Nutrient molecules affecting the white-to-beige adipose tissue transition

Obesity is one of the most important health problems. Body weight can be controlled through a combination of a healthy diet and physical activity, but hypertrophic obesity is often complicated by other comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, hypertension and various forms of arthritis. If intense physical activity is contraindicated for patients, then alternative approaches to combat obesity can be developed. The discovery of beige adipocytes in white adipose tissue has attracted attention to their use as a target for therapy. There are molecules of various origin that are capable of modulating the formation of beige adipocytes by interacting with critical signaling cascades, leading to increased thermogenesis. One such approach would be to stimulate the transition of white adipose tissue cells into more catabolically active beige cells using nutrients and small molecule drugs.