Short Term Effect of Glucocorticoids on Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Humans

Interventional, Placebo controlled cross-over study to investigate the short-term effects of glucocorticoids (prednisone) on human brown adipose tissue.

Active brown adipose tissue (BAT) has recently been unambiguously discovered in human adults. Active BAT increases energy expenditure and improves glucose tolerance. Pharmacological use of glucocorticoids (GCs) is widespread in clinical practice due to their high anti-inflammatory efficacy. While short-term administration even of high doses usually is well tolerated, long-term use of medium to high amounts of GCs leads to unfavorable metabolic changes, characterized by an increase in intra-abdominal fat mass, a decrease in muscle mass and insulin resistance. In line with these well-known side-effects of GCs, several in vitro studies and animal models demonstrate an inhibiting effect of GCs on BAT thermogenesis.