2023-10-02 12:20:30
The new drug stimulates metabolism, supports muscle gain and weight loss… in mice. However, it will be years before it is tested on humans.
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Scientists have successfully tested a new drug that can mimic the beneficial effects of strenuous exercise.
The team of University of Florida in the USA tested the drug on obese mice and managed to boost their metabolism and promote muscle building and weight loss.
Regular exercise can have very positive effects on health and has been shown to have a positive effect on people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
According to the British National Health Service (NHS), physical activity is also associated with better brain health and a lower risk of stress, depression or dementia.
Die World Health Organization (WHO) recommends moderate intensity exercise between two and a half and five hours per week.
Unfortunately, 25 percent of adults and 80 percent of teenagers do not adhere to these recommendations.
To reap the benefits of physical activity, scientists have spent years looking for ways to reproduce even a fraction of these health benefits – and now they appear to have succeeded.
More muscle and fat loss
The team, led by Thomas Burris of the University of Florida, tested this new drug – a molecule called SLU-PP-332 – for 28 days and published their results in Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
The drug belongs to a class of treatments known as “exercise mimetics,” which mimic physiological adaptations associated with physical activities.
“This supplement causes skeletal muscle to make the same changes seen during endurance training,” so BurrisProfessor of Pharmacy.
The scientists observed that the mice in the study increased their energy expenditure, meaning they burned more calories without changing their habits.
The mice also accumulated less fat in their bodies and improved the efficiency of their metabolic systems.
How does the medication work?
When you exercise, your body needs more oxygen and energy. These metabolic changes can be observed at the cellular level.
During the study, researchers focused on the estrogen receptors (ERRs), which are located inside the cells.
ERRs are found in parts of the body that require a lot of energy, such as the muscles, heart, and liver. ERRs are potentiated by physical activity, an effect replicated by SLU-PP-332.
“When you treat mice with the drug, you can see that their entire body metabolism switches to using fatty acids, which is very similar to what happens to humans when they fast or exercise,” Burris said.
The mice in the study gained ten times less fat and lost twelve percent of their body weight compared to the control group.
“They use more energy to live,” adds Burris.
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If successfully developed, the drug might be of great help to people suffering from obesity or diabetes, or simply to older people who are prone to loss of muscle mass over time.
“This might help people stay healthier as they age,” said Burris.
While the initial results of the study are promising, more research is needed, including on side effects, before human trials can begin.
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