Published on: Mar 09, 2026
Scientists at Northwestern Medicine, led by Joseph Bass, have discovered how disruptions in the body’s circadian rhythm can impair metabolic function in fat cells, offering new insights into the development of obesity and metabolic diseases. The findings were published in Nature Metabolism.
The study shows that the circadian clock regulates mitochondrial activity in adipocytes (fat cells), which are responsible for storing energy and controlling metabolism. When the clock is disrupted through factors like high-fat diets or genetic changes in the BMAL1 gene key metabolic pathways such as insulin and PPAR signaling are affected, reducing the cell’s ability to produce energy efficiently.
Researchers also found that introducing a yeast enzyme (NDI1) helped restore cellular energy balance by increasing NAD⁺ production, preventing metabolic dysfunction in mice even without reducing body weight.
These findings suggest that targeting mitochondrial function may help restore.
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