Recent research carried out using positron emission tomography (PET) techniques had confirmed the high metabolic activity of brown adipose tissue in adults, a topic that had caused strong disagreements in the scientific community until now. Experts at the UB are currently developing new experimental protocols for gainer greater insight into the relationship between FGF21 and lipid metabolism, and the possible pharmacological or nutritional uses of this factor in weight control: "We know that the liver produces this factor in response to fatty acids in the diet, but not all fatty acids trigger the same response: the intensity of the signals and the liver response vary considerably. Could we modulate these signals using dietary strategies? Essentially, that would mean adapting diets in such a way that they induce greater production of FGF21, which would accelerate metabolism". They also believe that one of the major challenges over the coming years will be to determine the way in which this system works in obese or diabetic patients: "Unusually, it appears that obese adults produce larger quantities of FGF21, which would suggest that there is a problem of resistance that we have yet to uncover, and which will also need to be studied".

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