Taurine Supplementation Associated or Not With Exercise: Effect on Browning of White Adipose Tissue in Elderly Women With Sarcopenic Obesity

The aging process is followed by metabolic and body composition changes, increasing the risk of obesity and sarcopenia. The coexistence of these conditions acts synergistically on each other and is known as sarcopenic obesity. Beige adipose tissue is a tissue type that emerges from subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT), altering its phenotype to resemble the thermogenic functions of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in response to beta-adrenergic stimuli. Some in vitro and animal studies suggest that taurine supplementation and physical exercise are effective interventions in stimulating the aforementioned tissue, promoting what is known as WAT darkening, improving energy metabolism and showing benefits on the maintenance of muscle mass via stimulation of the coactivating protein PGC1α. These investigations are scarce in humans and could help health professionals in the adjuvant treatment of sarcopenic obesity. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyze the effects of taurine supplementation associated or not with physical exercise on the darkening of the WAT in sarcopenic obese elderly women.