Losing weight without dieting: a directed fat burner

Obesity can be cured by "turning off" the blood supply to fat cellsABC Magazine

Scientists from the Dr. Anderson Cancer Center at The University of Texas (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center), USA, managed to find an effective way to combat obesity. Their new experimental drug, selectively destroying blood vessels that feed fat cells, allowed obese rhesus monkeys to lose up to 11 percent of their weight and up to 27 percent of their belly fat in 4 weeks. The results of this study are published in Science Translational Medicine (Barnhart et al., A Peptidomimetic Targeting White Fat Causes Weight Loss and Improved Insulin Resistance in These Monkeys).

Previous studies of weight loss drugs focused mainly on reducing appetite or speeding up metabolism, scientists note, but such drugs had pronounced side effects. In the course of their experiment, American researchers managed to develop a new drug containing a "homing" agent that binds to proteins on the surface of vessels feeding adipose tissue and activates the synthesis of a peptide that triggers the mechanism of death of blood vessel cells. As soon as the blood supply of adipose tissue stops, fat cells are metabolized and excreted from the body.

"With the development of this drug, we have a real chance to reduce the reserves of white fat in the human body, unlike other drugs aimed at reducing appetite or preventing the absorption of fats," explains co–author of the study Renata Pasqualini (Renata Pasqualini). "It is the reserves of this fat under the skin and, in particular, in the abdominal area that are a significant risk factor for the development of many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer."

The drug, called Adipotide, has previously been tested on mice – they managed to "lose" up to 30 percent of their weight. However, a lot of weight loss drugs first showed high efficiency in rodents, and then suffered a complete failure in tests on primates. According to scientists, this is due to the huge difference between metabolism and control of the nervous system in these two groups of mammals. Therefore, they were delighted that the new drug showed such effectiveness on macaques – this gives hope that the drug will suit people without any problems. The only side effect of the drug found to date is an undesirable effect on the kidneys, but it can be minimized by reducing the dosage.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru
15.11.2011