New research from Rutgers University has uncovered a powerful link between brown fat and longevity. This unique type of fat does more than burn calories—it actively fuels endurance, enhances metabolism, and protects against age-related decline. Now teams are working on a drug that can stimulate brown fat the same way as cold immersion does.
Stephen Vatner, university professor and director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute in the medical school’s Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine and senior author of the study said in Aging Cell, ““We’re working with some people to develop this agent, and hopefully, in another year or so, we’ll have a drug that we can test.”
Unlike regular white fat, which stores energy, brown fat generates heat and burns calories to keep the body warm. The Rutgers study found that mice with an enhanced form of brown fat lived 20% longer and performed 30% better in endurance exercises than normal mice. They maintained their strength and stamina as they aged, staying lean and avoiding common age-related issues like cardiovascular disease, obesity, and even cognitive decline.
The research team discovered these benefits from a genetic modification that boosted brown fat levels. To confirm that brown fat was making the difference, they transplanted it into regular mice. Within days, those mice showed similar improvements in endurance and metabolism. Normal brown fat transplants, in comparison, took weeks to show only minor effects.
The implications for human health are huge. As we age, exercise capacity declines, metabolism slows, and staying fit becomes harder. If scientists can develop a drug that enhances brown fat in humans, it could revolutionise how we approach aging and fitness. The researchers are already working on a pill to replicate these effects, but it’s still years away from being available.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for a pharmaceutical breakthrough to benefit from brown fat. One proven way to increase its activity is through cold exposure. Ice baths, cold showers, or training in cooler environments can naturally stimulate brown fat, helping to boost metabolism and improve endurance. While a pill might be more convenient, deliberate cold exposure is a practical way to tap into brown fat’s benefits today.
Science is getting closer to unlocking the secrets of longevity and peak performance. Brown fat could be the key, and whether through future medical advances or simple cold immersion, it’s a discovery that has the potential to reshape how we train, age, and live.
