Magic Pill

Researchers have used a synthetic drug in mice that turns on a regulator in the body that controls how much fat cells burn.

In short, the synthetic fat made the rodents' bodies act as if they were excercising, allowing them to maintain their weight even while on high-fat diets.

Salk Institute scientist Ronald Evans said at the Experimental Biology conference that the work could lead to a new treatment for obesity in people.

However, preliminary results and those from animal studies often do not translate directly to people.

In previous work, Evans was able to use genetic engineering to turn on the same gene, known as PPAR-d, creating mice that resisted weight gain. They also had twice the physical endurance.
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I will be the first to admit that I don't live to exercise, I'm not quite sure I really like it yet, but I'll get there, it's one of those things that I do because I have to... but there's something about working up a good sweat that feels good... I can't imagine, nor would I want that feeling to come from a bottle.

Obesity is a problem not only in the US but around the world, I'm not sure that better living thru chemistry is the answer. I'm not sure there really is a short term solution, other than education... we live in a world of the doing everything now -gone are the days when people actually saved up to do something they use a credit card and get immediate gratification controlling weight people seem to have the same reflex -- fix it now... it's not a fix it now problem it's a long term, education that most obese people need.
 
DeepGreen said:
I saw this on the news and I am extremly skeptical.

Any comments on this?
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I wrote about this on my site's blog yesterday.

I'm skeptical for a few reasons. This study was not published in a major, peer-reviewed medical journal. We have no idea how many mice were tested and whether the early results hold for all mice. Even if the results do hold up in mice, will pill work on humans? What are the side-effects?

Nature intended us to move, not to take pills. Although an "exercise pill" sounds magical, actual exercise is still more likely to work miracles over the long-term. :)
 
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