| Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a thermogenic organ that burns fat to produce heat when stimulated and plays a role in energy metabolism. It has been shown in adult humans that BAT is activated with cold exposure and capsinoid supplementation individually. The activation of BAT may be important in mitigating the metabolic risk factors especially in South Asians, who are shown to be predisposed to cardiovascular disease. BAT activity has also typically been evaluated by 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG)- positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (CT). However, FDG-PET/CT has serious limitations such as radiation, high cost, and accessibility. This study will use near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy (NIRSTRS), a non-invasive and cost efficient method of measuring tissue hemoglobin concentration [total-Hb] and mitochondrial density in assessing BAT activity. The goal of this research project is to study the synergistic effects of cold exposure at 19°C and capsinoid supplementation in recruiting brown adipose tissue in a healthy, young South Asian population with low BAT activity. One hundred healthy men and women aged 20 to 35 years old will be divided into BAT negative and BAT positive groups. The BAT negative group will be exposed to 19°C for 2 hours/day for 6 weeks. Then this group will be randomly assigned capsinoids 9 mg or placebo for the next 6 weeks while continuing to be exposed to the cold. Finally, NIRSTRS measurement and body assessment will be conducted. This study will assess the effectiveness of the synergy of cold exposure and capsinoid supplementation in low BAT South Asian subjects. It will also utilize NIRSTRS for assessing BAT activity. |
