Exercise-Induced Modulation of Adipose Tissue Metabolism
Summary
Physical activity triggers a suite of metabolic adaptations in adipose tissue that are central to systemic energy balance. Acute exercise stimulates lipolysis in white adipose tissue, mobilising free fatty acids to fuel active muscle. With regular training, there is enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative enzyme activity in both white and brown depots. Moreover, exercise promotes the phenotypic shift of white adipocytes into thermogenic beige cells—a process known as browning—which increases whole‐body energy expenditure. These tissue‐specific changes are mediated by a complex interplay of muscle‐derived signals (myokines), adipose‐derived hormones (adipokines) and exercise‐induced metabolites, which govern interorgan communication. The net effect of these processes is an improvement in lipid handling, glucose regulation and thermogenic capacity, underpinning the cardiometabolic benefits of habitual exercise and presenting new avenues for interventions against obesity and related disorders.
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Exercise-Induced Modulation of Adipose Tissue Metabolism publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in exercise-induced modulation of adipose tissue metabolism across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
White adipose tissue (WAT): energy‐storing fat composed of large adipocytes that store triglycerides.
Brown adipose tissue (BAT): mitochondria‐rich fat specialised for heat production via uncoupled respiration.
Browning (beiging): process by which white adipocytes acquire brown‐like, thermogenic characteristics.
UCP1 (uncoupling protein 1): mitochondrial membrane protein responsible for proton leak and heat generation.
Adipokines: hormones and cytokines secreted by adipose tissue that regulate metabolism.
Myokines: signalling proteins released by skeletal muscle during exercise that influence other tissues.
References
- Exercise enhancement by RGS14 disruption is mediated by brown adipose tissue. Aging Cell (2023).
- Transcriptomics Dissection of Calorie Restriction and Exercise Training in Brown Adipose Tissue and Skeletal Muscle. Nutrients (2023).
- Exercise-induced ‘browning’ of adipose tissues. Metabolism (2017).
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