59 | id == 59
59 | category_id == 18
59 | category_order == 15
59 | category_name == Weight
59 | category_color == #C47AC0
59 | slug == weight-loss-UCP1
59 | title == A Heat-Generating Gene Linked to Weight Gain (UCP1)
59 | meta_description == The UCP1 gene affects how the body stores and burns fat. Could it affect weight gain and obesity? Click here to find out.
59 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong><em>UCP1</em> diverts energy from being stored as fat and instead helps turn it into body heat. Could this gene affect weight gain and obesity? Read on to learn all about <em>UCP1</em> and its effects on energy and metabolism.</strong></p>
59 | overall_score_text == Weight Loss Score (Based on UCP1)
59 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/UCP1_WeightLoss_post_image.jpg
59 | author_id == 10
59 | author_name == Biljana Novkovic
59 | author_title == PhD
59 | author_order == 50
59 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Biljana.jpg
59 | author_intro == <p><strong>Biljana received her PhD in Ecological Genetics from Hokkaido University.</strong></p>    <p>Before joining SelfHacked, she was a research scientist with extensive field and laboratory experience. She spent 4 years reviewing the scientific literature on supplements, lab tests and other areas of health sciences. She is passionate about releasing the most accurate science &amp; health information available on topics, and she&#39;s meticulous when writing and reviewing articles to make sure the science is sound. She believes that SelfHacked has the best science that is also layperson-friendly on the web.</p>
59 | reviewer_id == 1
59 | reviewer_name == Jasmine Foster
59 | reviewer_title == BSc, BEd
59 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
59 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
59 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
59 | publish_date == 2019
59 | publish_date == 10
59 | publish_date == 7
59 | avg_rating == 5.0
59 | tags_id == 186
59 | tags_name == BMI
59 | tags_id == 187
59 | tags_name == Body Temperature
59 | tags_id == 188
59 | tags_name == Cold Resistance
59 | tags_id == 141
59 | tags_name == Metabolic Health
59 | tags_id == 140
59 | tags_name == Metabolism
59 | tags_id == 165
59 | tags_name == Obesity
59 | tags_id == 185
59 | tags_name == UCP1 Gene
59 | tags_id == 115
59 | tags_name == Weight Gain
59 | tags_id == 184
59 | tags_name == Weight Loss
59 | permissions_favorite == False
59 | permissions_rate == False
59 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What Does UCP1 Do?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are three main types of fat (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">adipose</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) tissue:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>White fat:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> this is what many people think of as &ldquo;body fat.&rdquo; This is the body&rsquo;s primary form of energy storage; people with too much white fat are considered obese [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29704660"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Brown fat:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> also called "good fat". Brown fat is burned to generate heat and maintain body temperature [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29704660"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Beige fat:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> when white fat starts working like brown fat and burns calories, it is called beige fat. White fat is converted into beige fat in a process called &ldquo;browning&rdquo; [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24146030"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5274505/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCP1 (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">uncoupling protein 1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) is mainly found in the </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/mitochondria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">mitochondria</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of brown and beige fat cells. It's also called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">thermogenin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> because it helps generate heat by a process called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">non-shivering thermogenesis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which helps our bodies stay warm in cold environments [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12119988"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21827845"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22790465"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18451493"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5274505/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because it prevents excess energy from being stored as body fat (and instead turns it into heat), many researchers believe that UCP1 could protect against </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/61-biological-mechanisms-that-influence-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">weight gain</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/35-biological-reasons-overeat/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">obesity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28057582"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27622583"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28100847"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this post, we'll look into the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCP1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene, which may be associated with weight gain and obesity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21827845"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28100847"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before we proceed, however, it's important to note that there are many different genes that affect your metabolism and likelihood of being overweight &mdash; and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCP1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is only one of them! We will address more weight-associated genes in our upcoming posts.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you believe that your genes are making it more difficult to lose weight, talk to your doctor about the information and strategies in this post.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The UCP1 protein diverts energy from being stored as fat and instead helps turn it into heat. Because of this, some researchers believe that UCP1 activity protects against weight gain and obesity.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>UCP1</em> Genotype</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the best-studied SNPs in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCP1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene is </span><a href="../../snp/rs1800592/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rs1800592</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (also known as the &ldquo;-3826&thinsp;A&gt;G&rdquo; polymorphism). It helps determine how your body uses and stores the energy that you get from food [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3783463/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are two possible variants (alleles): 'T' and 'C'.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 'T' allele is linked to increased activity of the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCP1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene. It's associated with a higher resting metabolic rate, higher body heat production, and less weight gain. According to some researchers, this variant helps turn more of the energy from food into heat instead of body fat (white fat) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002247/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5514118/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conversely, the 'C' allele is linked to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">decreased</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> activity of the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCP1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene. It's associated with a lower resting metabolic rate, lower body heat production, higher weight gain, and a higher BMI. If less of the energy acquired from food is turned into heat, then more of it would get stored as body fat [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3537753"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3783463/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can see your genotype for this SNP in the table below:</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*4686810042480882*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*4795160778566121*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">(Note that alleles are given in the &ldquo;plus&rdquo; orientation to match with your raw data. Scientific studies may report it in the &ldquo;minus orientation&rdquo; &mdash; so if you click through to our sources, you may see &lsquo;A&rsquo; and &lsquo;G&rsquo; alleles rather than &lsquo;T&rsquo; and &lsquo;C&rsquo; alleles, but this isn&rsquo;t a mistake! To convert between the two, &lsquo;C&rsquo; = &lsquo;G&rsquo; and &lsquo;T&rsquo; = &lsquo;A&rsquo;.)<br /></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 'T' allele is associated with increased metabolic rate and higher body heat production. The 'C' allele, by contrast, is associated with decreased metabolic rate and increased weight gain, body fat content, and BMI.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>UCP1</em>, Metabolism, and Body Weight</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to several studies, the 'C' allele (and especially the 'CC' genotype) is associated with increased weight gain as well as a higher chance of being obese [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28704105"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6247512/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10753048"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19076691"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12753942"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16953057"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17516293"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12951617"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, people with the 'CC' genotype were found to have lower basal metabolic rates than people with the &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele. In other words, they burned less energy when resting. In fact, one study reported that 'C' carriers may burn as much as 200 fewer calories per day than people with the 'TT' genotype [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21189472"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287783/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apart from burning less energy when resting, people with the 'CC' genotype also produced less heat when exposed to cold [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14671150"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24351450"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all lose brown fat as we age. However, in one study, people with the 'CC' genotype had less brown fat at a younger age than people with the &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23032405"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, several studies link the 'C' allele and the 'CC' genotype to metabolic disturbances commonly associated with being overweight. In various studies, the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele has been associated with elevated blood pressure, greater </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/cause-of-fatigue-after-meals-with-carbs/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">insulin resistance</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and higher </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/ldl-cholesterol/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">LDL cholesterol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/triglycerides/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">triglycerides</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315519/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4410578/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17635070"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15281018"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22391136"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12375583"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite this strong body of evidence, additional research is required to determine whether the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele is the direct cause of these problems.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers have found a potential link between the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele at rs1800592 and slower resting metabolism, weight gain, and obesity. According to some studies, the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele is also associated with high cholesterol and insulin resistance.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The <em>UCP1</em> 'T' Allele: An Adaptation To Cold?</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fun fact: worldwide, about 30% of people have the 'TT' genotype, which is associated with higher resting metabolism and increased heat production. But this genotype is much more frequent in Europe, where 58% of people have it! Many researchers believe that the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">UCP1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene and the rs1800592 SNP are in part responsible for human </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/12-reasons-embrace-cold/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">adaptation to colder climates</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5514118/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sure enough, a study of 52 populations worldwide found that the 'T' allele was considerably more common in colder regions [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002247/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, although today we consider the 'T' allele beneficial in terms of its potential effect on body weight, this allele is essentially linked to lower metabolic efficiency. In other words, people with this allele may &ldquo;waste&rdquo; more of the energy that they get from food on generating body heat [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11239487"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some researchers have suggested that the more efficient 'C' allele may be advantageous when food is scarce and the climate is warm [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11239487"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 'T' allele is more common in colder climates, where increased body heat production is advantageous.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Strategies To Boost <em>UCP1</em></strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several strategies may help get around your genotype by converting more white fat into energy-burning beige fat. Just remember to talk to your doctor before making any significant changes to your exercise, diet, or supplement regimen!</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*1582606001488413*</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet and Exercise</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The best-studied and most effective means of losing weight are </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and a </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/lifestyle-diet-increase-longevity/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">healthy diet</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. There&rsquo;s some disagreement about exactly which diets are best; however, eating less food overall as well as reducing your intake of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/glucose/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">refined sugars</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (like in soda, sweets, and baked desserts) is a very good place to start [</span><a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/behavior.htm"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225890/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with the "C" allele burn less energy and may thus want to control their daily calorie intake to avoid weight gain issues.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers don&rsquo;t fully understand the effect of exercise on UCP1 specifically. Early animal studies suggest that it may induce fat browning, implicating UCP1 in the transformation. This may be one reason why physical activity has long been recognized as vital to any </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/a-comprehensive-list-of-effective-ways-to-lose-weight/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">weight loss program</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28085671"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5893183/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to some studies, increasing caloric and carbohydrate intake may increase UCP1 activity. However, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/whats-secret-japanese/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">carbs</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and overeating have also been associated with weight gain and other detrimental effects, so they are not recommended for the purpose of increasing UCP1 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28057582"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6816809"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12603-009-0005-1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11239487"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cold Exposure</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps the easiest strategy associated with increased UCP1 activity is </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/12-reasons-embrace-cold/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">exposure to cold</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, for example by doing </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/whole-body-cryotherapy/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cryotherapy</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, taking a cold shower, or engaging in outdoor activities during the winter months [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12119988"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28057582"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24351450"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to some studies, cold exposure increases your fight-or-flight (sympathetic) response and promotes the release of </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/norepinephrine-stress-hormone/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">norepinephrine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which then activates UCP1 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29715048"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3783463/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indeed, studies have found that UCP1 and brown fat in general are more active in winter when temperatures are low [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3783463/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, because it activates the fight-or-flight response, cold exposure may not be good for everyone. Consult your doctor to find out if cold exposure is right for you and make sure you are not </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/stress-bad-uncovering-hidden-effects-stress/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">over-stressing</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> your body.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplements</span></h3> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-deficiency-excess-diseases/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron deficiency</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may impair UCP1 activity, leading to decreased brown fat and increased white body fat [</span><a href="https://academic.oup.com/cdn/article/3/Supplement_1/nzz041.OR09-07-19/5517353"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/iron-part-3-iron-intake-supplementation-ways-increase-decrease/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Iron-rich foods</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> like beef and liver are the best dietary sources. Iron can be dangerous in excess, so it&rsquo;s important to only take supplements if your doctor recommends them [</span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following foods and supplements may be of interest to people who are 'C' carriers:</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/fucoxanthin/"><strong>Fucoxanthin</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">: this carotenoid is found in edible brown </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/kelp/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">seaweed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, such as kelp/kombu or wakame. In one study, people with the &lsquo;CC&rsquo; genotype who took fucoxanthin had decreased blood sugar [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465861/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Doenjang</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">: Korean fermented soy paste. Supplementing with doenjang was associated with reduced body fat in 'C' allele carriers [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22260858"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to one study, people with the 'TT' genotype lost more weight when they supplemented with </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/scientifically-proven-health-benefits-of-ginger/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ginger</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25899896"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following foods and supplements have been associated with increased UCP1 and brown/beige fat in animal studies, although it's not yet certain if they are as effective in humans. It&rsquo;s especially important to talk to your doctor before trying supplements that haven&rsquo;t had sufficient human research.</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/green-tea/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Green</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and black </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/teas-stimulants/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">tea</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-019-0370-7"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/caffeine-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caffeine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-45540-1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/chocolate-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cocoa and chocolate</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-019-0370-7"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/olive-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17418557"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/benefits-morus-alba/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mulberry</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-019-0370-7"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31312821"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/rutin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rutin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (found in apples, buckwheat, citrus fruits, figs, and tea) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28049156"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/quercetin-23-scientifically-proven-benefits-quercetin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quercetin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (abundant in red onions and kale) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-019-0370-7"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-15-scientific-health-benefits-of-resveratrol-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Resveratrol</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (found in red grapes, berries, and peanuts) [</span><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.2503"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-019-0370-7"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Isoflavones in soy and soy products [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-019-0370-7"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/fish-oil-top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish oil</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">/ omega-3 fatty acids [</span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep18013"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/allulose/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Allulose</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5760716/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/berberine-19-health-benefits-of-berberine-with-references/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berberine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3965561/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/luteolin-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Luteolin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (found in carrots, peppers, celery, olive oil, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/peppermint-oil-benefits-uses-side-effects/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">peppermint</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, thyme, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/rosemary-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rosemary</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/oregano/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">oregano</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/myricetin-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Myricetin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (grapes, berries, and other fruits and vegetables) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/hesperidin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hesperidin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (citrus fruits) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><a style="text-align: justify;" href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/chrysin/">Chrysin</a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (</span><a style="text-align: justify;" href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/bee-propolis/">propolis</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a style="text-align: justify;" href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/raw-honey-12-important-scientific-uses-superfood/">honeycombs</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and mushrooms) [</span><a style="text-align: justify;" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164844/">R</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a style="text-align: justify;" href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-019-0370-7">R</a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul>
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59 | content_learn_more_4795160778566121_text == Your genetic data includes a UCP1 variant associated with average fat storage and body heat generation. Some researchers have found a link between this variant, weight gain, and obesity. Keep reading to learn more.
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