Brown adipose tissue and aging: A potential role for exercise

Aging is one of the primary risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and regular physical activity can help to delay, prevent, or manage the onset and development of many chronic diseases present in older adults. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is thermogenic tissue that protects against agerelated disease, but BAT activity decreases with age. In this review, we discuss how aging contributes to impaired BAT function by inducing a 'whitening' of the BAT and altering beta 3 adrenergic receptor (& beta;3AR) signaling, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) gene expression, and mitochondria respiration, and potential mechanisms for exercise to counteract the effects of aging on BAT.

Automated summary

Aging is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while regular physical activity can help delay, prevent, or manage the onset and development of various chronic diseases in older adults. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is thermogenic and protects against age-related diseases, but its activity decreases with age. This review discusses how aging impairs BAT function by inducing whitening and altering signaling pathways, gene expression, and mitochondrial function, as well as potential mechanisms for exercise to counteract these effects.