On the way to guilt-free eating?

This past month, scientists have made a medical breakthrough that could completely change the weight-loss industry. Researchers at the Salk Institute in California studied the effects of the molecule fexaramine on lab mice and found that it was successful not only in reducing obesity, but also in reducing insulin resistance. The molecule also promotes the conversion of unhealthy “white fat” into less harmful “brown fat”. The scientists’ findings were published in Nature Medicine on January 5.

Fexaramine triggers a specific chemical receptor in the gut that is normally activated when a person is eating. This receptor triggers automatic responses from the body that are meant to accommodate the intake of food. These responses include burning of calories and increasing liver function. The idea behind the use of this drug is that it could be used to simulate a meal, provoking the weight-loss benefits of eating a meal, without the person actually consuming calories.

Fexaramine also improves the responsiveness of insulin, which breaks down glucose in the blood. Based on this effect, the researchers hope this drug could also produce a breakthrough in the treatment of Type II diabetes, caused by insulin no longer having an effect in the body and a corresponding increase in the amount of blood glucose. Type II diabetes can lead to increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease, and often is complementary to obesity. In Canada, about 9% of the population is diagnosed with the disease. As such, having a more effective way to treat diabetes is  a top concern for researchers.

The most important benefit of fexaramine compared to other weight-loss drugs currently on the market is that it does not pass into the bloodstream. While the physiology of mice is similar enough to humans to use them as test animals, molecules proven to work in mice might still be ineffective in humans, so fexaramine might still not be the “miracle pill” companies seem to constantly be advertising. The Salk Institute says that human trials would likely not begin for another one to two years, and reaching a safe, commercially viable pill could take even longer, assuming the drug works at all in humans. Nevertheless, it remains a promising solution to the ever-growing problem of obesity.