As a new era of weight loss drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) dawns, scientists are one step closer to developing a drug that soothes muscles and makes them act as if they’ve just undergone an intense workout. . . This proposed class of drugs, known as exercise mimetics, essentially “mimics” the benefits of exercise, triggering mechanisms that increase fat metabolism and promote lean muscle mass.
“This compound is essentially telling skeletal muscles to make the same changes that you see during endurance training,” said lead author Thomas Burris, a professor at the University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy.
Research into prokinetic drugs has been underway for some time, and UF researchers have discovered that a compound known as SLU-PP-332 can target specific estrogen-related receptors (ERRs), thereby They found that oxidation of skeletal fat is promoted and energy expenditure is increased. .
In mouse studies, SLU-PP-332 “activated” natural metabolic pathways that are normally excited by physical exercise. Compared to a control group of obese mice, a cohort treated with SLU-PP-332 twice daily for 1 month showed a 10-min increase in fat, despite no changes in diet or exercise. 1, losing 12% of his body weight in the process.
“They use more energy just to stay alive,” Burris said.
The mice were also able to run nearly 50% longer than before treatment. Previous research About how to strengthen the heart muscle.
“When we treat mice with this drug, we see that their whole-body metabolism shifts to use fatty acids, which are very similar to what humans use during fasting and exercise,” Burris added. “Then the animals start losing weight.”
This type of drug is very different from emerging weight loss drugs such as semaglutide, which significantly slows digestion. However, rapid weight loss can also lead to loss of lean muscle, so this may have a complementary effect.
Although it’s still early days, researchers believe exercise mimetics could go far beyond treating weight loss and target any condition where physical activity can help reduce risk, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. . For people who are limited in the amount of exercise they can do, this can be life-changing. Researchers are studying what benefits these compounds may provide. Brain function and cognitive health.
“This may help keep people healthier as they age,” Bliss added.
This research Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
sauce: University of Florida via medical express
