“New promising fat burner developed”

Geschatte leestijd: 3 minuten Well, here we go again. Yet another one. Another new promise. A new medicine that selectively works to increase the metabolism of a fat cell. A fat burner, indeed.

New fat burner

The reason for the sarcasm is that I recently ‘complained’ a bit about the apparent lack of real progress in practice when it comes to fat burners or weight loss pills. Since I describe such discoveries at least monthly, I wondered where that perfect weight loss pill remains. But well, for now, we just have to accept that the path from initial discovery to approved, safe, and effective human use is a long one. In that context, we should also consider the findings of the University of Texas. So, don’t jump with joy from your chair immediately, only to then indulge in a dozen muffins without guilt. The Texan researchers describe in a publication in Biochemical Pharmacology a new drug that reduces body weight and cholesterol in mice, without causing those mice to eat less. Stanley Watowich of the University of Texas explains:

When fat cells grow, they start overproducing a type of enzyme (nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase, or NNMT) that acts as a brake on the metabolism of a fat cell. This makes it harder for these cells to burn stored fat. Additionally, the growth of adipose tissue is accompanied by increased release of hormones and inflammation-promoting signals, which can lead to various chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

(That last part sounds quite relevant considering the research on damaged fat cells that I described yesterday) The researchers discovered a molecule that blocks this protein’s action in white fat cells (the cells responsible for storing energy). By blocking this ‘metabolic brake,’ the researchers were able to increase fat burning in white fat cells. In the study, mice were fed a high-fat diet until they became obese. They then received either the drug or a placebo. As mentioned, I’ve described such studies numerous times before. Hence, perhaps why I find the fact that a placebo effect can also occur in mice and rats, maybe the most interesting aspect [2,3].

Results of the new fat burner

Or rather, “Fat burn brake blocker,” but that might sell less. After ten days of treatment with the new drug (or placebo), the researchers found that the mice receiving the drug lost more than seven percent of their body weight. Their fat mass and the size of their fat cells decreased by 30% compared to the placebo group. Cholesterol levels decreased to a normal level, becoming comparable to mice that were not obese. The diet remained high in fats during those ten days. The mice continued to eat the same amount in both cases. Therefore, the decrease in fat mass and weight was not caused by suppressed appetite. The mice in the placebo group continued to accumulate more fat and became even heavier. Senior author of the study, Harshini Neelakantan, is excited:

Blocking the brake on the fat cell offers a new, targeted method to increase the metabolism of the fat cell and thus reduce the amount of fat storage. This can address the problem of obesity and related metabolic diseases at the source.

Some might say here that overeating and lack of exercise are the root of the problem, and there is certainly something to be said for that. On the other hand, I recently advocated in an article called ‘guilt-free obesity’ that achieving/maintaining a healthy weight can sometimes be an unfair battle. That thought is also why I don’t see the quest for that perfect weight loss pill as the vain hope of weak, undisciplined people. But as I mentioned in the introduction, you don’t have to jump from your chair yet despite Harshini’s enthusiasm. The researcher continues: These initial results are encouraging and provide a reason for further investigation of this technique as a new and more effective treatment method for metabolic diseases. Well, maybe the next generation will actually benefit from this.

Reference

1. Harshini Neelakantan, Virginia Vance, Michael D. Wetzel, Hua-Yu Leo Wang, Stanton F. McHardy, Celeste C. Finnerty, Jonathan D. Hommel, Stanley J. Watowich. Selective and membrane-permeable small molecule inhibitors of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase reverse high fat diet-induced obesity in mice. Biochemical Pharmacology, 2018; 147: 141
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006295217306718
3. http://news.ufl.edu/archive/2012/11/the-placebo-effect-goes-beyond-humans-uf-researchers-find.html
4. Lee IS, Lee B, Park HJ, Olausson H, Enck P, Chae Y. A new animal model of placebo analgesia: involvement of the dopaminergic system in reward learning. Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 25;5:17140. doi: 10.1038/srep17140. PubMed PMID: 26602173; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4658539.