Scientists Find a Berry Compound That Helps Muscle Cells Burn Fat

Key Points:

• Researchers in Japan discovered that pterostilbene, a natural compound found in blueberries and grapes, reduces fat buildup in mouse skeletal muscle cells by stabilizing the protein PPARδ, which regulates fat metabolism.
• Pterostilbene protects PPARδ from degradation, increasing its activity and promoting the breakdown and use of stored lipids in muscle cells without preventing fatty acid entry.
• The compound outperformed other tested plant-derived chemicals in reducing abnormal intracellular lipid accumulation while maintaining normal muscle cell growth and differentiation.
• Although these findings suggest potential for developing functional foods or supplements targeting muscle fat metabolism, the health benefits of pterostilbene in preventing or treating metabolic diseases remain unproven pending further studies in living organisms.
• The research was published online on July 16, 2026, in Food Bioscience, providing a framework for identifying natural compounds that stabilize PPARδ for possible nutritional or pharmaceutical applications.