Short-term cooling increases serum triglycerides and small high-density lipoprotein levels in humans.

Background: Cold exposure and β3-adrenergic receptor agonism, which both activate brown adipose tissue, markedly influence lipoprotein metabolism by enhancing lipoprotein lipase-mediated catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and increasing plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and functionality in mice. However, the effect of short-term cooling on human lipid and lipoprotein metabolism remained largely elusive.

Objective: The objective was to assess the effect of short-term cooling on the serum lipoprotein profile and HDL functionality in men.