Figure 40.15A Effects of Exercise on Glucose Metabolism

Original Paper: Zhang, Y. et al. 2014. Irisin stimulates browning of white adipocytes through mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 MAP kinase and ERK MAP kinase signaling. Diabetes 63: 514–525.

Exercise has been shown to have benefits for individuals with type II diabetes and for obese individuals. Imaging studies have revealed an inverse correlation between brown fat abundance and body mass—lean people have more brown fat and obese people have less. Given that irisin has been shown to have a “browning” effect on white fat, making it more metabolically active, might irisin mediate the beneficial effects of exercise on glucose metabolism and body mass?