Hibernation Bear: How can it be fat but healthy?

Brown bears build up a large amount of fat reserves as their energy source during hibernation

The hibernation of mammals allows them to survive in harsh environmental conditions, including winters when food is scarce

Hibernating brown bears can prevent metabolic disorders that cause atherosclerosis

In order to study the mechanism by which hibernating animals avoid metabolic disorders (atherosclerotic dyslipidemia) during hibernation, the researchers evaluated the free-range Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos) by measuring the size, subclass and composition of lipoproteins.

Obese but healthy hibernating animals

According to Giroud, lower muscle cholesterol levels and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase activity in winter indicate that hibernation involves tightly controlled peripheral cholesterol synthesis and/or release

New insights in the fight against atherosclerosis

The new insights gained from this study are particularly interesting because atherogenic dyslipidemia particularly affects humans and some domestic animals