fat, which is stored in the abdomen, upper thighs and bottom. Being exposed to cold increases levels of vitamin A, which is stored in the liver, and stimulates it to head towards the fat. The increase in vitamin A then helps convert white fat into brown fat, as the body’s way to try to keep itself warm.
Researchers say converting white fat into brown fat could be a new solution to dealing with weight gain and obesity, but they warn against taking a bunch of vitamin A supplements to try to shed extra pounds. Study author Florian Kiefer explains that it’s “critical” that vitamin A is transported to the right cells at the right time, so you shouldn’t take large amounts of it, unless it’s prescribed.
Source: Fox News