Obesity Clinical Trials

Among the new strategies being considered for the treatment of obesity and its metabolic complications, the activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) from white adipose tissue looks promising. Interest in the study of BAT has increased over the last 5-10 years in response to the discovery of functional BAT in humans. The BAT is a tissue specialized in regulating energy expenditure by producing heat through the oxidation of fatty acids contained in the multiple lipid droplets of brown adipocytes. This adipose tissue does not play a storage role, but rather an anti-obesogenic one, thanks to its high metabolic and energetic activity. In addition to exposure to cold, which is the major physiological inducer of brown adipocytes, it seems that exercise and the intake of adrenergic foods can activate the TAB and potentially induce a change from white to brown tissue via the production of adrenalin and myokines. Acute and/or chronic effects of thermogenic food supplements have been reported on BAT activation and energy metabolism. The most conclusive of these involve the capsinoids found in sweet peppers and chillies. Weight loss also improves BAT activation. The BAT has already been identified in children. A decrease in its volume and activity from childhood to adolescence and during puberty has been reported. The main objective of this randomized controlled double-blind study is to investigate the effects of capsinoid dietary supplementation on BAT activity in obese adolescents. Our general working hypothesis is that capsinoid supplementation, combined with dietary management, leads to an increase in BAT activity.