Intermittent Cold Exposure and Brown Adipose Tissue Hyperplasia

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH · Jun 30, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how short periods of cold exposure affect a special type of fat in the body called brown adipose tissue (or BAT), which helps generate heat and burn energy. Researchers want to see how cold exposure changes the activity and function of BAT, as well as muscle and regular fat (white adipose tissue), by looking at tissue samples and scans before and after the cold exposure. They are also interested in whether cold exposure improves how the body uses energy, increases tolerance to cold, and reduces inflammation.

Adults between 18 and 40 years old who are healthy, have a normal body weight, and meet certain health criteria may be eligible to participate. Over about two weeks, participants will come in for initial tests including scans and small tissue samples, then undergo 10 days of cold exposure for two hours each day using special cooling blankets. After this, they will have follow-up tests to see how their bodies have changed. The study is currently recruiting volunteers who do not have medical issues, take regular medications (except birth control for women), or have problems like claustrophobia that would make scans difficult. This study helps us understand how cold exposure might activate beneficial fat tissue and improve overall health.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Aged 18-40 years
• • Body mass index 18.5-25 kg/m2
• • Weight change of less than 5% in the past 6 months
• • No acute or chronic medical conditions
• • On no regular medications (other than contraceptives in female participants)
• • No claustrophobia
• • Alcohol intake ≤14 units/ week
• • Screening blood tests within acceptable limits (of no clinical significance)
• • Not currently pregnant, lactating or breastfeeding (female participants only)
• • Ability to provide informed consent.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Not meeting inclusion criteria
• • Contra-indication to PET/CT scan
• • Allergy to local anaesthetic