It’s called Lac-Phe, it’s a molecule that could fight obesity by reducing food intake and the feeling of hunger. And you may not even need to go to the gym anymore. Goodbye diet? It is not a joke, it is all true, say two researchers from the most prestigious US universities. In fact, scientists from Baylor College of Medicine and Stanford School of Medicine have outlined this interesting perspective, who published an article in the journal Nature to announce the results of their work. The team, led by Yong Xu, used a mouse model to evaluate the molecule’s effects.
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Diet, discovery of the molecule that can fight obesity
“It has been shown that physical exercise can aid weight loss – says Xu – by understanding the mechanism by which physical activity triggers these benefits, we could help many people find their shape quickly and without excessive effort.” For now, the studies are at the laboratory mice stage, but – as often happens when a new drug is tested – good results in animal testing are the step preceding that on humans.
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Exercise
From the experiments, Lac-Phe drastically reduces food intake and obesity in guinea pigs. And according to scientists, it could also replace the subjects’ need to go to the gym.
«Regular exercise has been shown to aid weight loss, regulate appetite and improve metabolic profile, especially for overweight and obese people»says Professor Yong Xu. «If we can understand the mechanism by which exercise triggers these benefits, then we are closer to helping many people improve their health.».
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This information, the experts comment, improves knowledge of the physiological processes underlying the interaction between exercise and the sensation of hunger. “There are individuals who have no way to get enough exercise or physical,” adds Jonathan Long, colleague and co-author of Xu. “For example, elderly or frail people could benefit from taking a drug that helps fight osteoporosis, heart disease and a number of problematic conditions.” The results, published in the authoritative journal Nature, also shed new light on the links between exercise and the sense of hunger. «We are all aware that exercise is good for you. It is useful for controlling body weight and glucose»continua Long «But we wanted to delve into the concept in more detail: we wanted to see if we could dissect the exercise in terms of molecules and pathways.».
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The experiments
The scientists analyzed the blood plasma of the mice after an intense treadmill run. From here, an amino acid called Lac-Phe was identified, a synthesized from lactate, a by-product associated with intense exercise, responsible for the burning sensation in the muscles, and from phenylalanine, a building block of protein. The rodents examined, all obese, ate a high-fat diet but with a high dose of Lac-Phe prompted them to reduce their food intake by 50%. No side effects were observed on the ability to move nor on energy expenditure. Not only. The benefits continue. After 10 days of Lac-Phe administration, the guinea pigs were less hungry and exhibited reduced body fat as well as better glucose tolerance.
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Effects on the brain
The team also found large increases in plasma Lac-Phe levels following physical activity in racehorses and humans. «This suggests that Lac-Phe is an ancient mechanism that regulates nutrition and is associated with physical activity in many animal species»says Long. «Our next steps include understanding how Lac-Phe mediates its effects in the body, including the brain»concludes Prof. Xu. «This could lead to the development of a pill that can be used directly to suppress appetite for people who cannot exercise easily due to other conditions, aging or bone problems. We have just filed for a patent to hopefully use this knowledge to treat human diseases such as obesity».
The experts also identified CNDP2, an enzyme involved in the production of Lac-Phe. In fact, mice with low levels of this enzyme did not lose as much weight despite a strict exercise pattern. «These first results – concludes Xu – are really interesting. Our goal is to learn how to modulate these compounds in order to provide the body with the same benefits associated with physical activity ».