Is a Revolutionary Obesity Treatment On the Horizon?
Stop me if you've heard this one before. In the never-ending search for an obesity panacea, researchers from the University of Central Florida are confident they will have one.
They have identified a new genetic mechanism, which controls the body's fat-building process.
A gene called MCPIP (Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 Induced Protein), controls the development of fat cells. Until now, a different protein, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), had been universally accepted as the master controller of fat cell formation--technically called adipogenesis.
(You can now impress your friends by telling them, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma is like, sooo yesterday.)
Lead researcher Pappachan Kolattukudy (which is almost as hard to say as "peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma"), said MCPIP is potentially an ideal target for drugs, which would prevent the body from becoming resistant to insulin, and prone to type 2 diabetes.
They want to make a drug for this? Shocking!
How the "Wonder Drug" Will Work
According to Klattukudy, shutting down MCPIP, a regulator of fat cell formation and blood vessel formation which feeds the fat cell, will prevent obesity and the major inflammatory diseases resulting from obesity, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The findings of a mouse study will be published in the October issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
What To Do In The Meantime
I think my default reaction with these "breakthroughs" is knee-jerk skepticism. Even if they do find the right chemical concoction to knock out this gene, it will probably take many years.
Obesity treatments are advancing very quickly, and there is obviously an extraordinary amount of money to be made by discovering drugs and other treatments to cure obesity. If this ever gets developed, it will be used either as a preventative measure, halting people from getting fat in the first place, or as a treatment, preventing further weight gain.
So, for the near future, don't put your healthy lifestyle on hold.
Source: Eureka Alerts
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Skepticism is the only reasonable perspective when it comes to weight loss research these days. I'm not going to hold my breath.
And I must chuckle because so many people are working like busy bee's trying to solve the obesity crisis, when we already know the solution...
ReplyI am with you here!
ReplyI'm not sure I like the idea of science mucking around with us at the genetic level. You change one thing and something else is bound to be affected. I don't agree with this attempt at creating "Frankenpeople".
Replyit worries me too, Duane.
ReplyGawd. Scientists could save so much time and money with by just packaging up a decent multivitamin, calling it a miracle obesity fighter, and telling their patients that the drug requires frequent movement to work. Problem solved.
Replywrong. nuff said.
ReplyHere's my revolutionary obesity treatment. Live in a country other than US or Mexico....preferably Japan or South Korea. Hell, I'd recommend North Korea, but then we wouldn't have the interwebs.
ReplyEven if this does work out, ppl will just eat more and exercise even less. Also, there will still issues such as too much sodium, too much sat fat, HFCS, etc.. these are social things and cannot be changed by some pill.
ReplyOr, you could just start exercising. Exercise helps to increase the number of insulin receptors in your cells so that they're more responsive to insulin, making insulin resistance less of a reality. I'm thinking it'd be better to increase insulin receptors naturally and not depend on some stupid pill to do it for us; who's with me?
ReplyAgreed! I wonder who puts up the millions to fund a study like this.
ReplyPharmaceutical companies
ReplyOR, on the same track, people could stop eating sugar and excessive carbs and naturally reduce the insulin levels in their body, eliminating the need for additional insulin receptors.
Reply