Losartan May Repurpose Blood Pressure Therapy to Boost Metabolism via Brown Fat

Key points

• Losartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, was found to directly increase metabolic activity in brown fat cells.
• The study analyzed PET/CT scans from over 100,000 cancer patients, revealing that brown fat presence correlates with lower rates of anxiety and depression.
• Brown fat activity in the armpit region was specifically linked to a decreased risk of high blood pressure.
• Mice treated with losartan showed increased energy expenditure and oxygen consumption without weight gain.
• The metabolic effects of losartan are mediated by different molecular pathways than its blood pressure-lowering effects, suggesting potential for isolated therapeutic use.

Background

This research builds on a 2021 study by Paul Cohen’s lab that linked brown fat to lower cardiometabolic disease risks in approximately 50,000 patients. The current study expands this scope by doubling the patient cohort and analyzing over 500 diagnostic codes, moving beyond cardiovascular focus to include psychiatric and metabolic outcomes.

How outlets are covering it

News-Medical and NIH emphasize the potential for repurposing losartan to treat metabolic disorders in patients with normal blood pressure, highlighting the drug’s established safety profile. SciTechDaily notes that while mouse studies confirm metabolic boosts, human clinical trials are still needed to verify health benefits. All sources agree that the separation of losartan’s blood pressure and metabolic mechanisms is a key advantage for future drug development.

Why it matters

If losartan can be repurposed to stimulate brown fat, it could offer a new therapeutic avenue for treating obesity, diabetes, and potentially mental health conditions, leveraging a drug with a well-known safety profile. This could lead to more targeted treatments that improve metabolic health without affecting blood pressure.

What to watch

Researchers plan to explore other medications associated with brown fat activity, study the genetics of individuals with high brown fat levels, and investigate the causal link between brown fat and psychiatric conditions. Clinical trials will be necessary to confirm the human benefits of losartan for brown fat activation.