After sharing my Sardine Diet experiment, one unexpected side effect stood out: I became oddly cold-resistant.
Imagine standing shirtless in a Boston winter and feeling... fine. Almost comfortable.
Strange? Yes. But also grounded in biochemistry.
As I dug into the literature, a fascinating pathway emerged.
It turns out metabolically active brown fat can convert omega-3s into a signaling molecule called 12-HEPE. This molecule ramps up thermogenesis (heat production), pulls glucose into muscle, and boosts energy expenditure.
It’s a cold-adaptation mechanism—but fueled by omega-3s, not just temperature.
In humans, activating this pathway pharmacologically led to a surge in 12-HEPE and increased glucose uptake into brown fat—a metabolic shift toward heat.
There are also data showing that obesity is a 12-HEPE-deficient state.
Interesting… 🤔
There’s a lot more to unpack—including the full study data and some surprising insights from my own experiment.
If you’re interested in: 👉 The metabolic power of brown fat 👉 Why omega-3s may do more than just fight inflammation 👉 What cold exposure teaches us about fat-burning…
Nick Norwitz
I accidentally supercharged my metabolism with sardines 🐟⚡
Link: staycuriousmetabolism.substack.com/p/the-weird-ant…
After sharing my Sardine Diet experiment, one unexpected side effect stood out: I became oddly cold-resistant.
Imagine standing shirtless in a Boston winter and feeling... fine. Almost comfortable.
Strange? Yes. But also grounded in biochemistry.
As I dug into the literature, a fascinating pathway emerged.
It turns out metabolically active brown fat can convert omega-3s into a signaling molecule called 12-HEPE. This molecule ramps up thermogenesis (heat production), pulls glucose into muscle, and boosts energy expenditure.
It’s a cold-adaptation mechanism—but fueled by omega-3s, not just temperature.
In humans, activating this pathway pharmacologically led to a surge in 12-HEPE and increased glucose uptake into brown fat—a metabolic shift toward heat.
There are also data showing that obesity is a 12-HEPE-deficient state.
Interesting… 🤔
There’s a lot more to unpack—including the full study data and some surprising insights from my own experiment.
If you’re interested in:
👉 The metabolic power of brown fat
👉 Why omega-3s may do more than just fight inflammation
👉 What cold exposure teaches us about fat-burning…
Check out the full letter (linked above).
#Metabolism #Longevity #HealthTech #SelfExperimentation #NutritionScience #Omega3 #BrownFat #GlucoseMetabolism #FunctionalMedicine
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