The new drug boosted the mice’s metabolism, helping them gain muscle and lose weight. However, it will be many years before human trials are conducted.
Scientists have successfully tested a new drug that can mimic the effects of intense training.
A team from the University of Florida in the US tested the drug in obese mice and succeeded in boosting metabolism, increasing muscle gain and weight loss.
Exercising regularly can have a huge positive impact on your health, with proven benefits for people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Additionally, according to the UK, physical activity is also associated with improved brain health and reduced risk of stress, depression, and dementia. national health service (NHS).
As for how much exercise you should do, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
Unfortunately, 25 percent of adults and 80 percent of adolescents do not meet these recommendations.
To reap the benefits of physical activity, scientists have been trying for years to find ways to replicate even a fraction of these health benefits, and it appears they’ve succeeded.
more muscle and fat loss
A team led by Thomas Burris at the University of Florida tested the new drug (a molecule called SLU-PP-332) for 28 days and reported the results. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
The drug is part of a proposed class of treatments known as “exercise mimetics,” which mimic the physiological adaptations associated with physical activity.
“This compound is basically telling the skeletal muscles to make the same changes that are seen during endurance training.” Barriss said.Professor of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
Scientists observed that the mice in the study increased their energy expenditure, meaning they burned more calories, without changing any of their habits.
The mice also had less fat accumulation in their bodies and improved their metabolic systems.
How do drugs work?
When you perform physical exercise, your body requires more oxygen and energy. It is possible to observe these metabolic changes at the cellular level.
During the trial, researchers focused on estrogen-related receptors (ERRs), which are present within cells.
ERR occurs in areas of the body that require a lot of energy, such as the muscles, heart, and liver. ERR increases with physical activity, an effect that is replicated by SLU-PP-332.
“When we treat mice with this drug, we see that their whole-body metabolism shifts to use fatty acids, which are very similar to what humans use during fasting and exercise,” Burris said.
Mice in the study gained 10 times less fat and lost 12 percent of their body weight compared to the control group.
“They use more energy just to stay alive,” Bliss added.
If successful, the drug could be a game-changer for people suffering from obesity, diabetes, or older adults who tend to experience loss of muscle mass over time.
“This could help keep people healthy as they age,” Bliss said.
Initial trial results look promising, but additional research is needed, including side effects, before human trials can begin.