Good news for those of us that want to lose some pounds but are too lazy to break a sweat at a gym – British scientists are about to design the pill that can workout for you.
The wonder pill can virtually simulate the effects of physical exercise within the body and help obese patients lose some weight but also rein their cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Maybe it may sound too good to be true but researchers from the University of Southampton in England claim that their finding is real.
Felino Cagampang, lead author of the study and integrative physiology expert at the university, said that current drugs provide too little help to Type 2 diabetes patients in their battle against rampant glycaemic levels. Moreover, some drugs are even responsible for weight gain which further fuels the diabetes epidemic.
On the other hand, a newly found molecule may do a great job in keeping blood sugar at optimal levels while also helping the patient lose some weight. But there is a catch – the molecule has no effect whatsoever unless the patient is obese, researchers noted.
The research team also explained how the mysterious molecule works. The molecule, also known as “Compound 14” can block an enzyme dubbed ATIC which can later lead to a release of another molecule called ZPM within cells.
As ZPMs multiply, cells are tricked into thinking that they are running out of energy so they start to increase metabolism and process glucose faster, which can only happen when a person is actively engaged in physical exercise.
As a result, compound 14 indirectly reduces blood sugar levels, increases glucose tolerance, and prompts the body to lose some extra pounds. Or at least, that is what obese mouse studies had shown.
During the research, scientists used two groups of mice. One group was on a healthy diet, while the other one was stuffed with unhealthy food that eventually made them chronically obese and prone to pre-diabetes due to high glucose intolerance.
The team noticed that healthy mice displayed no benefits from the wonder molecule as their blood sugar levels and weight remained stable. Yet, the obese group needed only one dose of compound 14 to see their blood sugar levels drop to near regular levels.
After seven days, and several daily doses of the molecule, the obese mice lost 1.5 grams of body fat which is about five percent of their weight. Additionally they had an improved glucose tolerance, but no benefits were observed in the control group.
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