Glucocorticoids suppress brown adipose tissue function in humans: A double‐blind placebo‐controlled study

Aim To investigate the effect of glucocorticoids on brown adipose tissue (BAT) function in humans. Materials and methods In a randomized double‐blind cross‐over design, 13 healthy adults underwent 1 week of oral prednisolone treatment (15 mg/d) and placebo with an intervening 2‐week wash‐out period. BAT function was assessed in response to cooling (19°C) and to a standardized meal, by measuring fluoro‐deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake using positron emission tomography‐computed tomography and skin temperatures overlying the supraclavicular (SCL) BAT depots using infrared thermography. Postprandial energy and substrate metabolism was assessed by indirect calorimetry. Results During cooling, prednisolone significantly reduced BAT FDG uptake (standardized uptake value, SUVmax, 6.1 ± 2.2 vs 3.7 ± 1.2; P