WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Researchers from City of Hope have revealed why people tend to become more sensitive to cold as they get older.
The study found that signals from the nervous system and immune cells help control how much heat a special type of fat, known as thermogenic fat, produces. They do this by regulating the balance between highly active and less active fat cells.
This balance between active and less active fat cells helps the body adjust to changes in temperature. When the body needs more warmth, signals from the nervous and immune systems encourage less-active fat cells to produce more heat. Once the body no longer needs extra warmth, their activity is reduced.
However, the researchers found that this process slowed down in older mice. Although their thermogenic fat could still produce more heat, it took longer to respond. This made it harder for the animals to maintain their body temperature when exposed to cold conditions.
The researchers also managed to restore some of the heat-producing activity in older mice by blocking a specific part of the biological process responsible for the slowdown. The treated mice produced more heat and burned more energy.
Notably, the drug used in the experiment, mifepristone, affects several functions in the body. Therefore, it cannot be considered a treatment for increased cold sensitivity associated with aging. However, the findings suggest that the decline in heat production by thermogenic fat may be reversible.
'That possibility matters for more than staying warm,' corresponding author Qiong Wang said. 'Thermogenic fat also burns glucose and fat, and its activity tends to decline with age. If scientists can find a safe, precise way to restore that activity, this foundational research could eventually deepen our understanding of age-related metabolic problems, including obesity and type 2 diabetes.'
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News