According to new research done by University of Alberta scientists, fat cells that lie just beneath the skin shrink when exposed to the blue light emitted by the sun. This shrinking causes lipid droplets to be released out of the cell leading to reduced fat storage. The findings were published in Nature’s Scientific Reports.
Taking these findings in reverse seems to indicate that the reduced exposure to sunlight exposure during the winter months in a Northern climate could lead to increased fat storage during the winter months.
The discovery was made while the research team was investigating how to bioengineer fat cells to produce insulin in response to light for Type 1 diabetes patients. The reaction was observed in human tissue cell being used as a control.
The researchers hypothesize that fat cells stored near the skin may act as a peripheral biological clock. "It's early days, but it's not a giant leap to suppose that the light that regulates our circadian rhythm, received through our eyes, may also have the same impact through the fat cells near our skin," said Peter Light, senior author of the study, professor of pharmacology and director of UAlberta's Alberta Diabetes Institute.
While these findings are preliminary and should not be taken as a recommended way to lose weight, they do offer interesting avenues for future research that could someday lead to light-based treatments for obesity.