AI Study of 101,000 Patients Uncovers Links Between Brown Fat, Heart, and Mental Health

Could the body's calorie-burning brown fat help protect against diabetes, heart disease and even mental health disorders? A new study suggests that people with detectable brown adipose tissue (BAT) have lower odds of several cardiometabolic and psychiatric conditions, highlighting its potential role in maintaining overall health.

Published in Nature, the study used artificial intelligence and large-scale clinical imaging data to examine associations between brown fat activity and health outcomes among 101,243 adults.

Unlike white fat, which primarily stores excess energy, brown fat generates heat by burning energy through a process called non-shivering thermogenesis. Although previously believed to occur mainly in infants, brown fat is also present in adults.

Researchers analysed PET-CT scans collected between 2009 and 2024, using AI-based imaging techniques to measure brown fat activity across different regions of the body.

The findings revealed that individuals with detectable brown fat had 58% lower odds of type 2 diabetes and 47% lower odds of chronic ischaemic heart disease compared with matched individuals without detectable brown fat.

They also showed lower odds of hypertension, depression and anxiety disorders, alongside more favourable blood glucose, triglyceride and inflammatory marker levels.

Interestingly, brown fat activity varied across anatomical regions, with fat located near the armpits showing particularly strong associations with better cardiometabolic health and lower visceral fat accumulation.

The researchers also explored whether existing medications could stimulate brown fat activity. Their analysis identified losartan, a commonly prescribed antihypertensive medication, as a potential candidate.

Laboratory experiments demonstrated that losartan increased the activity of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), which helps brown fat generate heat. Animal studies also showed increased energy expenditure, although measurable weight loss was not observed.

However, researchers cautioned that the observational findings cannot establish whether brown fat directly prevents disease.

REFERENCE: Gómez-Banoy, N., et al. (2026). Artificial intelligence-enabled clinical phenotyping of human brown fat. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-11162-7.