(c) University of Chicago Medicine
睡眠はエネルギー代謝にとっても重要だという
睡眠が体内のエネルギー調節に影響を及ぼすメカニズムが，初めて分子レベルで示された。これは，健康で痩せ型の男女7名に1日8.5時間の睡眠を4日間とらせ，数週間後に4.5時間の睡眠を4日間とらせて，エネルギーを調節するホルモン，インスリンへの反応を調べた結果だ。体全体のインスリンへの感受性とともに，インスリンに反応して体内にエネルギーを貯蔵・放出する役割を持つ脂肪細胞を腹部から採取し，それらの反応も測定した。すると，短い睡眠時間では全身の感受性が16％，脂肪細胞の反応は30％も鈍くなっていた。特に後者の差は健康な人と糖尿病患者，痩せた人と肥満した人の違いに相当するという。（吉田素子）
Even Your Fat Cells Need Sleep, According to New Research
In a study that challenges the long-held notion that the primary function of sleep is to give rest to the brain, researchers have found that not getting enough shut-eye has a harmful impact on fat cells, reducing by 30 percent their ability to respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates energy.
Sleep deprivation has long been associated with impaired brain function, causing decreased alertness and reduced cognitive ability. The latest finding -- published by University of Chicago Medicine researchers in the Oct. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine -- is the first description of a molecular mechanism directly connecting sleep loss to the disruption of energy regulation in humans, a process that can lead over time to weight gain, diabetes and other health problems. The study suggests that sleep’s role in energy metabolism is at least as important as it is in brain function.
“We found that fat cells need sleep to function properly,” said study author Matthew Brady, associate professor of medicine and vice-chair of the Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition at the University of Chicago.
Brady said body fat plays an important role in humans.
“Many people think of fat as a problem, but it serves a vital function,” he said. “Body fat, also known as adipose tissue, stores and releases energy. In storage mode, fat cells remove fatty acids and lipids from the circulation where they can damage other tissues. When fat cells cannot respond effectively to insulin, these lipids leach out into the circulation, leading to serious complications.”
［単語和訳］
Fat Cells：脂肪細胞 According to：～によると
long-held：長年抱かれてきた brain：脳 researchers：研究者 shut-eye：眠り harmful：有害な insulin：インスリン hormone：ホルモン regulates：～を調節する
Sleep deprivation：睡眠不足 has been associated with：～と関連付けられてきた impaired：損なわれた alertness：注意力（集中力） cognitive ability：認知能力 Annals：紀要（Annals of Internal Medicineは雑誌名） Internal Medicine：内科学 molecular：分子の sleep loss：睡眠不足 disruption：障害 diabetes：糖尿病 metabolism：代謝 at least：少なくとも
associate professor：准教授 vice-chair：副委員長 Nutrition：栄養学
body fat：体脂肪
vital：不可欠な adipose tissue：脂肪組織 storage：保存 fatty acids：脂肪酸 lipids：脂質 circulation：血液循環 effectively：効率的に leach out：浸出する leading to：～を引き起こす complications：合併症
