White Tea Consumption Attenuates FNDC5 and UCP1 Suppression in High-Fat Diet- Induced Obesity

Obesity is a global health challenge characterized by excessive fat accumulation and metabolic dysregulation. White tea, rich in bioactive polyphenols, has been suggested as a potential anti-obesity agent. However, its effects on irisin and UCP1 levels remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of white tea (WT) consumption on irisin and UCP1 levels in a high-fat diet induced obesity model. Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: Control, HFD, HFD + White Tea, and HFD + Orlistat. Serum irisin and UCP1 protein levels were measured using ELISA, while FNDC5 and UCP1 gene expression levels in adipose tissue were analyzed via qPCR. ELISA results showed that irisin levels were significantly higher in the WT and ORL groups compared to the control (p < 0.05), while UCP1 levels did not significantly differ among groups. Gene expression analysis revealed a significant suppression of FNDC5 and UCP1 mRNA levels in all experimental groups, with the most substantial downregulation observed in the ORL group, followed by HFD and WT (p < 0.001). Notably, WT showed a milder suppression compared to ORL and HFD, suggesting a protective metabolic effect. This study is the first to evaluate the effects of white tea on FNDC5 (Irisin) and UCP1 levels, demonstrating that white tea may enhance irisin secretion while attenuating gene suppression, potentially maintaining metabolic balance through post-transcriptional mechanisms. These findings support the role of white tea as a natural anti-obesity intervention with metabolic benefits comparable to orlistat but without excessive suppression of key metabolic regulators.